Helpers of Electricians: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

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Helpers of Electricians

Helpers of Electricians help electricians by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

Salary
$35440
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Low
Job Growth

Personality



Job description

Helpers of Electricians help electricians by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

  • Measure, cut, and bend wire and conduit, using measuring instruments and hand tools.
  • Trace out short circuits in wiring, using test meter.
  • Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire stripping pliers, and attach wires to terminals for subsequent soldering.
  • Examine electrical units for loose connections and broken insulation and tighten connections, using hand tools.
Read more about what does a Helper of Electrician really do at work and what is it like being and working as one.



Salary

Average salary
$32960 per year

Average hourly wage
$16 per hour


Helpers of Electricians with little to no experience tend to make between $22010 and $26120 while the more experienced ones can earn over $38200 per year.

Top 5 paying states Hourly Annual
WA $24 $49,850
HI $22 $46,290
CT $20 $40,760
AK $19 $40,130
ID $19 $39,700

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Helper of Electrician is to move to a higher paying state like WA. Right now, the highest paying states for Helpers of Electricians are WA, HI, CT, AK and ID.

However, a higher pay at WA doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at WA might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Helper of Electrician is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.


Requirements

Recommended degree level
No degree required

We asked other Helpers of Electricians what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a High School Diploma followed by a Post-Secondary Certificate.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

No degree required
Read more about how to become a Helper of Electrician and the degree, training and education you need.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Helper of Electrician.

PROS
Suitable for people who likes practical and hands-on work
Suitable for people who wants to work in a supportive work environment
This career is perfect for people who love to work outdoors.
It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Normal working hours (40 hours per week)
CONS
Not suitable for people who likes to help and teach others
One of the lowest paying jobs

What is the job like

Job satisfaction
50%

Is this job meaningful
62%


50% of Helpers of Electricians said they were satisfied with their job and 62% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.

Chris Papenfus

As someone who changed careers to go into construction, I can say without a doubt it is the job I have enjoyed the most.

I am currently a third year apprentice electrician, and my standard work hours are 6:45 – 15:30. My work day consists of reading electrical drawings, installing containment, running wires from panels to electrical devices.

My role as an electrical apprentice is to follow instructions closely and learn from the qualified electricians on my team.

A typical work day would start with filling out an SPA (Safe Plan of Action) sheet, detailing what my task for the day is, what potential hazards there are and how I plan to mitigate any risk. This document is signed by the whole team.

Before any task begins you do a walk through of the plan with your foreman. The foreman will have filled in permits to carry out work and everyone will sign those. Once everyone agrees on how the task will be carried out, I would fetch a ladder or MEWP (scissor lift) and harnesses as required when I am working at height.

Once you have all the equipment you need, you need to fetch the materials you need. The material stores are usually on the bottom level of commercial buildings or at the entrance of big sites, so you want to be sure you know exactly what you are getting to avoid making multiple trips and wasting time.

Once all the materials are at hand, you have to measure out and mark up where you are going to install the materials on the wall/ceiling. Then you have to cut and mold the materials to fit your installation.

To wire circuits, you need to select the correct type and size of cable for the job. Then you need to run cable from the distribution board to the separate points (sockets/lights etc.) and any links between them. Then you have to carefully remove the protective sheath without damaging the color insulation beneath, and terminate the wires to the device/distribution board, and ensure you have solid connections with no copper showing.

Toolbox talks take place a minimum of once per week. This is when site Safety Officers discuss which rules have been broken recently if there have been any injuries and highlight a safety topic for the week.

Pros

The pros of my job are that it keeps me physically fit, it requires creative problem solving so you are rarely bored. Construction sites are very informal in terms of etiquette so you can have a lot of fun on the job. Mostly I enjoy the fact that I don’t have to sit behind a desk 5 days a week.

Other pros include finishing early, getting great satisfaction from seeing your completed work, and the camaraderie.

Cons

Cons of being an electrical apprentice include low initial pay (this increases each year until you qualify). Most jobs require you to travel. For young single people, the travel might be a pro but if you have a family and kids it is definitely a con. And as enjoyable as my job is, construction is very dangerous, and one accident can cause you serious injuries or death. That is why it is incredibly important to take responsibility for your own safety and to follow protocol on site.

It is also very physically demanding, unless you enjoy manual labor then it’s a pro!



Is this right for me

Best personality for this career
The Builders and The Organizers

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.



Learn more about Helpers of Electricians

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Job Description
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Quiz

Related career information

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