Job Description And Responsibilities Of An Electrician
There are many schools that prepare students to become electricians. All the basic theory of electricity as well as hands on practical training is imparted in these schools. To make a career out of being an electrician however requires hands on experience and career development courses taken while on the job.
Electricians learn the entire local and state building laws and codes. They ensure that these are scrupulously followed. They can read blue prints and install wiring as per the drawings there. They can work with different types of wires and cables, testing equipment and gadgets like connectors etc. They can install, maintain and repair electrical systems as well as monitor performance. They can work with other professionals like engineers, architects and builders. They install, maintain and replace at need other electrical equipments like circuit breakers, starters etc. They can also install electrical appliances.
It is important that an electrician learns all about building codes so that the different requirements for different settings and equipment used are strictly followed. All the codes have to be strictly followed to prevent mishaps in projects. Their work is of a varied nature and as such, they need to be familiar with and capable of using a variety of gadgets such as voltmeters, oscilloscopes, besides a number of tools such as connectors, power drills and other hand held tools. They must be equipped with all these so that at need, they can handle any matter that may come up unexpectedly.
An electrician will be required to with equip himself with a number of skills besides knowledge of electricity, electric materials and their application. These skills include manual dexterity, effective communication of technical information, customer satisfaction, problem solving of electrical matters etc. Strong knowledge of mathematics and spoken English is also necessary. Physical fitness to be able to work in all kinds of environments and varying temperatures is of great importance too. Depending on the geographical location, different licenses will be required for being a professional electrician.
Electricians work on tasks at residential as well as commercial and industrial locations. They may be required to work on security systems besides the normal electrical works.
To effectively carry out all these above requirements, electricians go through post schooling training, in theory as well as hands on practical work. Such training will equip them with all the knowledge and skills needed to make a long-term career of being an electrician. Different types of training are available to become one of the following – an industrial electrician, maintenance electrician, general electrician and commercial electrician.