ELECTRICIAN http://

careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/p/electrician.htm

By: Alexander Deible

Things electricians do Electricians install wiring, fuses

and other electrical components in homes, businesses and factories. They also maintains that wiring that was installed. Not only do electricians work with high voltage wiring, many electricians install and maintain voice, data and video wiring as well

Education and Training To become an electrician a person must

enroll in an apprenticeship program that combines classroom instruction with on-the-job training. To get into an apprenticeship you need a high school diploma or a GED, and must be at least 18 years old. These apprenticeship programs usually last four years and include 144 hours of classroom instruction and 2000 hours of on-the job training each year.

Other qualifications Most states require electricians to be

licensed. To get a license a person must pass an exam that tests knowledge of electrical theory, the National Electrical Code and local electrical and building codes. An electrician must have good manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination. He or she must be physically fit and have a good sense of balance. Because an electrician must be able to identify wires by color, good color vision is necessary.

Job outlook The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

predicts there will be average job growth for electricians through 2018. An increased demand for electrical work as well the retirement of a large number of electricians will lead to good job prospects over the next several years.

Earnings

The median annual earnings of electricians were $47,180 in 2009. Median hourly wages were $22.68.

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