Before you decide to start a career as an electrician, you need to set goals to guide you through the journey. The easiest way to do this is to understand what the job entails and where to focus your efforts.

But first, you should know what areas you can focus on and the professional requirements involved. In this way, you will know exactly where you want to go in your career and how to get there.

Areas of specialization

Some of the most common areas of electrical specialization include

• Residential electricians. These professionals are trained to maintain, repair, and upgrade home electrical systems. They work with electrical installations such as heating, cooling, and lighting systems.
• Commercial electricians. The duties of these electricians are nearly identical to those of residential electricians - except that they work on commercial properties. These buildings usually have a lot of people working there. So, for commercial electricians, public safety always comes first.
• Industrial electricians. The skills of these specialists focus on working with heavy machinery and advanced computerized systems. You'll find these technicians in large power plants and other large factories.
• Construction electricians. These electricians focus on installing electrical equipment in buildings under construction.
• Emergency electricians. These professionals are trained to respond to emergencies, even outside of working hours. This is because some electrical problems require prompt attention to ensure that disruptions are kept to a minimum.

Deciding where to specialize requires some thought on your part. Read through the other considerations below to help you decide where you want your career to go.

Other job specialties

While the fields or even areas of specialization may be the same, specific electrical specialties are very different. For example, electrical maintenance work has different procedures than installation work. Likewise, emergency electricians work to solve emergency power problems while panel manufacturers design electrical systems.

As an aspiring future electrician, you need to find what piques your interest among the career specialty options available to you. Evaluating the respective job descriptions will help guide your final decision.

Work Environment and Safety

As an aspiring professional, there is always a risk of injury while on the job. However, some professions carry a greater risk than others. For example, outside-line technicians are at a much greater risk of injury. They work directly with energized, high-voltage power lines.

Residential electrical maintenance specialists do not have to do this. Thankfully, safety equipment will protect you from injury if you decide to take a riskier approach. If that doesn't work for you, you can choose a safer, less physical electrical specialty.

Your work hours will also affect your work environment. This factor has a huge impact on your work-life balance. For example, urgent jobs require you to clock in outside of your normal work hours, perhaps even during your free time.

Industrial electrical jobs, on the other hand, follow a schedule that compensates electricians for any extra hours worked. While both jobs have their specific benefits, it depends on your preferences as a future electrician.

Training and Certification

As an apprentice, you can get paid to learn on the job, regardless of your specialty. On-the-job training can help you develop the hard skills you need to advance in your career. But for each type of profession, training is different.

Industrial electricians, for example, need in-depth training in basic electrical knowledge. Most importantly, they need to understand how to operate high-voltage machinery.

Residential electricians, on the other hand, are trained to handle electrical problems that may be encountered in the home, whether it's an electrical malfunction or a wiring repair. Certification and licensing will require you to work approximately 8,000 hours under the guidance of an experienced professional.

Professional Electrician Tools

Knoweasy tools are professional electrician tools that can meet the various needs of electricians when working and effectively improve the efficiency and safety of their work.