Thank an Electrician Today
If you turned on your computer, switched on a light, or just got a cold drink out from the refrigerator, chances are there's a construction electrician on the market that you borrowed from 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, along with 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 are responsible for installing the electrical hardware of a building or worksite, they may occasionally need to work outside in sun and rain. 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. Because 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, along with other hand tools, along with electrical test meters to check 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. Emergency electrical services must also understand how to browse 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 forms of residential and commercial electrical hardware. In addition they need to know the best methods to prevent short circuits or other electrical dangers that may come up in the wiring of a structure.
Since construction electricians sometimes work outside, they might be subjected 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 be careful in order to avoid dangerous shocks and injuries from the high voltage equipment they must install. In the case of factory or commercial construction, they could have to deal with 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, together with assigning apprenticeships between locations and providing work programs that bring experienced electricians and apprentices together.
Under these formal programs, apprentices are anticipated to understand 144 class hours each year, and 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 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 very good through the next decade, although recent downturns in the housing construction market could have a cooling influence on this growth. Even so, job growth is likely to hold equal with the national average through 2014.
Where to find Work
While 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 through a union or the National Electrical Contractors Association. Because so many construction electricians are also union members, they are generally referred by the union for jobs in a local area.
Potential for Advancement
The potential for skilled construction to advance is usually quite good, with experienced electricians frequently upgrading to management jobs as estimators, superintendents, and job site supervisors. From this point, they may opt to start their very own contracting businesses or work as consultants, handling electrical bids for other contractors. Many senior electricians will be 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 your future (pun intended), you will not have to look beyond a lifetime career as a construction electrician. An essential part of the construction industry in both residential and commercial areas, this is one job that will be in demand as long as people need lights, air-con, and electrical outlets in the spaces they reside in.