An apprenticeship is a great way to secure a great future. In addition, the prevalence was higher among male workers (32.8%) than female workers (29.4%). If the physics of electricity fascinates you, you should be aware that working as an electrician is stressful, according to US News. I worked commercial and industrial. I was working on a light fitting and a worker from an adjacent office came in and accused me of turning the power off to her computer. The age-adjusted cigarette smoking prevalence was higher in the following industry groups: mining and extraction (33.0%), construction and extraction (31.4%), and food preparation and serving related (30.0%). With a birthday approaching, I'm reliably informed that choosing gifts for men is hard, but I'm afraid I have to disagree. Cookie Notice I loved doing electrical work. You will make the lives of others better, and even . You can also get help from your friends or coworkers. You will also receive full exposure to the elements while youre working. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Here are the basic qualifications for pursuing a career as an electrician: - Be at least 18 years of age. Youdo need totake classes at a trade and vocational school before becoming anelectrician. Everyone who knows what you do will automatically assume that on your free time, you would absolutely love to start wiring their house and fix electrical things for a 6-pack of beer. Your skills as an electrician will be very useful for your neighbors. Your career is going to be in a highly-skilled trade where a variety of jobs are available each day. There are going to be times when youre out making electrical repairs to someones home after they woke up to find they didnt have any electricity. At the moment, there are more than 650,000 electricians in the U.S., and that number is growing every year. Talk shop, show off pictures of your work, and ask code related questions. 6 #6: The Dire Discrimination. The bad side of electrical work. Typically, though, the average salary for a novice electrician is roughly $30,000 a year. My co-worker though is always on my ass. Becoming an electrician means being exposed to a various risks. You must follow specific building codes when installing or repairing items. 1.2 Self-Employment Opportunities. There are plenty of careers out there you can learn faster and make more money at. The work you do as an electrician is often dangerous. Youre also going to need to spend at least a few years working as an apprentice under a masterelectrician. Is it weird if i dont know much about the trade before i start? Additionally, you can reach out to someone at a trade and vocational school to ask them about theelectrical technician training programs they have to offer. 7. 10. I'm a retired black electrician with 31 years in the trade . Apprenticeships are the most attractive advantage of becoming an electrician. Step 1: Electrician Education Requirements. These mentors will guide you through the development process while teaching you what you must know to have a successful career in the future. I could imagine getting phone calls every minute from someone wanting you to do something for them. Electric shock injuries must be avoided at all costs by electricians. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The assignments you complete are sometimes physically demanding, and you may find yourself completing tasks in situations that are potentially dangerous. Luckily, there are options for improving the odds that a career in the trades will be a long-term success.  , This official sponsor may provide discounts to registered members. Our boss has a huge amount of knowledge, knowledge that he keeps for himself so that when there is a little more complex problem, we need to call him from home. To rectify this imbalance, the trades association is promoting a new program to attract and retain more young electricians. Choosing Between Shopify and Shopify Plus: Which is Right for You. 1.3 Plenty of Perks of a Workers' Union. Check your home's electrical panel to see if any switches have flipped. Some electricians have to traverse dark basements, crawl through the bowels of buildings, or even climb 100-foot ladders. 1 Pros of Being an Electrician. However, an engineering career might not be a good fit for everyone. Weve all come across bosses who like to throw their weight around, and being an electrician is no exception. The age-adjusted prevalence of current cigarette smoking among working adults was 19.6%. Even though it will take several years to complete an apprenticeship program, you can still earn a competitive entry-level wage while you learn. Monthly. Electrical work is a growing trade. They are: So thats the 7 main reasons in a nutshell. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be an 8% increase in electrician jobs in the next decade. - Have reliable transportation to school and job sites. This electrician will be in charge of showing you the ropes and teaching you everything youll need to know to work as a full-fledged technician. 11. The competition levels are high, so anything that you can do to set yourself apart from everyone else will be beneficial. So that's the 7 main reasons in a nutshell. Most electricians operate a business (including independent contractors) with liability insurance and a surety bond because of the risk for errors. You do an important job to keep our system running. Youll Also Make a Difference in Peoples Lives. I want to be able to wake up and put forward the extra effort to excel my career choice. The job duties of an electrician can also be very specialized. Depending on your state . And the cost of living is rising, which makes it hard to justify working a long, stressful job. As long as there is a need for electricity, then there will be excellent employment opportunities for electricians. The company the apprentice works for and the electricians they are paired up to work with and learn from have a huge effect on the standard of training they receive and their enjoyment of the job. Here is a list of 20 things that I love about being an electrician. Along with other related topics like: i don't want to be an electrician anymore, Why I quit being an electrician Reddit, Why are electricians so arrogant, Worst part of being an electrician, Pros and cons of being an electrician, How stressful is being an . Hello, Troubleshooting and resolving issues. It makes me feel terrible. The past 6 months I have worked ridiculous hours and I've came to the conclusion that there's more than life than being okay with hating your job just because it supplies your wants. You must follow specific building codes. Work culture is also a cause of stress and burnout. As an apprentice,you probably wont be forced to do a lot of dangerous jobs. Experience also allows electricians to handle construction and maintenance work. This advantage makes it possible for you to have more freedom to select the jobs you want and the hours youre willing to work. However, Ive also learned about electricians problems and issues today. Yes but only 9% of electricians in the United States fit this description. I almost feel like i'm annoying him. By adhering to the rules of safety, an electrician can better protect themselves, their colleagues and the public. To inspire. When youre 25, 30, or even 35, doing these things wont be that difficult. Hourly. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. When you add in the required overtime, overnight hours, and on-call needs, it is easy to see why many people stop their apprenticeship within the first year. There are many people who dont realize just how rewarding it can be to play the part of an electrician in a community. Why don't I want to quit? Being flexible with the ability to adapt to constant change while working in different environments is a key ingredient to being a true craftsman. Long hours. In particular, younger workers are disproportionately represented in the field. 2 Cons of Being an Electrician. link to Gift Ideas For Electricians: 15 Useful Gifts We Love! I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn and advance, but it turns out it's not that great. Construction turned me into such a negative, toxic person, I couldn't take it anymore and I quit. Thats why it is almost always a good idea to operate as an LLC instead of as a sole proprietor in this career option. Full Forum Listing. To create. Is it a good career? Because you are often self-employed as an electrician, trying to find lending options to get things off of the ground can be challenging. It also affects their mental and physical health. Instead, there are electrical technician training programs you can sign up for which will teach you what you need to know to start your electrician career. Is 25 for first time stepping into school too late, starting fresh on Gen Ed's. The Rewards of Being an Electrician. For more information about the opportunities available in your community, speak with your local electricians union or a non-union provider of these services. 8 Many also pursue a degree through a technical school. Next thing you know, he blamed and attacked me for causing a short and that I'm the reason why machine didn't work for few hours. If youre willing to pound the pavement to find some work, there will be something available in almost any situation. That means they need to hire someone with your skills to get the work done. Would you like to see if one of these programs might be right for you? Workers fear being labeled slackers or unable to advance in their careers. Just. Construction work may require you to spend time outside in the heat and weather. 2. Hi, I'm currently working as an electrical maintenance technician for the RAF. You might be climbing 100-foot ladders, pushing through a crawlspace, and managing other crowded spaces. Having worked as an electrician for over ten years, I can honestly say that Ive learned a lot about the industry. I'm 19 atm. Does it differ much between the different types of electricians. I've spent the past 5 years chasing this apprenticeship to finally see that it's not for me and it has me freaking out that I'm too late to choose something different. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. I quit being an electrician because the hours were too long and the working conditions were unsatisfactory. What's being an electrician like on the body long-term? When you are in the apprenticeship program, the supervisor who trains you will often assign the worst jobs to you since they dont want to do them. Flipped switches sit between the on and off position, and you can reset them by switching them off, then back on again. Next, go back to the outlet and try using it again. Most programs will take you down both paths to see what you prefer, but there are also early opportunities to start specializing right away. It is also a possibility for anyone who must go through a vocational change because of layoffs, industry transformations, or other reasons that keep someone out of the workplace. Im all for the regulations changing (Amazon link to regs book) and making electrical installations safer for everyone. As an electrician, you will be able to see the products of your hard work each and every day; lights will turn on because of you wired them correctly, fire alarm systems will sound because you wired the sirens correctly, and hospitals will save lives because you wired their systems correctly. As an apprentice training to be an electrician, you'll learn the in's and out's of the electrical trade and what it takes to be an electrician. You can also get help from your friends or coworkers. I don't know if it's some kind of stubborn toddler mode activated by drinking but it feels like other people want me to be sober more than I want me to be sober. Some of their most common job duties include: Developing cost estimates. First, a high voltage electricians do many things such as inspecting, testing, analyzing, repairing, and calibrating primary transformers. Answer (1 of 2): ! Is it legit to use these in the UK? What motivated me to do such a crazy thing? Learn how your comment data is processed. There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that the state is a prime location for manufacturing. It seems that as we are on the front line turning peoples electricity off and generally getting in peoples way, it means we are first in the firing line when things go wrong.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'sparkybase_com-box-4','ezslot_1',124,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sparkybase_com-box-4-0'); Take today as an example. As you get older, it may become more challenging to continue in this career path. Associates in Applied Science: Substance Use Disorder Counseling, Business Office Administration Program Office Admin Training, InterCoast Colleges, a private institution, was granted institutional approval to operate by the. According to the BLS, a high school diploma or an equivalent is required to become an electrician. Itll let you know if life as an electrician would be right for you. This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. While the cost of electricity may have fallen over the past decade, the demand for electrical services is still outpacing the supply. Electricians in the higher age group reported that they decided to hang up their tool belts rather than study for the new regulation exams. That means you will be coming home exhausted every night. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 3. In fact, the Women in Trade (WiT) industry represents more than 9.5% of the national electrical contracting workforce. Minorities are a lot more accepted, and all apprentices are treated the same. My boss seems super nice about it. As an electrician, I love quirky and useful tools so this got me thinking of Electrician Tool List | 15 Essential Tools We Use Daily (With Photos). 6. Others may work inside construction sites or factories. If you want to earn a good amount, seriously, go on a plastering course or get into kitchen fitting. There are, unfortunately, almost 200 electricians who die every year on the job. Below is information and knowledge on the topic why i quit being an electrician gather and compiled by the nhomkinhnamphat.com team. You may be unable to get into an apprenticeship program. Electricians can start side hustles. However, asking senior management or junior workers directly can be hard. If you do not feel like going to college is the right choice for your life, then pursuing an electrician career is a good-paying option to consider. To the point I'm about to leave states with no plan to try and start a new life because currently Denver is too expensive to live in (currently paying 1,500$ for a 1 bedroom). The state is home to a number of oil and gas extraction industries. - Able to work independently and in a group. If you find yourself in the top 10%, then you can earn about $100,000 per year. Copyright SparkyBase.com 2023 All Rights Reserved. 1.1 A Degree is Not Compulsory. Most workers in this industry find themselves working some strange hours and long days to help their community. Also it depends on how far you want to take it and what areas you would considerSure if you stick to domestic then you may find it does not pay as much as some other trades or seemingly less skilled jobs out there do. You must often meet specific continuing education requirements to maintain your licensure in this profession. Also, its important to note that each state has its own regulations. There is still a routine that can get boring when working as an electrician. Youll Have to Work a Lot of Odd Hours, 3. Perhaps the difference is that on building sites, bad bosses seem to get away with crossing the line a lot more. As in, Ive been doing this for 10 years and I wanna know if Im eligible to just take a test and see where my rankings are and obviously I want my own business in doing so. I am extremely aware of everything that sucks about being a CA and I don't want to quit. Welcome to the Canadian Electrical Advice Forum ElectriciansForums.net, feel free to head straight to the Canadian Electrical Forum here: Unless you have some sort of connection that can get you a decent job, having a good resume that shows that . This advantage gives you higher levels of employment security, salary protection, and better access to benefits. Positions and opportunities range from being part of a business at a trade level through to middle management, engineering roles or owning and running your own business. Here's the most important thing any electrician will tell you: Never, ever ignore the warning signs of problems in your electrical system. You would receive an assignment in this circumstance that lets you get some hands-on experiences at a local employer As you complete the program and get through the required classes, some institutions will award credits that can be used toward a 2-year or 4-year degree in a related field. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Specialized electrical work includes: Sign electricians install, maintain and repair signal lights, building-mounted signs, parking lot lights and other electrical signs. 12 Why I Quit My Engineering Career. For example,replacing a lighting fixture or installing a new outlet for a homeowner isnt exactly back-breaking work. Youll be doing all of these tasks while up a ladder or in a basket. There are times when you may be away from home for significant periods. I was fortunate to work pretty steady for my 31 years. If you like the idea of being your own boss, then working as an electrician is an excellent option to consider. Putting a new light fixture in a home is a fairly mundane task. I guess all jobs come with an element of getting blamed by the people above for mistakes that arent ours, but this was one of the stand-out reasons from our research into why electricians quit. Current smokers were less likely to report a high level of excellent health and were more likely to report exposure to dust, chemicals, and cigarette smoke. (According to the BLS as of December 2018). You Won't Rack Up a Mountain of Student Loan . Unfortunately, not all apprenticeships are created equal. You might have to climb up tall ladders or crawl through dark basements to finish a task. It can also be referred to as face down, a$s up working as this is the position you have to spend all day curled up in trying to fish wires under floorboards and through overcrowded loft spaces.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'sparkybase_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_5',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sparkybase_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Make no mistake, house bashing is very hard work and takes a huge toll on electricians bodies. Then, complete a paid, multi-year apprenticeship. Ensuring electrical devices and systems meet safety . A month or two after I started working this job, he sent me to pull some wires and wire some relays. Thought I loved it, fast forward to December 2018. I only worked 40 hours in December because the past 6 months I woke up hating my job, hating my life, hating the person I've became. It is not uncommon to start at 7 am each day and not finish till 5 or 6 pm. There are some electrical jobs that are relatively simple. The prevalence of current cigarette smoking among adults was higher among those with less education (less than a high school diploma) than among those with a high school diploma. Some learning programs allow you to earn college credits. While it's good for cash in hand, I'll take double time for "working" standby at a night club, festival/event, our powerhouse shut down over side work any day of the week. Toxic company culture is the leading reason people quit their jobs. Maybe this trade is not for me. It is also a sign of responsibility and commitment to the organization. Finally, get licensed or certified (if required). More electricians may be required in the future due to the development of alternative power generation technologies like solar and wind. Running conduit, wall chasing, and digging are common tasks that a project requires you to complete. Becoming an electrician opens so many opportunities and specialty paths that lead to a life-long rewarding career. Environmental conditions. It consists of a lot of erection. The study used a multi-level approach to evaluate the influence of occupational factors on smoking. This includes going above and beyond their tasks to achieve a goal or get promoted. Apprenticeship programs typically pay in the $10 to $15 per hour range. 1. But i have been in domestic field for while now and have always enjoyed it.And it also depends on your lifestyle. You should go into it with the right knowledge and know that the drawbacks of being an automotive technician in 2018 are real. Why not to become an electrician. Remember, you can always go down. Boring apprenticeships. If i mess up, he just complains. 2. So we constantly had to prove that we were as good or better than everyone else. If youre considering the cost of living in the states above, be sure to consider factors like travel time and local taxes. You can do some things to prevent yourself from getting a bad work culture. ". However, sometimes the pace of change can seem unrelenting. I took electricity and electronic classes in high school. You aren't completing boring, routine-based work that someone could do with their eyes closed. Always tells me to learn from my mistakes. Wish you a good day! As he lifts the hood to take a look, suddenly, a white car, possibly a Chevy Malibu or an Impala slams into the back of his car, sending the man flying into the street. Anyone can become an electrician at almost any stage in life. While there he decided to condemn an outdoor electrical light as he said Hi Folks However, an electrician should have a healthy and long-lasting career for many years to come if they approach daily tasks correctly and cautiously. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. It's different now. Next day, everybody knew about this, even the CEO of the company started asking me questions what did I do. Cookie Notice It also affects their mental and physical health. Here are some of the rewards youll get to enjoy if you choose to launch a career as an electrician. Always get asked to do the impossible. 2 WEEKS! Once you get through the program, then you have a skill that lets you have marketable business opportunities almost anywhere. Electrical Safety Advice | ElectriciansForums.net. Many electricians work during the night or on weekends, but they also have the opportunity to work on holidays. Recently I had a opportunity to work for a company. One of the most appealing reasons to become an electrician would be to own your own office on wheels this is where you can have business meetings with employees, keep your old sandwiches you decided to swap for fast food, newspapers and dirty old boots this is away from prying eyes which you can call your bachelors escape . If you become a spark because you've heard there's a massive skills shortage of plumbers and electricians so they're getting paid serious money, then you'll be disappointed. Electrical technicians often work long hours and some nights and weekends. For example, they may be able to share stories about the companys culture.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'starlanguageblog_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',172,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-starlanguageblog_com-banner-1-0'); Among the many reasons I left the tradie life behind, soaring wages are one of them. Believe it or not, electricians can work very long hours. This wont be an issue youll ever have to deal with. 19 Major Pros and Cons of Living in Ecuador, 18 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of the Payback Period, 20 Advantages and Disadvantages of Leasing a Car, 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Debt Financing, 24 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of a C Corporation, 16 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Mediation, 18 Advantages and Disadvantages of a Gated Community, 17 Big Advantages and Disadvantages of Focus Groups, 17 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Bonds, 19 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of Annuities, 17 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Advertising.