Working in the Electricians Industry
Overview of the Industry
According to the Ministry of Advanced Education, there is a record number of major capital projects planned or underway in BC and the need for well-trained and competent tradespeople has never been greater. In a study released in May 2008, the BC government noted that electrician certificates are up 63% (from 494 to 807) in the past year. The government study noted that even if a downturn occurs in the construction housing market, many of the skills could be transferred to the non-residential sector. Also there continues to be an outflow in the skilled trades labour pool—for every person going into trades, there are two retiring.
Source: BC Industry Training Authority, May 5, 2008 news release, BC Apprentices Increase For Fourth Straight Year, http://www.itabc.ca/
Due to the rapid pace of technological change there are always new and interesting opportunities occurring in the electrical industry. Work performed by electricians has expanded to include alternate energy supplies such as solar power, wind power and fuel cells, wiring for smart homes and automated systems for high tech industries and complex computer offices. Opportunities exist in the construction, mining, forestry, food production, manufacturing, grain handling, transportation, utility and service industries. The nature of the trade has changed with the impact of solid-state control and programmable logic controllers. Challenging careers are available to individuals who are prepared to acquire a broad range of technical skills.
Becoming an electrician is a life-long learning process. You can have a long successful career as an electrician, or you can pursue other career paths within the field such as, project management, electrical estimating, electrical inspection.
Source: Choose a career in the electrical industry: so you want to be an electrician
http://www.eca.bc.ca/pdfs/become_an_electrician_brochure.pdf
Many electricians work in the utilities industry, which employed 10,300 people in 2005, most (6,900) of whom worked in the electric power industry. Another 1,900 had jobs in natural gas distribution, and 1,500 worked for water and sewer utilities. The average hourly wage rate was $27.57 in 2005. This is higher than in any of the other major industry groups in BC, and may reflect the relatively large number of highly-skilled workers in this industry, as well as the fact that some (such as power line workers) have jobs that can be quite risky, so their pay includes a risk premium.
Source: Guide to BC Economy and Labour Market: Utilities
http://www.guidetobceconomy.org/major_industries/utilities.htm
There are three main categories of electricians:
- Electricians (except industrial & power systems) primarily employed by electrical contractors
- Industrial electricians primarily employed by electrical contractors and heavy industry maintenance departments: factories, plants, pulp mills, mines, shipyards, and other industrial establishments
- Power System electricians primarily by electric power generation, transmission, and distribution companies
Employment Outlook in BC
| Region | Estimated Employment 2010 | Estimated Employment 2015 | Average Annual % Change (2010-2015) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Island | 2,080 | 2,520 | 4.2% |
| Lower Mainland/Southwest | 6,720 | 7,300 | 1.7% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 1,520 | 1,460 | -0.9% |
| Kootenay | 420 | 470 | 2.3% |
| Cariboo | 360 | 320 | -1.9% |
| North Coast & Nechako | 130 | 350 | 33.6% |
| Northeast | 230 | 280 | 4.6% |
The chart above provides job openings projections for Electricians within BC regions.
The chart below provides job openings projections for Industrial Electricians within BC regions:
| Region | Estimated Employment 2010 | Estimated Employment 2015 | Average Annual % Change (2010-2015) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Island | 590 | 610 | 0.8% |
| Lower Mainland/Southwest | 1,450 | 1,600 | 2.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 520 | 540 | 0.8% |
| Kootenay | 270 | 290 | 1.0% |
| Cariboo | 270 | 280 | 1.3% |
| North Coast & Nechako | 150 | 180 | 4.4% |
| Northeast | 150 | 180 | 3.6% |
The chart below provides job openings projections for Power Systems Electricians within BC regions:
| Region | Estimated Employment 2010 | Estimated Employment 2015 | Average Annual % Change (2010-2015) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Island | 60 | 80 | 4.8% |
| Lower Mainland/Southwest | 230 | 220 | -0.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 100 | 100 | 0.7% |
| Kootenay | 30 | 40 | 5.7% |
| Cariboo | 30 | 20 | -7.3% |
| North Coast & Nechako | 10 | 10 | -8.1% |
| Northeast | 20 | 20 | -1.9% |
Source: Regional Employment Projections, BC Stats. Projections for development regions.
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/lss/repm.asp
You can learn more about working as an electrician in BC from:
- BC Work Futures
http://workfutures.bc.ca Electricians (construction and maintenance) (NOC 7241); Industrial Electricians (NOC 7242); Power System Electricians (NOC 7243)
Duties
Electricians (except industrial and power system) perform some or all of the following duties:
- Read and interpret drawings, circuit diagrams, and electrical code specifications to determine wiring layouts for new or existing installations
- Pull wire through conduits and through holes in walls and floors
- Install brackets and hangers to support electrical equipment
- Install, replace, and repair lighting fixtures and electrical control and distribution equipment, such as switches, relays, and circuit breaker panels
- Splice, join, and connect wire to fixtures and components to form circuits
- Test continuity of circuits using test equipment to ensure compatibility and safety of system following installation, replacement, or repair
- Troubleshoot and isolate faults in electrical and electronic systems and remove and replace faulty components
- Connect electrical power to audio and visual communication equipment, signalling devices, and heating and cooling systems
- Conduct preventive maintenance programs and keep maintenance records.
From: http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2006/QuickSearch.aspx?val65=7241
Industrial electricians perform some or all of the following duties:
- Read and interpret drawings, blueprints, schematics, and electrical code specifications to determine layout of industrial electrical equipment installations
- Install, examine, replace, or repair electrical wiring, receptacles, switch boxes, conduits, feeders, fibre-optic and coaxial cable assemblies, lighting fixtures, and other electrical components
- Test electrical and electronic equipment and components for continuity, current, voltage, and resistance
- Maintain, repair, install, and test switchgear, transformers, switchboard meters, regulators, and reactors
- Maintain, repair, test, and install electrical motors, generators, alternators, industrial storage batteries, and hydraulic and pneumatic electrical control systems
- Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair industrial, electrical, and electronic control systems and other related devices
- Conduct preventive maintenance programs and keep maintenance records
- May install, maintain, and calibrate industrial instrumentation and related devices.
From: http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2006/QuickSearch.aspx?val65=7242
Power system electricians perform some or all of the following duties:
- Install and maintain electrical power distribution equipment such as transformers, generators, voltage regulators, switches, circuit breakers, capacitors, inductors, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems
- Install and maintain electrical equipment and apparatus in generating stations or powerhouses
- Inspect and test installed electrical equipment and apparatus to locate electrical faults and check their operation using volt meters, ammeters, and other electrical test instruments and equipment
- Repair or replace faulty electrical equipment and apparatus
- Complete test and maintenance reports.
From: http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2006/QuickSearch.aspx?val65=7243
Industry Sectors and Types of Employers
Electricians (except industrial and power system)
Electricians in this unit group lay out, assemble, install, test, troubleshoot, and repair electrical wiring, fixtures, control devices, and related equipment in buildings and other structures. They are employed by electrical contractors and maintenance departments of buildings and other establishments, or they may be self-employed.
Industrial Electricians
Industrial electricians install, maintain, test, troubleshoot, and repair industrial electrical equipment and associated electrical and electronic controls. They are employed by heavy industry and maintenance departments of factories, plants, mines, shipyards, and other industrial establishments. Some electricians specialize in restorative, insurance, or retrofit work rather than new construction.
Power System Electricians
Power system electricians install, maintain, test, and repair electrical power generation, transmission, and distribution system equipment and apparatus. They are employed by electric power generation, transmission, and distribution companies.
Wages and Salaries in the Industry
Fully-qualified journeyperson electricians generally earn between $14 and $36 an hour, which works out to $30,000 to $75,000 a year for full-time workers. Contractors who operate their own businesses can earn well over $75,000 a year. Industrial electricians tend to earn more than electricians in other specialities.
Apprentices who are training to become electricians earn a percentage of a fully trained, or “journeyperson”, electrician’s salary as they train. Usually this means they begin by making between 40 and 50% of what a journeyperson makes. They then receive increases in pay as they complete each year of their apprenticeship. Apprentices can earn anywhere from $9 to $27 an hour. If they work 40 hours a week, this translates to $19,000 to $56,000 a year.
Source: Career Cruising database (Profile for Electrician).
An electrician can easily make $40,000 to $60,000 per year. Hourly wages may vary but the average journeyperson earns approximately $24 per hour. Wages can be dependent on performance, so if you are a highly skilled electrician in a leadership role, you will likely have a higher wage. In collective bargaining units, performance dictates your long-term employability.
Source: Choose a Career in the Electrical Industry: So You Want to be an Electrician
http://www.eca.bc.ca/pdfs/become_an_electrician_brochure.pdf
Electricians (except Industrial and Power System Electricians) hourly wages in four BC regions from Service Canada’s Labour Market Information:
Chart from Service Canada, Labour Market Information http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca
Industrial Electricians hourly wages in four BC regions from Service Canada’s Labour Market Information:
Chart from Service Canada, Labour Market Information http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca
Power System Electricians hourly wages in two BC regions from Service Canada’s Labour Market Information:
Chart from Service Canada, Labour Market Information http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca
Working Conditions and Environment
Working conditions vary depending from job to job, however, most electricians work indoors. When working on construction sites the work environment can often be noisy and dirty.
Workers may be required to work at heights from ladders or scaffolding. They may also often work in confined spaces and be required lift heavy objects. Risk of injury includes falls from heights and accidental electrical shocks. Workers take safety precautions in order to prevent and reduce the risk of injury.
Source: http://www.workfutures.bc.ca [Search 7241, electricians]
Electricians work in people’s homes, on construction sites, in factories, and in electrical utility stations. They may be required to bend or squat for long periods, in order to work on hard-to-reach wiring. There is always the threat of electrical shocks, but as long as proper safety procedures are followed, the number of accidents will remain low.
The amount of work an electrician gets often depends on how well the construction industry is doing. If the economy has slowed down and there is little construction going on, there is a decreased demand for electricians.
Power System Electricians
This is a very specialized occupation with very few employers in the province. BC Hydro is the main employer. Hydroelectric power in BC is generated at major dams throughout the province and distributed through the provincial power grid of transmission lines and substations.
Power System electricians may work in remote areas, installing new power stations, or work in adverse weather conditions to repair storm-damaged substations. They are often required to work at heights and must be careful around high voltage equipment. Those who work in power stations do so in pleasant surroundings, usually at dam sites away from urban areas. They must be knowledgeable about specialized electrical equipment and controls.
Source: From Career Cruising database (Profile for Electrician). Available from the VPL Online Articles, Encyclopedias & More page: http://www.vpl.ca/electronic_databases/alpha/c
Typical Hours of Work
Electricians typically work 8 hour days, 5 days a week. This may vary for independent electrical contractors, depending on the work available. Some contractors work 12 to 14 hour days. Electricians usually work 1 weekend a month and take 2 to 3 weeks of vacation in a year. Maintenance electricians may have to work evenings and weekends on a regular basis, and may be on-call when not at work.