Industrial Electricians install and maintain electrical systems in industrial facilities.
This post provides exhaustive information on the industrial electrician job description and career, including the key tasks, duties, and responsibilities they carry out.
It also shows how you can become an industrial electrician, the major requirements you need to fulfill to be hired by most employers, as well as the typical salary industrial electricians earn.
What Does an Industrial Electrician Do?
Industrial electricians are responsible for installing and maintaining electrical systems in industrial facilities, factories, and businesses.
They work in different places that use more power and electrical systems than typical household gadgets.
According to Prairie State College, which runs a training program for industrial electrician certificate, approved by the United States Bureau of Apprenticeship Training, the industrial electrician role, involves troubleshooting and maintaining electrical devices applied in a manufacturing industry.
The industrial electrician job description entails making sure electrical systems are safe, and are running with utmost efficiency.
It also involves repairing giant electrical equipment, like industrial fans, giant motors, among other things.
Industrial electricians are usually part of a construction team to put in and check new equipment and systems; and are available to repair or maintain older, and pre-existing systems.
Industrial electricians are extremely trained professionals. They may browse blueprints and follow diagrams of circuits and wiring, and use many various hand and diagnostic tools in testing and fixing equipment.
They may work individually or as part of a team.
Job Summary: Industrial electricians concentrate on working in industrial or business buildings. The job description and duties for this post might vary, depending on the position, as well as the experience of the electrician.
Electricians begin their education through a 4-year program, finishing a minimum of one hundred and forty four hours of technical school coaching and 2000 hours of on the job training.
License is needed in most cases, but it all depends on the state where the electrician works.
Here is an example of job description usually handed to industrial electricians by most employers, which guides their work for the company.
It contains vital tasks, duties, and responsibilities that form the daily activities of electricians working in an industrial setting.
Responsible for operating, changing over, setting, repairing, and improving on fillers; packaging equipment, combining equipment, and providing support for the workings of auxiliary equipment
Maintain logs, and record labor, materials, and equipment used
Responsible for calibrating and checking instruments
Respond quickly to emergency situations
Abreast of the utilization of every tool, which may include drills, mechanical saws, sanders, and buffers
Perform routine maintenance on production equipment, and perform repair on them when necessary
Wire machines and electrical panels in line with prints
Weld or operate a miller
Assemble gas circuits from prints
Light machining
Troubleshooting: identify a problem and proffer logical solutions to them.
Browse blueprints and lots of schematics, and use an array of tools and diagnostic devices to service and install electrical components.
Industrial Electrician Job Description for Resume
Making a resume to be used in vying for a job as industrial electrician can be made easier by using information from the sample job description given above.
Such information about the duties and functions of the position can be employed in creating the professional experience section of the resume.
Industrial Electrician Requirements – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for Career Success
Here is a list of attributes individuals applying for the job of industrial electricians should develop to increase their chances of being hired by employers.
Employers and hiring managers believe individuals who possess these qualities would excel more on the job than those who don’t.
Must have up to 3 years experience as an electrician working in an industrial environment
Must have expertise with PLC Controls
Excellent understanding of safety rules in an industrial setting
Must be familiar with industrial and electrical laws
Must be able to work late hours and overnight, and should be able to work weekends as well
Strong mechanical, analytical, and solution driven skills
Excellent communication ability
Experience in Automation, conveyors, and artificial intelligence expertise
Possess state certification or equivalent qualification or license
Possess strong electrical and mechanical abilities
Must be able to use basic tools and machinery
Ability to schedule and balance priorities; and possess a strong adherence to deadlines
Awareness of operational machinery problems in short proximity
Strong ability to read measure devices and blueprints
Strong understanding of PLC controls
Customer Service: ability to relate with and work with several people irrespective of their background
Critical Thinking: once a problem is identified, industrial electricians should be able to deal with it critically.
Industrial Electrician Employment
In the United States, 712,580 electricians, including industrial electricians are employed, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report on occupational employment and wage statistics for 2023.
The industries with the highest employment of electricians include building equipment contractors and employment services, with 522,600 and 24,590 employments respectively.
Industrial Electrician Salary
The average annual salary for electricians in the United States is $67,810 according to BLS.
The highest paying states in the U.S. for electricians include:
District of Columbia, $88,860,
Washington, $88,620
Hawaii, $88,280
Illinois, $88,040
Oregon, $85,330.
Industries that pay the highest salaries to electricians include natural gas distribution, $116,650 yearly and independent artists, writers, and performers, $115,070 per annum.
The industrial electrician career can lead to other exciting and rewarding positions, like electrical line supervisor, electrical power company technician, and electrical power system designer.
Industrial Electrician Career Opportunities
An industrial electrician can advance into other career roles that include:
Electrical Line Supervisor
The electrical line supervisor is a professional that is responsible for supervising the work of other electrical workers in installation, repair, and maintenance of electrical lines.
The duties that an electrical line supervisor performs includes hiring and firing workers, scheduling duties to ensure that jobs are completed by deadline, reading blueprints, and planning for construction projects amongst others.
Electrical Power Company Technician
The electrical power company technician is a professional that is responsible for the repair and maintenance of electrical power generation and distribution.
This professional needs to be able to read and interpret blueprints, design a system along with preparing material for construction projects.
Electrical Power Company Manager
The electrical power company manager is a professional that is responsible for the hiring, firing, and retaining of employees.
The duties they perform include knowing when to hire new employees and when to fire old ones.
The manager also needs to know the details of hiring, firing, and retaining employees.
Electrical Power Company Foreman/woman
The electrical power company foreman/woman is a professional that is responsible for the supervision of work being performed by employees.
Their work is related to electrical power generation or distribution.
Electrical Power System Designer
The electrical power system designer is responsible for planning a new electrical power generation or distribution system that meets the requirements of a given situation.
This professional is required to be able to read and interpret blueprints, design a system along with preparing material for construction projects.
Electrical Power Systems Engineer
The electrical power systems engineer is a professional that is responsible for designing and developing electrical power generation or distribution systems.
This professional is required to be able to read and interpret blueprints, design a system along with preparing material for construction projects.
Electrical power engineer
The electrical power engineer is a professional that is responsible for installing and managing the electrical work of buildings, machines, devices and structures.
The duties performed by an electrical power engineer include planning, installing, testing, and servicing electrical machinery in facilities.
Electrical superintendent
The electrical superintendent is responsible for planning and overseeing the installation of electrical systems in buildings, factories, and other structures.
The duties of an electrical superintendent include supervising the work of other electrical workers and installing new electrical systems.
Electrical contractor superintendent
The Electrical contractor superintendent is a professional that oversees the construction and installation of new electrical systems in buildings, factories, power plants, and other structures.
The duties of an electrical contractor superintendent include supervising the work of other electrical workers, installing new electrical systems, planning and overseeing the installation.
Circuit builder/instructor
The circuit builder/instructor is a professional that is responsible for designing and building electrical circuits.
This includes designing a circuit with the help of blueprints, installing and testing using various instruments.
The circuit builder is required to possess knowledge on various instruments such as oscilloscopes, stopwatches, and voltmeters.
Challenges faced by Industrial Electricians on the Job
These are some of the challenges that an industrial electrician faces on the job on a daily basis:
Schedule conflict
There are instances when the duties of an industrial electrician are conflicting with their daily working schedule.
There are instances when the electrician needs to work overtime in order to complete a particular task that he/she needs to perform during that period.
For example, a foreman needs to oversee the completion of a project and some other tasks at the same time, which might result in having not enough time to design or build circuits.
Lack of tools
When an industrial electrician is not provided with the necessary tools required to complete jobs, their performance is hampered.
The job of an industrial electrician requires a large number of tools, machines, and equipment.
In case the electrician is not provided with proper equipment, he/she will end up taking a longer period of time to finish a project than required.
Inadequate safety procedures
When an industrial electrician is not properly trained to follow safety codes and procedures, or when their company does not apply safety procedures, it can pose a danger to their job.
Inadequate safety equipment
The job of an industrial electrician requires an individual to wear proper clothing, eye and ear protection in order to protect themselves from various types of electrical hazards such as drills, saws, and electrical shock.
In case an individual lacks appropriate protective clothing and materials then he/she faces a risk of injuries.
How to Become an Industrial Electrician
If you are interested in becoming an industrial electrician, here are steps you can take, including the training to have:
Obtain your high school diploma
A high school diploma or its equivalent is required for employment as an industrial electrician.
2. Finish a training program
Following high school, some industrial electricians enroll in a technical school training program.
Basic electrical information and circuitry are common programs for the industrial electrician career.
3. Take part in an apprenticeship
Many industrial electrician jobs require completion of an apprenticeship program.
This program teaches industrial electricians their trade, as well as the specific skills required to pursue this career.
Apprenticeship programs can last four to five years, and students must complete a minimum of 144 hours of technical training and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training each year.
4. Obtain your license
Many states require industrial electricians to obtain a journeyman electrician license. Licensure necessitates the completion of an apprenticeship as well as the passing of an exam.
Major Benefits of Industrial Electrician Career
The industrial electrician career can offer some benefits, which may include:
Steady Work
Industrial electrician can enjoy steady work in the same occupation. This kind of work is not very predictable, which means that some weeks will be busier than other.
This can cause stress and problems with a person’s personal life as it prevents them from arranging social schedules or family events.
2. Enjoy your free time
Industrial electricians have a lot of free time during the weekdays because this type of job requires physical labor on the weekends.
The job is very dangerous on the weekends, but it’s not as dangerous during the weekdays, which allows an individual to spend more time with their family and friends.
3. Promote through networking
The industrial electrician career requires a lot of networking and promotion.
A person can get promoted by joining different companies, associations, and organizations.
Moreover, this type of work also requires promotion in order to promote your company’s brand or your own brand.
4. Fast pay
The pay for this occupation is very good, which means that a person can get paid quickly and with ease.
This is due to the fact that most of the time; an industrial electrician does not need to wait for months or even years before getting paid.
5. Rewarding career
Becoming an industrial electrician can be a rewarding career.
In this career, individuals are able to work on their own and do not have much interaction with other people.
6. Increased salary with experience
Industrial electricians are able to gain experience, which means that they can get promoted and get a better paying job.
This type of work provides an easy way for people to succeed in their career.
7. Career advancement
The industrial electrician job is good when it comes to advancement opportunities because the field itself is growing in demand.
The industrial electrician job has many advancement qualifications, which allow individuals to compete for and advance in their career.
Conclusion
Industrial electricians are professionals in the electrical industry. As the name implies, their job is to install and maintain electrical equipment that requires modification or enhancement.
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