Ever since the invention of the humble lightbulb in the late 1800s, our dependency on electricity has skyrocketed. Most businesses and households can’t function without it, and as a result, it’s one of the most in-demand trades.
If you’re fresh into the electrical trades and are looking to apply for an apprenticeship, get prepared with our interview questions for electrical apprentices:
Electricians and electrical engineers both work in the electrical sector and their roles are sometimes confused or used interchangeably. But they’re actually very different jobs – from training and education, to what they do day-to-day.
Understanding the basics
Put simply, electrical engineers design and create things that need electricity to operate, and electricians are tasked with putting the designs into practice.
Here are some of their typical responsibilities:
Electrician
- Wires residential houses and commercial buildings.
- Connects electrical systems to the power supply.
- Maintains electrical equipment in large industrial plants.
- Inspects and repairs existing wiring.
Electrical engineer
- Uses computer software to design plans for new products – anything from a household appliance to a large-scale power station.
- Oversees product manufacturing.
- Evaluates products to make sure they are operating properly.
- Maintains and manages electrical products and services.
Exploring a day in the life
Here’s a glimpse into the lives of electricians and electrical engineers – where they’re normally based, what they do, and the hours they spend on the job.
Electricians
Electricians’ days are often varied – no two days are the same in this trade! An electrician’s work is project-based, with some jobs taking only minutes or hours while larger projects can last weeks or months. A work van becomes a mobile office for an electrician, with time spent picking up equipment and travelling between jobs. Depending on the job, an electrician could be working indoors in an office or private home, or outdoors on a construction site.
An electrician’s hours vary but typically reflect trades hours of 7am to 3pm. Overtime is usually available for those who want to boost their earnings.
Electrical engineers
Electrical engineers are typically office or lab-based but might also visit production facilities to coordinate and oversee manufacturing. Generally, they’re employed by large companies across engineering services, manufacturing, telecommunications and research and development.
An electrical engineer’s days are filled with office-based project management tasks. These include meeting with clients, figuring out budgets and coordinating project schedules.
Electrical engineers can expect to work a standard 40-hour week and typical office hours. There might be occasional overtime (if deadlines need to be met), but it’s not the norm.
Education requirements – bright sparks needed!
A large part of an electrician's training is hands-on, whereas an electrical engineer needs a university degree. Here are the general requirements:
Electrical engineer
In most countries, electrical engineers need a bachelor’s degree (or even masters) in electrical engineering. This is usually a four-year degree, covering advanced maths, mechanics, circuitry, physics and more. The degree also includes an element of practical experience or some form of an internship.
Some electrical engineers do extra study in specialist areas – microelectronics, telecommunication, signal processing or computer engineering.
Electrician
Training takes around four years and is primarily completed through an apprenticeship and/or course. In most cases, you’ll earn while you learn and once you’ve completed your apprenticeship (and been registered and/or licensed) you’re good to go! Tertiary education can be really useful for electricians but isn’t mandatory.
Two different roles, equally bright futures
Whether an office-based 9-5 or a ‘no two days the same’ trade-based job is right for you, both electricians and electrical engineers have equally strong career prospects. It comes down to making a choice between lifestyle, training and earning perspectives – and then just getting stuck in.
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