The Role of an Electrician: Duties and Types
Introduction
Understanding the different roles within the electrical trade is crucial if you're considering a career in this field. Electricians don't just wire up houses; they handle a variety of tasks across different specializations. In this post, we'll break down what electricians do and the types of electricians out there.
What Does an Electrician Do?
Electricians tackle a wide range of jobs to ensure electrical systems are safe, efficient, and up to code. Here’s a look at the basics:
Installing Wiring and Electrical Systems: Whether it's for new construction or fixing up an old place, electricians lay down the groundwork for electrical setups by pulling wire and running pipe.
Maintaining Electrical Equipment: Keeping systems in top shape is key to preventing problems and avoiding hazards.
Troubleshooting and Repairing: When something goes wrong, electricians diagnose the issue and fix it to get things running smoothly again.
Ensuring Compliance with Codes: Electricians have to follow strict local and national codes to ensure safety and legality.
Types of Electricians
Electricians can specialize in different areas, each with its own set of duties:
Residential Electricians: Work in homes, handling everything from wiring and lighting to troubleshooting and repairs. Expect to spend a lot of time in attics, crawlspaces, and other less-than-pleasant spots. The work can be grueling—summer heat and winter cold can take their toll. But, that's just part of the job.
Commercial Electricians: These electricians work in office buildings, stores, and other commercial spaces, dealing with bigger electrical systems. They often work with pipe and stranded wire, and while the job site might be dirty, it’s a cleaner more organized kind of dirty. Commercial Electricians usually work in teams and need to communicate well to keep things running smoothly.
Industrial Electricians: These specialists handle complex electrical systems in factories and plants. They deal with high-voltage systems and advanced machinery. Industrial work can be quite different from residential or commercial jobs, often involving HMI, controls, motors, and large three-phase systems.
Maintenance Electricians: Focused on keeping existing systems in check, these electricians ensure everything stays in working order. Maintenance is often where a career goes when it's time to settle down. You might start here after gaining experience elsewhere, but it’s less likely to be the place where you build a career from scratch.
My Experience
I've worn several of these hats over my career. I started as a residential electrician, getting hands-on with home wiring and troubleshooting. I specialized in total home rewires and knob-and-tube removal in San Antonio, Texas. After putting in the hard work, I moved into commercial work, handling more complex systems and larger projects. I became familiar with low-voltage systems like security cameras and lighting. Each step required new skills and adaptation, but the core principles—safety, efficiency, and precision—remained the same.
Conclusion
Knowing the roles and responsibilities of different types of electricians helps you decide which path might be right for you. Each area has its own set of challenges and rewards, but all require a solid foundation of technical know-how and practical skills. Sometimes, you might not get to pick your path; the job you land might be the one that's available when you need it most. The important thing is to just get started. Those first 1 to 2 years of experience are the most crucial in establishing your career. In the next post, we'll dive into the educational requirements for becoming an electrician. Stay tuned!
