Thank an Electrician Today
If you fired up your computer, switched on a light, or simply got a cold drink out of the refrigerator, chances are there's a construction electrician out there that you owe thanks. Construction electricians are in charge of installing the conduits and wiring that bring electricity into buildings, offices, and residential structures. Construction electricians may also be in charge of installing signal communication systems, alarms, and other electrical equipment had a need to make a structure livable.
What's the Job Like?
Although construction electricians usually work inside on construction sites, where they're in charge of installing the electrical hardware of a building or worksite, they could occasionally need 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 type of pipe that protects the building wiring) through the walls and floors of the building. As the conduit goes in, in addition they 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, and other hand tools, as well as 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 understand how to read the blueprints that describe the locations of where electrical wiring runs in a building. They have to know about all local and state building codes and the specifications for several types of residential and commercial electrical hardware. In addition they need to know the best methods to prevent short circuits or other electrical dangers which could appear in the wiring of a structure.
Since construction electricians sometimes work outside, they may be exposed to wind, rain along with other bad weather. Working conditions require standing many hours on ladders, work platforms, or in cramped workspaces. Construction electricians must also be careful to avoid dangerous shocks and injuries from the high voltage equipment they must install. Regarding factory or commercial construction, they could suffer from extremely powerful transformers, switch systems, and circuit breakers handling hundreds 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, along with 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 each year, together with four years of on-the-job training under a senior electrician. Classes include trained 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. Generally, since these positions are usually union-affiliated, salaries are just about equal across a geographical area.
Employment Outlook
About two thirds of the 659,000 electricians employed in the United States are used in the construction field or related jobs. With https://fifeelectricians.uk of computers, smart houses and other sophisticated electronic systems, the projected dependence on skilled construction electricians is likely to be very good through the next decade, although recent downturns in the housing construction market could have a cooling effect on this growth. Even so, job growth is expected to hold equal with the national average through 2014.
How to get Work
Although some construction electricians enter the field by working as helpers under a senior electrician at a local job site, the most effective way to start a lifetime career being an electrician is though one of the many apprenticeship programs offered by way of a union or the National Electrical Contractors Association. Because so many construction electricians may also be union members, they are generally referred by the union for jobs in a local area.
Potential for Advancement
The prospect of skilled construction to advance is usually quite good, with experienced electricians frequently upgrading to management jobs as estimators, superintendents, and job site supervisors. Out of this point, they may opt to start their own contracting businesses or work as consultants, handling electrical bids for other contractors. Many senior electricians can parlay their experience into related fields, such as factory, aircraft construction, or shipbuilding electrician roles.
Conclusion
If you're seeking to take charge of one's future (pun intended), you won't have to look beyond a lifetime career as a construction electrician. A vital area of the construction industry in both residential and commercial areas, that is one job which will be in demand given that people need lights, air conditioning, and electrical outlets in the spaces they reside in.