Who is an electrician and what does he do?

An electrician is an employee who is responsible for the installation and subsequent adjustment of electrical systems in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. The functioning of the power supply of buildings and structures, the quality of work of industrial electrical equipment directly depends on the professionalism of this specialist.

This is a rather demanded and at the same time a responsible profession. In our review, we will dwell in more detail on the features of the work of this specialist, the advantages and disadvantages of the specialty and the necessary requirements for professional and personal qualities.

The profession of an electrician has a long history - it dates back to the period when electricity just burst into the life of mankind. The very first installers in Russia appeared in St. Petersburg at the end of the 19th century, when the Liteiny Bridge, formerly known as the Alexander II Bridge, was illuminated by lanterns. Since then, electricity has firmly entered the life of every person, not a single building and structure, not a single production, retail, warehouse or office space can do without it.

An electrical power supply system, as well as a significant number of mains-powered devices, is present at almost every construction site. That's why the profession of an electrician is in wide demand these days.

Depending on the functional responsibilities assigned to the specialist, his work at the facility is either permanent, when it is required to debug electrical equipment, or be temporary in nature if the electrician only undertakes to put the facility into operation. It happens that the services of electricians are resorted to occasionally - to carry out repairs in case of equipment failure.

The electrician is a highly qualified specialist, he is responsible for the installation of intermediate systems that conduct electricity from generators to the final consumer. This includes the installation of electric motors, transformers, power transmission lines and much more. Electrical installers work on secondary circuits, as well as with low-current systems, lighting networks, switchboard equipment and switchgear.

Like any other profession, the work of an electrician has its own advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage of the profession is considered wide demand. Nowadays, workers in this area are needed in all areas of life and in the production area. Their services are required for the introduction of high-tech equipment, housing and communal services, construction and engineering companies. The demand for such specialists is also great in security and fire services.

The high demand for qualified electricians also determines a high level of remuneration. Employers are ready to pay very competitive salaries to professionals in their field - electricians in our country earn about 50-60 thousand rubles. At the same time, a competent professional striving for a high level of material well-being always has a chance to receive additional income by providing their services to the population privately. By the way, the possibility of providing such services gives reason to mention one more advantage - the electrician communicates with a huge number of people, often quite interesting - in this way he forms a list of "useful" contacts and can always turn to them in the future for help if necessary.

However, the profession has its drawbacks. It should not be overlooked that when performing work in an improper quality, the electrician puts at risk not only himself, but also other people. That is why an electrician in his work must scrupulously observe all safety rules, carry out the most careful control at all stages of installation and repair work. Keep in mind - if, through the fault of an electrician, an electric shock to strangers occurs, then this employee will bear personal responsibility, up to criminal.

The working conditions of an electrician cannot be called comfortable - often these workers are forced to carry out their duties at a considerable height, regardless of the weather outside, to work both in cold weather and in summer heat. Even if all work is carried out in a building, the electrician often solves a number of difficult tasks of a different order, for example, he is engaged in the movement of electrical equipment, the total weight of which is several centners. The obvious disadvantages of the profession also include a difficult work schedule.

If in the old days the functional duties of electricians did not differ in particular variety and were reduced to the construction of the simplest power grids, then today these specialists can perform work of the widest range - all of them are aimed at providing users with the necessary amount of electricity... The list of works that a particular specialist can perform is determined by his qualification category.

For example, an electrician of the 3rd category can be allowed to work with electrical equipment no more than 10 kW. And a specialist with 5 access codes gets the right to work with equipment above 20 kW, including installing powerful power plants, as well as special purpose units with complex wiring diagrams, and working with power transformers.

Many people confuse the functionality of an electrician with the duties of an electrician. Both specialists work with power grids, and this is where the similarities end. Briefly speaking about the difference between these specialties, the electrician performs the adjustment of the wiring in the room or its replacement, and the electrician, after the end of the electrician's work, will carry out the maintenance of this very wiring. Each employee is "sharpened" for a certain group of skills needed to carry out a certain list of works.

For example, the electrician is focused on the work of the circuit designer... He carries out the creation of an electrical wiring project at the facility, the design of the cable route, the drawing up of the lighting scheme, as well as the outlet network. In his work, this specialist must first of all think about how convenient and practical the operation of the electrical network will be and how convenient and safe it will be for users to access the basic elements of the electrical installation. He plans all his work taking into account the plan of other utilities (plumbing, water supply, ventilation, etc.).

The electrician, in turn, is "sharpened" for the maintenance of power grids. His job description includes replacing failed switches and sockets, repairing electrical wiring, simple steps to improve it, and ringing the circuit. That is, its purpose is to maintain the wiring in a working condition and prevent the occurrence of its breakdown. This specialist is not required to draw up plans - he must, by the crackle in the dashboard, determine what the problems are, and by the blinking of the light bulb, establish the source of the malfunction.

It so happens that an electrician is not able to do the work of an electrician and vice versa. Of course, there are always specialist generalists. But in most cases, the key functions are nevertheless spelled out for certain types of professional activity. Moreover, even the tools of an electrician and an electrician are different. So, the set of tools needed to do his job as an electrician will occupy most of your room - you need punchers, wall chasers, vacuum cleaners, ladders, ladders, as well as all kinds of tool boxes. The electrician carries everything he needs in a small suitcase on his shoulder.

In ETKS, the main labor duties of electricians are established. The duties of this specialist include:

• preparation of electrical equipment, tools, as well as consumables, various fasteners and additional equipment (it will be required if the work will be carried out at a considerable height or, for example, underground) to complete the installation of the electrical system;
• carrying out assembly operations with the obligatory observance of safety rules;
• installation of electrical systems and equipment in strict accordance with approved projects;
• adjustment of electrical systems, measuring and test structures;
• elimination of dangerous consequences of emergencies and breaks in the electrical network in a short time;
• control over the correct functioning of electrical devices, as well as compliance by users with safety requirements during their operation;
• installation of backup power supplies in a situation if there are interruptions on the main power line.

Despite the fact that an electrician belongs to a group of working specialties and sometimes performs work duties underground or at a height, nevertheless, it would not be entirely correct to classify the profession as a physical labor. Intellectual work in this case is just as important as the direct implementation of all the necessary actions.

In accordance with the current professional standards, in order to fulfill the duties of an electrician, The job seeker must have the following skills:

• experience in the field of repair and maintenance of electrical equipment;
• experience in the maintenance of electrical systems;
• experience in exercising control over the operation of electrical equipment;
• skills to ensure the smooth operation of production units;
• experience in power supply systems management.

It must be borne in mind that the activities of an electrician are classified as one of the most risky for health and life. That is why a specialist who works with electricity must be extremely responsible, very careful and extremely accurate. In addition, since electricians often have to work in the structure of production teams, then the presence of such important personal characteristics as:

• stress tolerance;
• friendliness;
• sociability;
• attention to detail;
• tolerance;
• the ability to find compromise solutions;
• diligence;
• ability to concentrate;
• technical savvy.

Note that men predominate among electricians. It is almost unrealistic to meet women in this position. This can be explained very simply - the work of these specialists is considered physically difficult, therefore, not all adults and healthy people are able to cope with it.

Agree that, for example, only very hardy and strong men who are distinguished by excellent coordination of movements and are absolutely not afraid of heights can repair a line at an elevation of about 10 m in bad weather.

In order to become an electrician, it is not necessary to get a higher education, a secondary specialized one is quite enough. Moreover, it can be basic or in-depth. However, there is quite a lot of training in specialties that are somehow connected with this profile and that provide the necessary knowledge. Future electricians can be trained in the following programs:

• electrical engineering and power engineering;
• electrician of electrical equipment and power grids;
• electrician-adjuster;
• installation and adjustment of electrical equipment for civil and industrial buildings.

In other words, it is necessary to look at what kindred areas are offered by technical schools and colleges in the place of residence, and make a choice from the proposed programs. Usually training is carried out on the basis of 9 or 11 years of school. Accordingly, it lasts from 1 to 4 years, full-time and part-time training is possible.

In fact, an electrician can self-actualize as a professional wherever technical personnel are required who are familiar with the installation, adjustment, operation and repair of electrical equipment, including ships and aircraft. Usually these are construction objects, homeowners' associations and housing and communal services management companies, enterprises providing repair services. The amount of the electrician's income directly depends on how much work he does. In most cases, a competent specialist in this field has every chance to secure a very decent level of remuneration for himself.

If we rely on the data of employment sites, then on average the salary of an electrician in our country varies from 25 to 100 thousand rubles, while in the capital regions it starts from 40 thousand rubles. If desired, a specialist engaged in electrical work can increase his level of competence and apply for higher salaries.

About who an electrician is and what he does, see the next video.