Job description: What does an electrician do?
The everyday work of an electrician is diverse and extremely varied. Depending on the company’s specialization, there is hardly any electrical activity that you cannot master. Among other things, they have to cope with the following tasks:
- Repairs
- Eliminating malfunctions
- Design and installation of electrical components and systems
- Programming, configuration, and testing of electrical systems and their safety devices
- Installation of cable routing systems, energy and information lines
- Operating instruction
- Handover of new systems to users
Electricians have to deal with sometimes innovative and highly complex technologies. Regular training is, therefore, essential to stay up to date. The components that electricians work with are just as diverse as the tasks. This applies to the small things and the installation of entire systems, which would be inconceivable without an electrician. For example:
- Electronic controls of heating or sewage systems or complete power plants
- Robots on the production line
- Electrotechnical systems that work with high voltage as a drive source
The diversity of the job description is most vivid in the areas of intelligent networking and mobile communication. The innovations and new developments are sometimes so rapid that it is difficult even for many experts to keep track of all technical products. Here, in particular, new fields of work and opportunities open up almost every week.
Therefore, in addition to the ability to work in a team and commitment, particular curiosity and thirst for knowledge are essential prerequisites for working independently.
Incidentally, strict attention is paid to this right from the start of working life: If, for example, a training company cannot convey all the aspects that should be demonstrated in its apprenticeship due to its specialization, this is no longer tragic. The knowledge that the trainees do not acquire in their day-to-day work can be achieved on-site in their guild’s company training centers. Here they are trained in all essential fields.
The job market for electricians is excellent in times of skills shortages. Your work is in demand like never before, which in all probability will remain so for a long time to come. Also, fixed working hours regulate everyday life in most companies, making the job appear attractive.
Education: How do you become an electrician?
The training to become an electrician is dual. This means that it also takes place in the vocational school in parallel to a company’s tasks. It lasts for a total of three years, in exceptional cases four years, and can be completed in the following fields :
Energy and building technology: Electricians specializing in energy and building technology are responsible for electronic systems and systems in buildings. They plan and install fuses and connections. The functionality of heating or air conditioning systems is also part of the area of responsibility.
Automation technology: This is about the maintenance, installation, and servicing of electronic industrial systems such as production plants or traffic control systems.
Information and Telecommunications Technology: This specialization is about designing and installing electronic communication and security systems. For example, telephone systems and alarm systems.
The specific training content during the apprenticeship includes, for example:
- Planning of work processes
- Preparation of calculations according to operational specifications
- Calculating and measuring electrical quantities
- Assembling and disassembling assemblies
- Establishing protective measures
- Design of plant changes and extensions
- Testing of safety devices
- Assembly of withdrawable units, enclosures, and switchgear assemblies
- Execution and documentation of services
Salary: How much does a electrician make?
Budding electricians receive a comparatively respectable salary during their training. Depending on professional experience, wages may continue to rise and may be significantly higher in a few years. Further education and training, as well as increasing specializations, allow additional salary jumps.
Map of electrician salaries
The darker areas on the map show where electricians earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
- Bottom 10% Annual Salary: Less Than $33,000 ($15.85/hour)
- Median Annual Salary: $55,200 ($26.55/hour)
- Top 10% Annual Salary: More than $94,600 ($45.50/hour)
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Career: opportunities and prospects as an electrician?
Trained electricians will find a wide range of employment opportunities. For example, the following areas are in high demand:
- Electrical engineering trade
- Facility management
- Service industry
- Real estate industry
The professional profile of an electrician is one of the most promising. In particular, in the US industry, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering, the chemical industry, and automobile construction are among the most important branches in the manufacturing industry.
Therefore, the career ladder for electricians also offers attractive opportunities:
- Further training to become a trainer enables young trainees to pass on the relevant specialist knowledge.
- Further training to become a state-certified technician creates the basis for working together with colleagues from the production and development department and instructing a team to work out and implement plans.
- Further studies enable electricians who have a technical college entrance qualification or a high school diploma to obtain an academic degree. In the technical and natural sciences, content is conveyed that can be excellently combined with the training. This makes it possible to pursue a management career that requires specialist knowledge and communicative skills.
Application as an electrician: tips, formulations, template
Prospective electricians mainly score with their talents and knowledge in the following areas:
- Technology
- Computer science
- mathematics
- Natural sciences
Also, other personal strengths are certainly not a disadvantage:
- Understanding of complex technical relationships
- Skillful use of modern technical devices
- Dexterity
- Teamwork
- Careful work
- Good oral skills
- Willingness to learn
If you want to apply for an exciting job advertisement, you should always keep in mind that you are not the only one interested. Therefore, to hold your own against your competitors, you need to be careful when creating your application.
This is especially true for your resume, which plays a unique role in the pre-selection of candidates. Take the opportunity to make yourself attractive by mentioning additional qualifications and knowledge.
Also, make sure that your resume is convincing not only in terms of content but also visually. With the clear and at the same time modern resume templates, which we have made available for you to download here, you can do this with ease.
