If you just graduated from high school, think of changing your career, or always wanted to become an electrician, you need to ensure it’s worth it.
So, is a career as an electrician a good choice, and should you become one?
On this page, we have gathered some questions you should ask yourself if you should pursue this career or not.
If your answer is yes, then you will certainly enjoy being an electrician.
Can You Work with Other People?
For some people, it’s surprising that the work of an electrician requires being a people person.
If you think about it, it makes sense.
From the first days of becoming a student or apprentice, you will learn from experienced instructors.
In the apprenticeship program, you will work alongside other electricians, people from other trades, and clients.
Later, when you become a journeyman, you may have to supervise and train apprentices.
So, at every stage, you will work and interact with others.
If you can be a team player, you will be a great electrician.
Are You Physically Healthy?
To work as an electrician, a lot of physical work is involved.
You’ll be using conduit benders and saws to install conduits, digging trenches with shovels, climbing ladders, and more throughout the day.
You will have to work in tight spaces and find ways to get to hard-to-reach spots.
You don’t have to be an athlete, but you should be physically fit.
If you’re thinking you’re not fit enough, you don’t have to worry.
There are many people in their 40s or even 60s who don’t look “in shape,” but they get the job done fine.
If you can manage to stay on your feet all day, you’ll do fine in this field.
Are You Good with Your Hands?
Being an electrician is a very tactile job, so you will work with your hands a lot.
You need great manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
Are You Willing to Do Manual Labor?
If you want to work on a desk job, this is not the job for you.
Here, you will be climbing up and down the ladder for most of the day.
But this makes it one of the best aspects of the job.
You can stay active, move around, use your muscles, and stay fit.
And when you get home in the evening, you feel satisfied for actually getting something done.
Do You Have Good Vision?
Good vision is important to an electrician.
But if you need to wear glasses, it’s okay.
Problems arise if you are colorblind, which up to 8% of the male population can be affected by.
Wires are usually color-coded, so colorblindness can cause mistakes.
And this can get dangerous since such mistakes can lead to property damage or even electrocution and death.
If you are colorblind, it may not be a great idea to become an electrician.
Do You Have a Good Sense of Balance?
Balance is everything to an electrician.
You may have to work in high places, and the ability to keep your feet on the ground can be useful.
Are You Good at Math?
All trades use a lot of math, even welding.
Electricians also have to use a lot of math, specifically algebra.
Most people remember algebra as a subject in high school where they were asked to solve for x, like in this equation: 5x = 15, where x = 3.
If you were bad at math in high school, it does not necessarily mean you will be a bad electrician.
Most of us hated math in school, but many successful electricians learned algebra in an electrician training program.
Plus, doing algebraic calculations gets easier over time as you work in the field.
Do You Like Electricity?
This is an odd question but is worth consideration.
Will you enjoy working with electricity?
Because if you are an electrician, you’ll be thinking of and working with electricity a lot.
Many find the idea of helping build an office building or residence to be something to take pride in.
If you think you can be proud of something tangible and real, this career will be a great choice for you.
Do You Want to Make a Good Living?
Electricians make a very decent living.
The income of electricians is above the average of other workers in 47 states.
Another great thing is that electricians usually don’t have as much student loan debt as workers in other occupations making more than the average income.
Keep in mind, we’re saying good living, not great living.
So, you won’t become crazy rich overnight.
But if you wish to make a great living, you can launch your own business as a contractor electrician.
Do You Want Job Security and Career Growth?
The electricians’ job outlook is pretty positive.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment rate will rise by 7% from 2021 to 2031.
We also can put it in another way: do you want to change your career in five years?
Some people like having different careers during their professional life, and that’s ok.
Others, on the other hand, prefer to know that they will be secure for years to come with their jobs and make more money.
Not many people in other trades can benefit from this, but electricians can.
Do You Want Some Variety in Your Work?
Some people like to have a daily routine, like knowing they’ll start working at 9 am and have a lunch break at noon.
Electricians, however, face a variety of things on the job.
They can work in new locations, on new tasks, and with new people quite often.
This is good for you because, according to scientific studies, new experiences can improve life satisfaction, which increases your professional satisfaction.
Should I Become an Electrician?
It’s a matter of opinion, but there are a lot of well-paid electricians enjoying their job.
If you’d like to join their workforce, you are making a great decision.
This page is also available in Spanish.
