What makes a good electrician

Before deciding upon the essential characteristics of a good industrial electrician it’s a good idea to list the tasks that they have to perform. After you have a clear idea, it will be much easier to decide which industrial electrician might be best to your job.

In essence, an industrial electrician repairs, tests and maintains electrical equipment. They mostly work for large employers in environments that involve an array of complex electrical equipment. In Australia, with the resources boom still fueling the economy, many mining companies are hiring industrial electrician’s in droves. Other employers include steel producers, car manufacturers and large electrical firms.

Although industrial electricians still maintain their basic knowledge gained during their initial training, they also have to excel in particular industries and study specialized equipment such as robotics so that they can maintain a competitive edge when applying for contract work or salaried positions.

So, with a clearer idea of the type of work that an industrial electrician has to perform, let’s look at some of the characteristics that make up a good industrial electrician.

• A good industrial electrician will be well educated and will have completed many post-apprentice courses to add to their skill set in such things as robotics and other specialized electrical machinery.
• Although all electricians go through the same apprenticeship and education process, a good industrial electrician will end up specializing in one or two areas as it would be impossible for them to learn every skill for every type of industrial environment.
• An industrial electrician needs to be a clear thinker and be able to work under difficult conditions, especially in confined spaces and sometimes on large pieces of equipment which require them to climb to great heights.
• Although their work is highly specialized, they still have to work as part of an overall team and therefore it is important for them to be able to communicate effectively with a broad range of other tradespeople and supervisors. Additionally, they need to be able to relate to customers equally as well so that a harmonious workplace is maintained at all times.
• Flexibility is one of the hallmarks of a good industrial electrician because they often have to work unusual hours in order to effect repairs on machinery as required. Although they work in shifts, many situations frequently arise which require them to work outside of normal hours to get repairs done quickly and efficiently.
• With increasing specialization, a good industrial electrician can often expect to be promoted to a supervisor’s position because of their intimate knowledge in particular areas. This means that their specialized skills need to be integrated into a management role and so further training may be required so they can slot into these positions more comfortably.

This list is not an exhaustive one by any means, but it does give you an idea of the type of work that an industrial electrician does and of the skill set that the most successful ones possess.