Do you have an interest in building or renovating the stadium where your favorite sports team plays? Love heights and want to climb utility poles? Or perhaps you want to help companies become more efficient through improved telecommunication? All of these career paths begin with a registered apprenticeship program.
The opportunities for an experienced electrician are vast. Within the electrical construction industry, a tradesperson has many choices when it comes to their career. Tradesmen and tradeswomen also enjoy great wages and benefits such as health insurance.
Wireman
When someone thinks about an electrician, it is typically a wireman that comes to mind as wiremen make up the bulk of the members of the industry.
A wireman is a construction electrician. They work in commercial and industrial settings, powering schools, shopping malls, warehouses, hospitals, and much more.
The road to becoming a wireman best begins with a registered apprenticeship program. This is typically a five-year program where students earn-while-they learn. This means apprentices earn a paycheck and benefits while working and learning on-the-job. The on-the-job training is supplemented by classroom instruction from instructors who have worked in the field.
As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median pay for a wireman in 2019 was $56,180.
Lineman
For those who enjoy working outdoors, on heights, and in the elements, becoming a lineman is the way to go. These are the electricians you see climbing utility poles and working in bucket lifts on pole transformers and overhead cables.
These utility workers help bring power to homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, streetlights, and more.
A career as a lineman begins with a registered apprenticeship program. This registered apprenticeship program typically takes three to five years and consists of a mixture of on-the-job training and classroom instruction.
Due to the dangerous nature of this job, the average pay is slightly higher compared to a wireman or teledata technician. The BLS recorded a median salary for a lineman to be $65,700 in 2019.
Teledata Technician
Office buildings, schools, hospitals, and other critical facilities need to have the ability to quickly communicate. That’s where teledata technicians come in! These electricians work with low voltage communication systems such as video, voice and data systems.
Typically, the registered apprenticeship program for a teledata technician is shorter than that of a traditional wireman.
According to the BLS, teledata technicians made a median salary of $57,910 in 2019.
As more low voltage systems are being used, more of these electricians will be needed.
No matter which path you choose when exploring careers as an electrician, a registered apprenticeship is the way to go. From the wages and benefits, to the recognizable progress you will make as you get deeper into the program, it is the best way to maximize your earnings and job security.
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