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Job Report - Electricians
Published 1996
Mascor Publishing Co.
P.O. Box 8308
Silver Spring, MD 20907
Nature of the Work
Heating, lighting, power, air-conditioning, and refrigeration components all operate
through electrical systems that are assembled, installed, and maintained by electricians.
Electricians generally specialize in either construction or maintenance, although some
workers do both.
To install the electrical systems in factories, homes, and other structures, electricians
follow blueprints as well as instructions from supervisors. To install wiring in factories
and
offices, they first place conduit (pipe or tubing) inside partitions, walls, or other
concealed
areas as designated by building plans. Workers also fasten to the wall small metal and
plastic boxes that will house electrical switches and outlets. To complete circuits
between
these boxes, they then pull insulated wires or cables through the conduit. They work
carefully to avoid damaging any wires or cables. In lighter construction, such as housing,
plastic covered wire usually is used rather than conduit.
Regardless of the type of wire being used, electricians connect it to circuit breakers,
transformers, or other components. Wires are joined by twisting ends together with pliers
and covering the ends with special plastic connectors. When additional strength is
desired,
they may use an electric "soldering gun" to melt metal onto the twisted wires,
then cover
them with durable, electrical tape. When the wiring is finished, they test the circuits
for
proper connections.
In addition to wiring a building's electrical system, electricians may install coaxial or
fiber optic cable for computers and telecommunications equipment. As part of the
deregulations of the telephone industry, individuals and businesses can now install and
maintain the phone lines in their own buildings. As a result, some electricians install
telephone wiring and equipment.
Maintenance work varies greatly, depending on where the electricians is employed.
Electricians who work in large factories may repair particular items, such as motors or
electronic controllers for machine tools and robots. Those in office buildings and small
plants can repair all kinds of electrical equipment. Electricians spend much of their time
doing preventive maintenance--periodic inspection of equipment to locate and correct
defects before breakdowns occur. When trouble occurs, they must find the cause and
make repairs. Electricians may replace items such as circuit breakers, fuses, switches, or
wire. They also may advise management whether continued operation of equipment would
be hazardous, and they may install new electrical equipment.
Electricians use handtools such as screwdrivers, pliers, knives, and hacksaws. They
also use power tools, testing equipment, and oscilloscopes.
Working Conditions
Electricians' work is active and sometime strenuous. They often work from ladders
and scaffolds. They frequently work in awkward or cramped positions. Electricians risk
injury from electrical shock, falls, and cuts from sharp objects. To avoid injuries, they
use
protective equipment and clothing and follow safety procedures.
Employment
Electricians held about 545,000 jobs in 1990. Slightly more than half were employed
in the construction industry. Others worked as maintenance electricians and were
employed in virtually every industry. In addition, about 1 out of 11 electricians was
self-
employed.
Because of the widespread need for electrical services, jobs for electricians are
found in all parts of the country.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Most training authorities recommend the completion of a 4-year apprenticeship
program as the best way to learn the electrical trade because apprenticeship gives
trainees
a thorough knowledge of the trade and improves their ability to find jobs during their
worklife. A larger proportion of electricians are trained through apprenticeship than
workers
in other construction trades. Nevertheless, many electricians learn their trade informally
on
the job.
Apprenticeship programs are sponsored and supervised by local union-management
committees or by company management committees. Because the training is
comprehensive, people who complete apprenticeship programs qualify to do both
maintenance and construction work. These programs provide 144 hours of classroom
instruction each year in addition to 2,000 hours of on-the-job training. In the classroom,
apprentices learn blueprint reading, electrical theory, electronics, mathematics,
electrical
code requirements, and safety and first aid practices. On the job, under the supervision
of
experienced electricians, apprentices must demonstrate mastery of the electrician's work.
At first, apprentices drill holes, set anchors, and set up conduit. Later, they measure,
bend,
and install conduit, as well as install, connect, and test wiring, outlets, and switches.
They
also learn to set up and draw diagrams for entire electrical systems.
Beginners who are not apprentices can pick up the trade informally by working as
helpers for experienced electricians. While learning to install conduit, connect wires,
and
test circuits, helpers are also taught safety practices. Many helpers gain additional
knowledge through trade school or correspondence courses, or through special training in
the Armed Forces.
All applicants should be in good health and have at least average physical strength.
Agility and dexterity also are important. Good color vision is needed because workers
frequently must identify electrical wires by color. Applicants for apprentice positions
usually
must be at least 18 years old and have a high school or vocational school diploma.
Courses in electricity, electronics, mechanical drawing, science, algebra, and shop
provide
a good background. A background in electronics is increasingly important for people
wishing to become maintenance electricians because of the increasing use of complex
electronic controls on manufacturing equipment.
To obtain a license, necessary for employment in most localities, electricians must
pass an examination that tests their knowledge of electrical theory, the National Electric
Code, and local electric and building codes.
Experienced electricians can become supervisors. Electricians with sufficient capital
and management skill can start their own contracting businesses. In many areas, a
contractor must have an electrical contractor's license.
Job Outlook
Employment of electricians is expected to increase about as fast as the average for
all occupations through the year 2000. As the population and the economy grow, more
electricians will be needed to maintain the electrical systems used by industry and to
install
electrical devices and wiring in new homes, factories, offices, and other structures. New
technologies also are expected to continue to stimulate demand for workers. Buildings will
be prewired during construction to accommodate use of computers and telecommunications
equipment. More and more factories will be using robots and automated manufacturing
systems. Installation of this equipment, which is expected to increase sharply, should
generate many job opportunities.
In addition to jobs created by increased demand for electricians, many openings will
occur as electricians transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. The total
number of jobs openings for electricians each year is among the highest for all craft
occupations, mainly because the occupation is large. A smaller proportion of electricians
than of other craft workers leave their occupation each year. Electricians have a strong
attachment to their occupation because they must spend about 4 years acquiring their
training and enjoy relatively high earnings.
Although the employment outlook for electricians is expected to be good over the
long run, people wishing to become construction electricians should expect to experience
periods of unemployment. These result from the limited duration of construction projects
and the cyclical nature of the construction industry. During economic downturns, job
openings for electricians are reduced as the level of construction declines. Although
employment of maintenance electricians is steadier than that for construction
electricians,
electricians working in automobile, steel, and other industries that are sensitive to
cyclical
swings in the economy may be laid off during recessions.
Job opportunities for electricians also vary by geographic area. Employment
opportunities follow the movement of people and businesses among States and local areas
and reflect differences in local economic conditions. The number of job opportunities in a
given year may fluctuate widely from area to area.
Earnings
Median weekly earnings for full-time electricians who were not self-employed were
$478 in 1990. The middle 50 percent earned between $325 and $612 weekly. The lowest
10 percent earned less than $254 while the highest 10 percent earned more than $740.
Electricians in metropolitan areas earned about $14.90 an hour in 1990 compared
with $9.29 an hour for all production and nonsupervisory workers in private industry,
except
farming. They generally earned more in the Midwest and West than in the Northeast and
South. Because the seasonal nature of construction affects electricians less than workers
in most building trades, annual earnings also tend to be higher.
Depending on experience, apprentices usually start at 35 to 50 percent of the rate
paid to experienced electricians and increase periodically.
Many construction electricians are members of the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers.
Among unions organizing maintenance electricians are the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers; the International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers;
the
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; the International Union,
United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of American; and the
United Steelworkers of America.
Related Occupations
To install and maintain electrical systems, electricians combine manual skill and a
knowledge of electrical materials and concepts. Other occupations involving similar skills
include air-conditioning mechanics, cable installers and repairers, electronics mechanics,
and elevator constructors.
Sources of Additional Information
For details about apprenticeships or other work opportunities in this trade, contact
local electrical contractors; local chapters of the Independent Electrical Contractors,
Inc.,
the National Electrical Contractors Association, or the Associated Builders and
Contractors;
a local union of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; a local union-
management apprenticeship committee; local firms that employ maintenance electricians;
or the nearest office of the State employment service or State apprenticeship agency.
Some local employment service offices screen applicants and give aptitude tests.
For general information about the work of electricians, contact:
Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc., 1101 Connecticut Ave., NW., Suite
700, Washington, D.C. 20036.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, 1125 15th St. NW.,
Washington, D.C. 20005.
National Electrical Contractors Association, 7315 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda,
MD 20814.
National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for the Electrical
Industry, 9700-D George Palmer Hwy., Lanham, MD 20706.
Associated Builders and Contractors, 729 15th St., NW., Washington, D.C.
20005
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