How to become an Electrician

How to become an Electrician Hate the thought of being stuck in an office all day? Looking to take your DIY skills beyond your living room and on to the next level? If the answer’s yes, becoming an Electrician could be a perfect career move for you.The main role of an Electrician is to install, test, and maintain electrical wiring, equipment, appliances, apparatus, and fixtures in a range of different properties and businesses. This could be for lighting, power, security or for many other forms of electrical apparatus.The role of an Electrician will also usually include the following:Assessing plans and planning layout of wiring, equipment and fittingsInstalling initial wires (known as ‘first fix’) and connecting them to sockets, light fittings, power supplies and other fittings (known as ‘second fix’)Fitting fuse boxes and circuit breakersTesting wiring and other electrical equipment, and fixing any faults found or malfunctioning systemsLaying cables, and connecting computers and other telecommunicati on networks to power suppliesIs it right for me?To be successful as an Electrician, it’s vital that you are a practical person. It is a skilled trade, and you will need highly developed technical skills and a strong attention to detail. Additionally, you will need to be hardworking, dedicated, and able to work well under pressure.It is also important to note that normal colour vision is crucial, as the job will involve distinguishing between a variety of different coloured wires.Other key skills include:A friendly and approachable mannerManual dexterityExceptional communication and interpersonal skillsProblem solving, and being able to adopt a methodical approach to workingAn ability to analyse technical drawings, and administrative skills (to fill out any necessary paperwork)Career ProgressionOnce a suitable level of experience has been achieved, it is then possible to take specific qualifications in order to get into a specialised area of the profession.You could decide to speci alise in a certain area of the trade, and dedicate yourself solely to domestic, commercial or industrial work, or to installation or maintenance for example.Other roles Electricians could move into include Electrical Supervisor, Electrical Engineer or Foreman. Also, once fully qualified and experienced, it’s possible to apply to become a Master Electrician, the highest (and most lucrative) level of Electrical engineer.What's it really like? I started working as an Electrician for a friends business around 10 years ago, and haven’t regretted it for a second. It isn’t your typical 9-5 job, but that’s what I like so much about it. Every day is different, every day is a different challenge, and every day I’m meeting new people. Also, if you put the hours in, and work hard, the money can be great. Get qualifiedTo become a fully qualified Electrician, Electrotechnical NVQs Levels 2-3 (2356) will be necessary. This is a work based assessment, and therefore there are no written ex aminations. However, there are a number of other professional qualifications to help get you started, such as a Domestic Electrician course or Professional Electrician course which are perfect for any candidates completely new to the industry.