Making a Living as an Electrician
Electricians set up and repair wiring and electrical components that allow electricity to flow through our houses and places of work. Some electricians specialize in low voltage situations including appliances and personal computers. Electricians are skilled tradespeople whose knowledge and ability to follow blueprints and codes make these devices safe for our use. They perform important and complicated tasks that can be dangerous, like connecting wires to transformer boxes, circuit breakers, fuse boxes and some work with both residential and commercial/industrial lighting- like those found in the film industry. Some of the many specialty tools electricians use include: Voltage meters, wire strippers, conduit benders, etc. With the basic skills of an electrician, a tradesman can easily move into similar yet specialized electrical trades such as “electronics installer” (setting up audio, navigations systems and factory machines) and “electrical engineering technician” (building and testing new electrical devices), a more complex and higher-paying career.
How Much Does an Electrician Make?
A proficient electrician can make a median salary of $55,000 or about $25 an hour. This can be dependent on location, expenses and whether the economy is in an upswing or experiencing a downturn. The specialty of electronics installer, while interesting, usually generates a smaller salary while electrical engineering technicians can yield a salary upwards of $65,000 annually.