Taking Charge - YOUR JOB As a Construction Electrician
Thank an Electrician Today
If you turned on your computer, started up a light, or simply got a cold drink out of your refrigerator, chances are there's a construction electrician on the market that you owe thanks. Click here to find out more are in charge of installing the conduits and wiring that bring electricity into buildings, offices, and residential structures. Construction electricians are also in charge of installing signal communication systems, alarms, and other electrical equipment had a need to create a structure livable.
What's the work Like?
Although construction electricians usually work inside on construction sites, where they're responsible for installing the electrical hardware of a building or worksite, they could occasionally have to work outside in the elements. Construction electricians usually begin work shortly after the structure is framed, as their job requires threading metal electrical conduit (a kind of pipe that protects the building wiring) through the walls and floors of the building. Because the conduit goes in, they also link electrical plugs, switches along with other electrical management hardware to it, threading wires through the conduit, and connecting it to these power points. Construction electricians use screwdrivers, pliers, along with other hand tools, and also electrical test meters to check on voltages and pipe benders and hacksaws to cut and bend the conduits they install.
Construction electricians tend to be more than simply pipe fitters and wire cutters. They must also learn how to read the blueprints that describe the locations of where electrical wiring runs in a building. They have to be familiar with all local and state building codes and the specifications for several types of residential and commercial electrical hardware. They also need to know the best ways to prevent short circuits or other electrical dangers which could appear in the wiring of a structure.
Since construction electricians sometimes work outside, they might be exposed to wind, rain along with other inclement weather. Working conditions require standing several hours on ladders, work platforms, or in cramped workspaces. Construction electricians must be careful to avoid dangerous shocks and injuries from the high voltage equipment they need to install. In the case of factory or commercial construction, they could have to deal with extremely powerful transformers, switch systems, and circuit breakers handling a huge selection of watts of electricity.
Qualifications
While many construction electricians learn their trade as apprentices to senior electricians, others learn the ropes through formal training programs available through community colleges and vocational schools. These programs typically require a high school diploma or GED equivalent. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Electrical Contractors Association both offer four-year programs, as well as assigning apprenticeships between locations and providing work programs that bring experienced electricians and apprentices together.
Under these formal programs, apprentices are expected to understand 144 class hours per year, in addition to four years of on-the-job training under a senior electrician. Classes include training in wiring layout, electronics, blueprint reading, mathematics and electrical theory and applications.
Salaries
The median salary for a construction electrician is $20.33 an hour, with some variation based on location and experience. In general, since these positions are often union-affiliated, salaries are just about equal across a geographical area.
Employment Outlook

About two thirds of the 659,000 electricians working in the United States are employed in the construction field or related jobs. With the expansion of computers, smart houses along with other sophisticated electronic systems, the projected need for skilled construction electricians is expected to be excellent through the next decade, although recent downturns in the housing construction market could have a cooling effect on this growth. However, job growth is expected to hold equal with the national average through 2014.
How to Find Work
Although some construction electricians enter the field by working as helpers under a senior electrician at a local job site, the simplest way to start a career as an electrician is though one of the numerous apprenticeship programs offered through a union or the National Electrical Contractors Association. As most construction electricians may also be union members, they are often referred by the union for jobs in an area area.
Potential for Advancement
The potential for skilled construction to advance is normally quite good, with experienced electricians frequently moving up to management jobs as estimators, superintendents, and job site supervisors. From this point, they may opt to start their own contracting businesses or work as consultants, handling electrical bids for other contractors. Many senior electricians are able to parlay their experience into related fields, such as factory, aircraft construction, or shipbuilding electrician roles.
Conclusion
If you're looking to take charge of one's future (pun intended), you will not have to look further than a career as a construction electrician. A vital part of the construction industry in both residential and commercial areas, this is one job which will be in demand given that people need lights, air conditioning, and electrical outlets in the spaces they reside in.