Top 5 Reasons to Pursue a Career as an Electrician
- By Ken Teo at Ausinet – 27 October 2020 – Australian Institute of Electrotechnology
It can be hard to know what you want to do straight after you finish high school and it can be quite stressful to have everyone asking you what your plans are. Everyone anticipates you would attend a university or college, but you do not think that path is the right one for you. You consider getting a local job, however, you are unsure if the job will pay well enough. We recommend you consider becoming an electrician as it is a fantastic career choice. Let us go through what we believe are the top 5 reasons you should become an electrician today.
Work in a Respected Profession
Electricians perform highly skilled technical work and the work requires utmost safety. While landlords will often attempt DIY projects like building a wooden bench or installing floating bookshelves, they will typically employ a professional to finish electrical work. Performing Electrical work without a proper license is illegal in Australia. They understand that working with electricity is dangerous, so they rely on trained electricians to complete these complicated tasks.
People also respect electricians because they have the technical knowledge and a distinct skill set most people do not have. After all, electricians need to figure out complex issues that require critical thinking and expertise. Electrical work requires both strong manual labour and intelligent problem-solving. It is not repetitive or monotonous. An electrician will likely face new challenges every day. So its important that one has both mathematical and analytical skills.
Be Your Own Boss
Many electricians are self-employed and own / run their business. This can be enjoyable, inspiring and a good reason to become an electrician if you are interested in starting your own business. Electrical work plays a key role in the area of preventing fires and electric shocks. Fires and Electrical shock could be fatal and it is important to engage qualified Electrical personnel to perform these tasks.
Electricians are wanted everywhere in Australia. It has been on Australia’s skill shortage list for years. That means you can move across the territory or live right in your hometown and still get employed. Many electricians work varied hours at many different job sites or travel from place to place for jobs. Hence, you are flexible to choose a job with a schedule that works for you. But remember it is not an easy trade to get into. Most colleges have entrance test for entry into this qualification.
High Paying Job
As of May 2018, electricians earned about $94,796 (earnings before tax) median salary a year (Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), May 2018, Customised Report). This salary is higher than plumbers, roofers and construction workers. Your salary will also rise as you gain more experience. Working as an electrician, you will be able to support yourself and your family quite easily.
The graph below shows the median weekly earnings for the electrician and all other jobs compared. An electrician salary in Australia averages out at $1,823 per week. In other words, they earn $360 more than the average workers ($1,460 weekly salary) every week.
Electricians are in High Demand
The demand for electricians has risen by as much as 66% in 2018, according to a study by the online jobs market specialist, Seek. This is way more than for any other job in most other fields.
This increasing demand for electricians occurs in part because there is a consistent need for their services. Our society depends on electricity, and new electrical technologies emerge regularly. When landlords and business owners desire to implement these new technologies in their buildings, they depend on trained electricians to carry out the work.
Career Opportunities
As an electrician, you will have the opportunity to get ahead in your career. After starting as an electrician, committed and dedicated workers who want to further educate themselves can get promoted to Electrical Technician Specialists, Electrical Engineer, Electrical Design Engineer and even Electrical Project Manager within their company and field.
Besides, you can select a career path that suits your personality. The most common types of work for electricians include installations at new construction sites, repairs and upgrades for private customers and commercial buildings. You will also have the option of switching career tracks if you want a change down the road or upskill to work in the oil and gas industry or mining or even the solar industry which is getting really big.
Wrap-up
There are currently more than 140 000 electrician workers in Australia. It is expected that there will be an explosion of electrician jobs over the next five years with more than 150 000 jobs becoming available. It is also a Skill shortage list of occupations if you want to move and live in Australia.
As you can see, there are many fabulous reasons to become an electrician. If you are someone who wants to work with your hands, earn while you learn, and have a high salary potential at the end, then look no further than doing your Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician with Ausinet. Follow this link to check the eligibility requirements. Once you complete your training, you can work in this field that offers excellent job security and great career prospects.
Last reviewed date: 27/10/2020
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