Thinking about working toward a new career? Maybe you’re bored at your desk job or feel unfilled in your current career. Or maybe you’re getting ready to graduate high school and aren’t sure what you want to do.
If these scenarios sound familiar, consider becoming an electrician. Here are four reasons to become an electrician.
1. You’ll work in a respected field.
Electricians perform highly technical work and that work requires skill and attention to detail. Even the most avid DIYer usually hires a professional to complete their electrical work. Homeowners know that working with electricity can be dangerous, so they rely on trained professionals to safely and accurately complete these complicated tasks.
In addition, nearly every new construction project requires the expertise of an electrician at some point in the construction process. Other construction professionals trust and respect the electricians they work with.
2. You’ll make good money and have advancement opportunities.
Electricians have some of the highest salaries among trade professionals in the construction industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median rate of pay in 2017 was $54,110 per year, with the most experienced electricians earning $88,130 a year.
After your training and apprenticeship are completed, you’ll not only gain respect in the field, but have opportunities to advance and earn more money. With proper training as an apprentice, you can become a journeyman electrician. As a journeyman electrician, you can work on your own to install wiring and repair intricate electrical problems.
With experience and additional training, you can progress to become a master electrician. A master electrician can design and install full wiring systems, as well as manage other electricians.
3. You’ll learn specialized skills.
People respect electricians because they have specialized knowledge and a specific skillset that most people don’t have. Electrical work often requires both physical labor and intelligent problem solving. Electricians need to be able to solve complex issues that require critical thinking and attention to detail.
As an electrician, you will likely face new problems every day. One day, you might be wiring a new home, and the next you could be replacing an electrical panel at a large warehouse. You could be working outdoors or in nearly any type of facility. If you enjoy working with your hands, problem-solving, and meeting new people, you can play to those strengths in this job field.
4. There is a growing demand for skilled trades like electricians.
Over the next 10 years, the BLS estimates that job opportunities for electricians are expected to grow by 9%.
This growing demand for electricians occurs in part because of the consistent need for electrical services in homes and buildings everywhere. This also offers tremendous job security for those in the electrical field. Modern society depends on electricity, and new technology emerges regularly. Homeowners and business owners rely on the skills of an electrician to help maintain their standard of living.
Another reason for this growing demand is in part because many long-time electricians will be retiring in the next decade. Many electricians in the baby boomer generation have begun to retire, and leave their jobs open to the next generation of skilled professionals.
