:

What Do Electricians Do?

January 24th, 2017 / By Eastern College

Construction Electricians design and install systems, while Industrial Electricians work with ones that are already in place. Their duties generally involve repairing systems or upgrading them, as well as installing additional electrical equipment, such as generators.

electrician repairing and testing an electrical panel

Some of an electrician’s duties are to prepare, assemble, install, test, troubleshoot, and repair electrical wiring, fixtures, and control devices in various buildings and structures.

 

Work is steady because of the large volume of buildings and the regular need for electrical maintenance workers with this particular skill set.

The Industrial Electrician program at Eastern instructs participants on how to go about testing, inspecting, and servicing motors, generators, pumps, and lighting systems. In addition, there are four weeks of practical, hands-on experience available via a work placement. Graduates are ready to pursue employment opportunities in such areas as Residential, Commercial and Industrial Construction, the Oil and Gas Fields, Alarm Installation, Public Utilities, the Pulp and Paper Industry, and Power Generation.

The role of Industrial Electrician is an apprenticeship trade in New Brunswick and considered compulsory under the Electrical Inspection Act.

This means that people working in the trade are required to be registered apprentices or holders of a Certificate of Qualification in the Industrial Electrician trade. Graduates of Eastern’s program may qualify for credit toward their apprenticeship upon registering as an apprentice with their trade employer and the province’s Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification program.

They may also be eligible to challenge the apprenticeship level one exam and become second year apprentices upon successful completion of that exam and meeting the role’s employment requirements.