Electrician
Electricians install, maintain and repair electrical wiring, equipment and fixtures in homes, businesses, industries, external structures and more. They install and maintain the wiring and control equipment through which electricity flows. They also install and maintain electrical equipment and machines in factories and a wide range of other businesses. Electricians generally focus on either construction or maintenance, although many do both.
Jackson College Offers the following program options:
Get Started
Jackson College offers both an associate degree and certificate as an electrician, and a concentration in electrical basics. To become an electrician, one must complete at least four years as an apprentice, with at least 8,000 hours of practical experience. Time spent in the classroom does count toward the apprenticeship, as the state mandates necessary classes. After the apprenticeship, they may take an exam to become journeyman electricians, necessary to work on one’s own in the field. With further experience and passage of an exam, they may become master electricians.
Job Opportunities
Electricians may work in several environments. Residential and commercial electricians are involved during the construction phase of a home or business, wiring the structure as needed. Industrial electricians work in factories and plants where they install and maintain electrical work for industrial machinery, robotics, paint booths, welding and more. Electricians also specialize within areas for particular needs, such as gas stations or hospitals.
Pay
Average wages are about $50,000 a year; electricians have the opportunity to work overtime, and some may make over $100,000 per year with overtime wages.
Career Outlook
Demand for electricians is expected to increase about 20 percent over the next several years, faster than the average.