Day In The Life Of An Electrician

What will the day in the life of an electrician involve?

Depending on their speciality, electricians will spend their time reading drawings and implementing the circuits on the drawing into an electrical system that will serve the purpose it was designed for.

Typically an electrician installs wiring together with sockets and fittings the client requires.

The electrician can be tasked with repairing electrical systems such as a domestic residence without power.

Fault finding is a big part of the electrician’s day and can take some time to get to the bottom of the issue as the wiring is hidden under floorboards and in ceiling spaces.

Do electricians deal with people?

Yes, as an electrician, you need to have good communication skills and know-how to drop the laddish banter when working in a customer’s home.

Domestic installers who work in residential settings daily have the responsibility of being the company’s interface with the customer and, as such, should be professional while instilling confidence.

Dealing with customers is essential to keep them appraised of progress and potential problems that will include extra payments if the problem is to be resolved fully.

Electrical installations and rewiring

An electrician tasked with a rewiring job may have his work cut out for days on end, depending on the size of the property. In all cases, the electrician has an electrician’s mate or apprentice present to help with the rewiring.

The electrician will lift floorboards and strip out the old wiring and consumer unit. The apprentice may be chasing out walls to conceal the new wiring and making new apertures for the sockets and switches.

It’s a tough gig that requires concentration even before the wiring has started.

Do electricians work long hours?

If you are a domestic installer, you should be prepared for unsociable hours, and if you are self-employed, your day will start early and end late.

It’s rare for a domestic installer to have an installation close to their home, so travelling and sometimes overnight stays are required to be more cost-effective and get the job done.

If you are not self-employed, an electrical installer will typically work from 8 to 5 Monday to Friday. However, on top of the standard working week, you will be expected to commute to the job location to start your work on schedule.

What are the things a residential electrician would do?

Jobs are rarely the same for an electrician. There is always something challenging to deal with, but the electrician will almost certainly do these things in his working day.

• Reading drawings and blueprints for installing electrical circuits in residential, commercial, and industrial settings.
• Inspect electrical circuits and components to ensure they are working within the specified initially parameters
• Stripping out faulty wiring and installing new wiring to national codes and practices for the creation of new electrical circuits
• Maintaining existing circuits and troubleshooting.
• Diagnosing problems circuits and switches, checking for earth leakage to assertion the problem area in the circuit
• Replacing old electrical components and broken components
• Keeping abreast of local and national regulations for the installation of electrical wiring

What Challenges do electricians need to overcome daily?

Electricians are highly trained and resilient individuals, but they still face challenges every day in their working life.

Some of these challenges include:

• Working unsociable hours, frequently electricians are required to be on call and provide an out of hours emergency service. You work some weird hours at times
• The job of an electrician can be physically demanding. You unload the van every morning and reload it at night after a day’s work. Cable reels are heavy and need to be lugged upstairs. Pulling cabling is strenuous by anyone’s standards
• The job has some inherent dangers like the possibility of receiving an electric shock or falling from a ladder
• You can be working away from home for a week at a time on some jobs, which adds to the stress of the job

How can an electrician improve?

The life of an electrician is constant self-development if you wish to stay accredited and up to speed with changing standards and laws.

These suggestions may help you improve as an electrician:

• Be customer-oriented, customer service is everything, and word of mouth spreads faster than any other type of media
• Build strong relationships with customers and suppliers, and never burn any bridges you may need to go back one day
• Keep current regarding legislation and laws, know what new and what the trends are for components
• Keep health and safety at the forefront of everything you do
• Keep the cash flow rolling in. It’s your bread and butter, and without you will go under
• Keep your records up to date and in order

What personality traits do you need to be an electrician?

Communication with colleagues and customers is essential. If you don’t have clear instructions for specific tasks, you may find yourself revisiting work that should have been completed the first time.

Social skills and manners are essential when working in residential settings, so keep your banter down when customers are home.

You need to be dependable and honest. If you say you will be onsite at a given time, be there. Return phone calls and avoid creating frustrations for customers and suppliers.

Be flexible and accept changes on the job; costumes don’t always know what they need and will rely on your expertise.

These soft skills are essential and will make a difference to your earning potential.