If you are interested in pursing a career as an electrician, there are some things that you should know about this type of position. Although most people may use the term electrician for people who work in this field, it is important to know and understand that there are at least three different position titles involved and they are held by those who qualify. These three titles include the apprentice electrician, the journeyman electrician and the master electrician. Before an individual can practice their craft, they will have to meet specific requirements. The requirements for each are diverse because they have different responsibilities and duties to perform. Therefore, one of the first things that any individual should know is what do electricians do?
What Do Apprentice Electricians Do?
Trainee electricians are hired to gain experience under the supervision of a licensed electrician. These professionals are not allowed to complete tasks independently until they obtain the appropriate licensing. They do not have the authorization to perform all of the duties and functions of a licensed electrician. However, this entry-level position has been designed to prepare them for these responsibilities.
Therefore, their tasks involve assisting the licensed electrician in various on-the-job assignments. This means they spend some of their time drilling holes and setting anchors for each of the electrical systems. Their duties may include giving the electrician the right tools. However, as the new electrician acquires more skills, they can assist with more difficult electrical tasks (i.e. testing wiring).
The apprentice electrician can inspect an existing system for defects and they can help with developing a specific course of action. After the electrician has had a certain amount of experience, they can also perform a basic installation. As their knowledge and skill levels improve, the apprentice may install and repair an electrical system by reading the blueprints and schematics. All of these duties are performed under the supervision of a licensed electrician.
What Do Journeyman Electricians Do?
The journeyman electrician position is not an entry-level position. Therefore, additional requirements must be met before the individual can perform specific duties. These electricians must complete at least four years of experience, which includes a combination of fieldwork and classroom training.
This type of electrician must possess a strong understanding of commercial and residential electrical and wiring. They are expected to know how to read blue prints, wire a variety of different devices, run conduit, perform quality control testing and troubleshoot problems. In order to perform their duties, they need a general knowledge of installing systems in many different settings. Also, when completing specific projects, they can determine the type of materials needed and the cost. Their tasks will also consist of reviewing the plans, defining the layouts and testing electrical patterns.
They are responsible for retrofitting different types of equipment with the most recent technological equipment. By using the most recent equipment, they can help with improving performance along with the efficiency of each device. When contacted, the journeyman electrician can also troubleshoot and fix emergency generators.
What Do Master Electricians Do?
Although the journeyman duties are packed with a variety of different duties, the master electrician is the professional that is responsible for overseeing a staff of contract employees. These contract positions can include apprentice electricians, journeyman electrician and laborers. The staff may be on commercial, residential or an industrial site. This electrician normally serves in the role of a project manager, since there duties include scheduling each phase of the project and setting deadlines. Their duties include ordering the materials, components and all of the essential parts.
To ensure the project is going as planned, the master electrician is responsible for ensuring the assignment is in compliance with specific standards and industry codes. If the project is not meeting certain standards, their role is to clearly communicate the issues to the crew and ensure the project is kept on schedule. This is also the electrician that communicates the status to the business owners and other project managers. The information that is communicated is provided to all involved in a report form.