Apprentice electricians are trainees whose main task is to assist and to learn from the journeyman or master electrician that they shadow on a job site. That being said, after a few months of training most electrician trainees are very capable of helping out with tasks and effectively contributing. Although their main focus is learning the trade they will be expected to help with and eventually perform a number of important tasks.
Tasks that an electrician in training might perform includes:
- Hauling gear and equipment
- Cleaning
- Drilling holes
- Running wires and cables
- Connecting wires
- Testing currents
- Installing lighting fixtures
- Installing circuit breakers
- Installing fuse boxes
- Maintaining electrical equipment
- Repairing installed electrical devices
- Creating electrical diagrams and plans
As an apprentice, you’ll start out by assisting with manual labor such as carrying equipment or cleaning up the site. After more skills, experience and confidence are obtained being able to assist in the actual electrical work will gradually begin. Before they know it, trainees are valuable members of the team.
It’s important that electricians start off with easy tasks so that the master electrician can get an understanding of their capabilities and how comfortable they are working on a site. A trainee that is given tasks that are too complex for them is likely to make mistakes which can be incredibly dangerous as an electrician. A mentor needs to have the confidence that their pupil will be able to handle any situations or problems that arise.
It’s also important that trainee electricians know their abilities and not try to perform tasks that are too advanced for them as the results can be expensive as well as dangerous.
What do apprentice electricians do that involves actual electrical tasks? After a while on the site, an apprentice will be able to begin helping install electrical devices like lighting fixtures and fuse boxes. This is now getting into the assignments that they will be performing once they become full journeyman electricians. Apprentices are also involved in repairing, maintaining, and replacing previously installed equipment.
Eventually you’ll be able to plan and draw up electrical plans for houses and buildings with an instructors help. This is essential, as it is a critically important task, to begin a wiring installation since a poorly made plan can cause headaches down the road.
Electricians perform many assignments over the course of their apprenticeship and they learn many important skills that will be essential if they are to become successful journeyman and eventually Master electricians. Hopefully this has answered any questions about what apprentice electricians actually do.
Read more about salaries and the process of becoming an apprentice election.