Occupation

Electricians

Human Advantage 69%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Low Risk
2.4 / 10

This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.

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.

Also Known As: Airport Electrician, Antenna Installer, Antenna Rigger, Commercial Electrician, Conduit Installer, Conduit Mechanic, Construction Electrician, Control Electrician +81 more

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Core Tasks

  1. Prepare sketches or follow blueprints to determine the location of wiring or equipment and to ensure conformance to building and safety codes.
  2. Place conduit, pipes, or tubing, inside designated partitions, walls, or other concealed areas, and pull insulated wires or cables through the conduit to complete circuits between boxes.
  3. Work from ladders, scaffolds, or roofs to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
  4. 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.
  5. Assemble, install, test, or maintain electrical or electronic wiring, equipment, appliances, apparatus, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
  6. Connect wires to circuit breakers, transformers, or other components.
  7. Maintain current electrician's license or identification card to meet governmental regulations.
  8. Plan layout and installation of electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures, based on job specifications and local codes.
  9. Direct or train workers to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
  10. 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.
  11. Diagnose malfunctioning systems, apparatus, or components, using test equipment and hand tools to locate the cause of a breakdown and correct the problem.
  12. Inspect electrical systems, equipment, or components to identify hazards, defects, or the need for adjustment or repair, and to ensure compliance with codes.
  13. Install ground leads and connect power cables to equipment, such as motors.
  14. Advise management on whether continued operation of equipment could be hazardous.
  15. Repair or replace wiring, equipment, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
  16. Construct or fabricate parts, using hand tools, according to specifications.
  17. Provide preliminary sketches or cost estimates for materials or services.
  18. Perform business management duties, such as maintaining records or files, preparing reports, or ordering supplies or equipment.
  19. Fasten small metal or plastic boxes to walls to house electrical switches or outlets.
  20. Perform physically demanding tasks, such as digging trenches to lay conduit or moving or lifting heavy objects.

Supplemental Tasks (1)

  1. Provide assistance during emergencies by operating floodlights or generators, placing flares, or driving needed vehicles.

Education & Training

Job Zone 3 Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
62%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
31%
Less than a High School Diploma
2%
Some College Courses
2%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
2%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.
1%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
  • SAP software

Software (33)

  • AVEVA InTouch HMI
  • Computer aided design CAD software
  • Construction Master Pro
  • Craftsman CD Estimator
  • Database software
  • Electrosoft FlashWorks
  • Elite Software E-Coord
  • Elite Software Inpoint
  • Elite Software Outpoint
  • Elite Software Short
  • Elite Software VDROP
  • Insight Direct ServiceCEO
  • Lighting calculation software
  • One Mile Up Panel Planner
  • Programmable logic controller PLC software
  • Resolve Systems Service Management
  • Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate
  • Shafer Service Systems
  • SmartDraw
  • Socrates Contractor's Library
  • SoftEmpire Electrical Calculations
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
  • Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
  • Word processing software

Tools & Equipment (164)

  • Adjustable wrenches
  • Air compressors
  • Allen wrenches
  • Ammeters
  • Automatic insulation strippers
  • Awls
  • Backhoes
  • Bandsaws
  • Bear claw wire threaders
  • Bucket trucks
  • Butane soldering irons
  • Cabinet tip screwdrivers
  • Cable benders
  • Cable butt trimmers
  • Cable cutters
  • Cable gripping gloves
  • Cable jacket strippers
  • Cable labeling machines
  • Cable lacing needles
  • Cable sheath strippers
  • Cable splicing knives
  • Cable tie guns
  • Capacitance testers
  • Channel lock crimping tools
  • Channel lock pliers
  • Circuit testers
  • Circuit tracers
  • Circular saws
  • Clamp-on ammeters
  • Claw hammers
  • Coaxial cable cutters
  • Conduit benders
  • Conduit deburring tools
  • Conduit fitting and reaming screwdrivers
  • Conduit levels
  • Conduit locknut and reaming pliers
  • Conduit measuring tapes
  • Continuity coaxial testers
  • Cordless drills
  • Crescent wrenches
  • Current clamps
  • Cutting torches
  • Depth gauges
  • Desktop computers
  • Diagonal cutting pliers
  • Diggers
  • Double-end can socket wrenches
  • Drill bit sets
  • Electric conduit benders
  • Electricians' scissors
  • End cutting pliers
  • End wire strippers
  • External snap ring pliers
  • Feeler gauges
  • Fish tape pullers
  • Frequency meters
  • Fuse pulling equipment
  • Gas leak detection devices
  • Generators
  • Ground fault circuit interrupter GFCI testers
  • Growlers
  • Hacksaws
  • Hammer drills
  • Hammers
  • Hard hats
  • Heat guns
  • Heavy duty longnose pliers
  • Hex key sets
  • High-leverage cable cutters
  • High-leverage diagonal cutting pliers
  • High-leverage side cutting pliers
  • Hole saws
  • Hydraulic conduit benders
  • Hydraulic presses
  • Hydraulic punching tools
  • Inductance testers
  • Infrared scanners
  • Inspection mirrors
  • Insulated bolt cutters
  • Insulated cable cutters
  • Insulated nutdrivers
  • Insulated pliers
  • Insulated screwdrivers
  • Insulated socket sets
  • Insulated wrenches
  • Internal snap ring pliers
  • Ladders
  • Laser plumb bobs
  • Laser printers
  • Lighted magnet pickups
  • Lineman's pliers
  • Magnetic locators
  • Manlifts
  • Megohmmeters
  • Metal locators
  • Micrometers
  • Milliameters
  • Multimeters
  • Needlenose pliers
  • Nibbler cutting tools
  • Non-contact voltage detectors
  • Notebook computers
  • Nut drivers
  • Ohmmeters
  • Oscilloscopes
  • Personal computers
  • Phase rotation meters
  • Phillips head screwdrivers
  • Polyvinyl chloride PVC cutters
  • Programmable logic controllers PLC
  • Pump pliers
  • Punchdown tools
  • Ratchet crimper kits
  • Ratcheting pipe wrenches
  • Razor knives
  • Resistance bridges
  • Respirators
  • Round shank screwdrivers
  • Safety glasses
  • Scaffolding
  • Screw-holding screwdrivers
  • Self-adjusting insulation strippers
  • Shears
  • Side cutting pliers
  • Single reel cable trailers
  • Soldering tools
  • Square shank screwdrivers
  • Staple guns
  • Strap wrenches
  • Tablet computers
  • Tap sets
  • Tape measures
  • Tapered reamers
  • Tapping tools
  • Telescoping lighted pickups
  • Tension gauges
  • Terminal crimpers
  • Test lamps
  • Threading die hand tool
  • Tin snips
  • Tongue and groove pliers
  • Torpedo levels
  • Transfer impedance meters
  • Truck cranes
  • Two way radios
  • Universal stripping tools
  • Utility cable cutters
  • Utility knives
  • Volt tick meters
  • Voltmeters
  • Wattmeters
  • Welders
  • Welding hoods
  • Wheeled wire dispensers
  • Winches
  • Wire crimpers
  • Wire crimping tools
  • Wire cutters
  • Wire dispensers
  • Wire dollies
  • Wire hand caddies
  • Wire loop pullers
  • Wire strippers
  • Wire wrap guns

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Skilled Trades Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 3
Electricians You are here

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Real Talk

Hear from real Electricianss about their work: