Electricians
(SOC 47-2111)

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Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems.

Sample of reported job titles: Electrician, Maintenance Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Inside Wireman, Control Electrician, Electrician Technician, Industrial Electrician, Journeyman Wireman

Job Responsibilities

• Maintain current electrician's license or identification card to meet governmental regulations.
• Connect wires to circuit breakers, transformers, or other components.
• Repair or replace wiring, equipment, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
• Assemble, install, test, or maintain electrical or electronic wiring, equipment, appliances, apparatus, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
• Test electrical systems or continuity of circuits in electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures, using testing devices, such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or oscilloscopes, to ensure compatibility and safety of system.
• Use a variety of tools or equipment, such as power construction equipment, measuring devices, power tools, and testing equipment, such as oscilloscopes, ammeters, or test lamps.
• Plan layout and installation of electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures, based on job specifications and local codes.
• Inspect electrical systems, equipment, or components to identify hazards, defects, or the need for adjustment or repair, and to ensure compliance with codes.
• Direct or train workers to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
• Diagnose malfunctioning systems, apparatus, or components, using test equipment and hand tools to locate the cause of a breakdown and correct the problem.

New Hampshire Outlook

• Average Hourly Wage*: $22.91
• Estimated Employment 2010: 2,214
• Projected Employment 2020: 2,687
• Expected 10-Year Growth: 21.4%
• Projected Average Annual Openings: 107

Top industries in NH for this occupation:

• Specialty Trade Contractors
• Self-Employed Workers
• Colleges and Universities
• Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
• Utilities
• Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing

Education and Training

Most Electricians learn the trade through an apprenticeship program, which is required in most states. Apprentices enter into an agreement with an employer, who provides supervised on-the-job training. At the same time, the apprentice attends classroom training. Most electrical apprenticeships require four years of combined education and work experience.

In New Hampshire, Electricians are regulated by the Bureau of Electrical Safety and Licensing in the Department of Safety. Apprentices must complete four years (8,000 hours) of experience and 150 hours each year of education in electricity. After completing the apprenticeship, they may take the Journeyman examination. Journeyman electricians must have one year (2,000 hours) of practical experience to be eligible for the Master Electrician examination. Journeyman and Master Electricians must complete a 15-hour code course once every three years.

Interests (Holland Code): RIC

• Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
  

Career Cluster: Architecture and Construction

Work Environment
Electricians work indoors and out, in nearly every type of facility. Almost all electricians work full time, which may include evenings and weekends. Although the work is not as dangerous as some other construction occupations, common risks include electrical shocks and burns, cuts, and falls.

Additional Information Sources**
Joint Apprenticeship and Training
IBEW Local 490
<www.ibew490.org/node/32>

Office of Apprenticeship
US Department of Labor
<www.doleta.gov/oa>

National Fire Protection Association
<www.nfpa.org>

International Code Council
<iccsafe.org>

To Find a Job
Contact the nearest NH Employment Security office or go online to www.nhes.nh.gov

* New Hampshire Occupational Employment and Wages, September 2012. Wage estimates based on surveys through May 2011, adjusted to June 2012.
** Inclusion of this information is intended to provide a convenient resource for research, but in no way constitutes an endorsement for any organization; nor is the list all-inclusive.

Source:
NH Employment Projections, base year 2010 to projected year 2020
Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010, Bureau of Labor Statistics

For more information:
Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau
(603) 228-4124
elmi@nhes.nh.gov