What’s the Difference Between an Electrician and an Electrical Technician?




People who aren’t familiar with trades and the electrical industry in particular often think that electrician and electrical technician are just two words for the same career. Although each position does share some similarities the actual work that they perform on a daily basis is quite different. While some of their basic training is the same and they both work with electricity both electricians and electrical technicians would have quite a bit of trouble if they had to switch jobs for a day.

Electrician vs Electronic Technician

Electricians are tasked with commercial and residential installations, maintenance, and repairs. This involves creating an electrical plan, running wires, installing lighting fixtures, and everything else that a home or business needs to operate. An electrician must properly plan out and execute a design that will provide the appropriate power to the necessary sections of the residential or commercial building they are working on.

Electrical Technicians on the other hand, perform maintenance and repair on electronic devices. These devices include anything from a DVD player used to play movies to an MRI machine used by hospitals. Electrical Technicians are often highly specialized and will generally work on only a few varieties of machines due to their complexity.

While the basic laws of electricity apply to both careers and they share some of the same training, Electricians and Electronic Technicians are quite different and specialized careers. One things for sure however, both these jobs are essential due to our reliance on electrician and electronics. Due to this, qualified and competent Electricians and Electrical technicians and highly sought after which makes it a great career choice for someone interested in getting in a trade.