Electricians: Lighting Up Lives Essay
Electricians light up your life, and make your life a whole lot easier. I have went into this paper knowing nothing about electricians but a very little bit, and now I know a lot thanks to this paper. In this paper you find out everything electricians do while they are on the job site for example putting together all the wires and many other things. You will also learn all the training you would have to do to just become a qualified electrician. You will find out also that the pay for electricians and apprentices is very nice. I hope this paper teaches you a lot about electricians that you may have not known.
Electricians install and maintain all of the electrical and power systems for our homes, businesses, and factories. They put together and keep up with the wiring and control equipment through which electricity flows. They also put together and keep up with electrical equipment and machines in factories and a wide range of other businesses. Electricians generally focus on either construction or maintenance, but a lot of them do both. They specialize in construction mainly install wiring systems into factories, businesses, and new homes.
Those who are specializing in maintenance fix and upgrade existing electrical systems and repair electrical equipment. All electricians follow State and local building codes and the National Electrical Code when performing their work. Electricians mainly start their work by reading blueprints. After determining where all the wires and will go, electricians put together and connect the wires to circuit breakers, transformers, outlets, or other systems. When putting together wires, electricians use handtools such as conduit benders, screwdrivers, pliers, knives, hacksaws, and wire strippers, also power tools such as drills and saws.
After that, they use ammeters, ohmmeters, voltmeters, harmonics testers, and other equipment to test connections and ensure the safety of components. Maintenance electricians fix or replace electric and electronic equipment when it breaks. They make needed repairs as quickly as possible in order to minimize problems they may have. They may fix items such as circuit breakers, fuses, switches, electrical and electronic components, or wire. Electricians also come in every so often and inspect all equipment to ensure that it is working properly and to correct problems before breakdowns occur.
Maintenance work changes a lot, depending on where an electrician works. Electricians who mainly work on residential work perform a wide variety of electrical work for homeowners. They may rewire a home and replace an old fuse box with a new circuit breaker box to account for additional appliances, or they may put together new lighting and other electric household items, such as ceiling fans. These electricians also might do some construction and installation work. Electricians in large factories mainly do maintenance work that is more difficult.
These kinds of electricians repair motors, transformers, generators, and electronic controllers on machine tools. When working with difficult electronic devices, they may contact with many different people such as engineers, industrial mechanics, maintenance workers, and other different people. Electricians work indoors and out, at construction sites, in homes, and in businesses or factories. The work may be hard at times and may include bending conduit, lifting heavy objects, and standing, stooping, and kneeling for long times.
Electricians risk injury from electrical shock, falls, and cuts, and must follow strict safety procedures to avoid injuries. Data from the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that full-time electricians experienced a work-related injury and illness rate that was higher than the national average. When working outdoors, they may be subject to non expecting weather. Some electricians may have to travel many miles to get to jobsites. Most electricians work a 40-hour week, but overtime may be required. Those who do maintenance work who may work nights or weekends go to the worksite when needed.
Electricians in industrial settings may have many hours of overtime during scheduled maintenance or retooling periods. Companies that are scheduled 24 hours a day may employ three shifts of electricians. Electricians have a lot of education and training to go through and this explains it. Apprenticeship programs combines paid on-the-job training with related classroom classes. Joint training committees made up of local unions of the International Brotherhood of Electrical; individual electrical contracting companies; or the Independent Electrical Contractors Association usually sponsors apprenticeship programs.
Because of the overall training received, those who complete apprenticeship programs qualify to do both maintenance and construction work. Apprenticeship programs usually last 4 years. Each year includes at least 144 hours of classroom instruction and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training. They may receive specially designed training in soldering, communications, fire alarm systems, and cranes and elevators. On the job, apprentices work under the watch of experienced electricians. At first, they drill holes, set anchors and attach cables.
Later, they measure, build, and put together cables and install, and test wiring, outlets, and switches. They also learn to set up and draw diagrams for entire electrical systems. Eventually, they master or still practice all of an electrician’s main tasks. Some people start their classroom training before seeking an apprenticeship. A number of public and private vocational-technical schools and training academies offer training to become an electrician. Employers often hire students who complete these classes and usually start them at a more advanced level than those without the classes.
A few people become electricians by first assisting electricians by setting up job sites, gathering materials, and doing other nonelectrical work. All apprentices need a high school diploma or a G. E. D. Electricians also may need additional classes in math because they solve mathematical problems on the job. Electricians may take classes to learn about changes to the National Electrical Code. Classes on such topics as low-voltage voice and data systems, telephone systems, video systems, and alternative energy systems such as solar energy and wind energy increasingly are being given as these systems become more current.
Most States require electricians to be licensed. Although licensing requirements vary from State to State, electricians usually must pass an examination that tests their knowledge of electrical theory, the National Electrical Code, and local and State electric and building codes. Electrical contractors who do electrical work for the public often need a special license. In some States, electrical contractors need acceptance as master electricians. Most States require master electricians to have at least 7 years of experience as an electrician.
Experienced electricians can upgrade to jobs as supervisors. In construction, they also may become project managers. Those with management skills can start their own contracting business. Supervisors and contractors should be able to identify and estimate costs and prices and the time and materials needed to complete a job. For those who seek to advance, it is increasingly important to be able to speak in both English and Spanish in order to relay instructions and safety precautions to workers with little understanding of English; Spanish-speaking workers make up a large part of he construction workforce in many areas. Spanish-speaking workers who want to upgrade in this occupation need very good English skills to understand electrician classes and installation instructions, which are usually written in English and are highly technical. In May 2008, median hourly wages of wage and salary electricians were $22. 32. Apprentices most of the times start at between 30 and 50 percent of the rate paid to fully trained electricians, mainly depending on experience.
As apprentices become more skilled, they receive on certain occasions pay increases throughout their training. About 32 percent of all electricians are members of a union. Among unions representing maintenance electricians are the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; the International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine, and Furniture Workers; the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; the International Union, United Automobile, Aircraft and Agricultural Implement Workers of America; and the United Steelworkers of America.