Electrician
What is an Electrician?
An Electrician is a unique tradesperson specializing in the electrical field or profession. They are involved with the wiring of buildings, electrical equipment, high tension transmission lines, stationary machines, and associated equipment. Electricians are mostly utilized in the installation of new electrical components, maintenance, and repair of existing electrical equipment and infrastructure. Electricians are divided into two primary categories; lineman, who work on electric utility company distribution systems at higher voltages, and wireman, who work with the lower voltages utilized inside offices, buildings, and homes. At minimum, wireman are usually trained in only one of the five main types of primary specialties: low-voltage wiring, residential, commercial, light industrial, or industrial. Other “Sub-Specialty” wireman, or uniquely trained installers, cover only a specific type of work allowed such as control wiring, solar, pool and spa, security, fire-alarm, etc. Sub-specialty wireman are severely limited to only the type of equipment they are specifically trained to work on or install.
Electricians also have a rank structure pertaining to their level of training and experience; Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master Electrician.
Apprentices work under direct supervision and receive a reduced compensation while learning their specific trade. They must also accumulate a portion of their apprenticeship participating in several hundred hours of classroom instruction during this period. They are usually contracted to follow local apprenticeship standards for a period of between three and six years depending on local or state requirements. During this time, they are also paid a percentage of the Journeyman's pay scale and have several tier rates pertaining to their current years’ experience.
Journeyman are electricians who have successfully completed their apprenticeship program and have been found by the local or state licensing body, through testing, to be a competent and skilled tradesperson in their electrical specialty.
Master Electricians are considered the higher-level skilled tradesman compared to the Journeyman in the electrical field. They have performed well in the trade for a greater period, usually a minimum of eight to ten years, and have passed the master exam demonstrating superior knowledge of the National Electrical Code, also known as the NEC.
In this grand scheme of electrician hierarchy, the Master Electrician is the worksite’s Chief Electrician and Senior Electrical Specialty Supervisor.
Continuing, we find that electricians are starting to divide even more than previously considered.
When we get to Service Electricians, they are aligned more to the requests for isolating repairs and performing upgrades. They have skills in troubleshooting general wiring problems, installing wiring in existing structures, or making critical repairs to pre-existing equipment and localized supporting infrastructure.
The Construction Electricians, on the other hand, primarily focus on larger projects and new developments, such as installing new electrical service and circuits for the entire building or upgrading an entire office floor of the building as part of the remodeling process to overhaul and improve existing conditions on a larger scale.
There are other considerations for specialty areas or niches of unique electricians such as marine electricians, research electricians, hospital electricians, etc.
In the conclusion of what an electrician is defined as or summary of the position they hold, just know that they align most accurately to the competent and responsible person qualified to perform the work safely. They know the theory, the dangers, and they possess the knowledge to predict the best solution or outcome for any situation pertaining to our electrical needs.
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