Is Being an Electrician a Good Career in Australia?

If you're considering getting into the trades, becoming an electrician is probably somewhere near the top of your list.

There's a good reason for that.

Electrical is a licensed trade with skills used across construction, maintenance, manufacturing, infrastructure, renewable energy and mining. Qualified electricians also tend to earn above the typical Australian worker, with plenty of opportunities to increase their income through overtime, specialisation or working in higher-paying industries.

But becoming a sparky isn't an instant ticket to a massive salary.

You'll need to complete an apprenticeship, spend several years learning the trade and deal with some of the less glamorous parts of working on the tools.

So, is becoming an electrician actually worth it?

For plenty of people, yes.

Why Become an Electrician?

One of the biggest advantages of electrical is the number of directions the trade can take you.

You could start your career wiring houses and eventually find yourself working on industrial machinery, major infrastructure or a mine site.

Electricians can work across areas including:

• Residential construction
• Commercial construction
• Industrial electrical
• Maintenance
• Manufacturing
• Mining
• Infrastructure
• Renewable energy
• Automation and controls
• Utilities

You can also eventually move away from physically working on the tools.

Experienced electricians can progress into supervision, estimating, project management, technical sales or running an electrical contracting business.

That flexibility makes electrical attractive as a long-term career rather than simply a job.

Electricians Can Earn Good Money

Let's get the obvious one out of the way.

Electrical can pay well.

Australian Government occupation data puts median full-time electrician earnings above the equivalent figure across all occupations.

Your actual income can vary considerably depending on where you work and what you do.

A residential electrician working standard weekday hours may earn very differently from an industrial electrician doing shift work or a FIFO electrician working 12-hour days at a remote mine.

Earning potential can increase through:

• Experience
• Overtime
• Penalty rates
• Shift work
• Site allowances
• Industrial experience
• Specialist skills
• FIFO and mining
• Supervisory positions

Some experienced electricians earn well into six figures.

That doesn't mean every electrician is automatically making $150,000 or $200,000 a year, but the trade gives you pathways to pursue higher-paying work if that's important to you.

You Get Paid While You Learn

One of the major advantages of a trade apprenticeship is that you're earning money while becoming qualified.

An electrical apprenticeship generally takes around four years and combines paid employment with formal training.

Your apprentice wage will be significantly lower than what you can potentially earn once qualified, particularly during the early stages.

But you're still building work experience and earning an income while completing your training.

For someone who doesn't want to spend several years studying full-time before entering the workforce, that can be a major advantage.

The Apprentice Wages Can Be Tough

The flip side is that apprentice wages aren't amazing.

If you're leaving school and still living at home, that might be manageable.

If you're 30, paying rent and changing careers from a reasonably well-paid job, the temporary drop in income can be much harder.

Adult apprentice wage arrangements can differ from those applying to younger apprentices, but you'll still need to consider whether you can afford the transition.

It's worth looking beyond your first-year income.

The financial question isn't simply:

"What will I earn next year?"

It's also:

"Where could this career put me in five or ten years?"

Electrical Isn't Just Construction

A common misconception is that becoming an electrician means spending your entire career wiring houses.

You absolutely can do residential electrical work if that's what you enjoy.

But electrical skills are needed far beyond residential construction.

Factories need electricians.

Hospitals need electricians.

Shopping centres need electricians.

Mines need electricians.

Warehouses need electricians.

Infrastructure needs electricians.

Manufacturing facilities need electricians.

That variety can make your career more resilient because your skills aren't tied to one type of customer or workplace.

There Are Plenty of Ways to Specialise

Once you've built a solid electrical foundation, you can develop experience in more specialised areas.

Depending on your interests and additional training, that might include:

• Industrial maintenance
• Automation
• Control systems
• Renewable energy
• Solar and battery systems
• Mining
• Infrastructure
• Rail
• High-voltage environments
• Instrumentation

Specialised experience can make you more valuable to particular employers.

It can also make the work more interesting if you enjoy the technical side of the trade.

Electrical Can Be Good for Problem Solvers

Not every electrical job involves installing something new.

Fault finding can be a major part of the job, particularly in maintenance and industrial environments.

Something isn't working.

Your job is to figure out why.

That can involve inspecting the system, reading diagrams, taking measurements, testing equipment and logically ruling out possible causes.

The satisfaction of finally finding an annoying fault after working through the possibilities is one of the parts of electrical work that some sparkies really enjoy.

If you like figuring out how things work, electrical has plenty to keep your brain occupied.

Is Being an Electrician Physically Hard?

It's still a trade.

Electrical may not involve the same level of heavy lifting as some construction jobs, but it can definitely be physically demanding.

You could spend time:

• Climbing ladders
• Crawling through roof spaces
• Working underneath houses
• Pulling cable
• Working overhead
• Carrying tools and materials
• Standing for long periods
• Working in awkward positions

The physical demands vary considerably between jobs.

Residential construction can be very different from industrial fault finding or electrical estimating.

One advantage of electrical is that there are career pathways that can become less physically demanding as you gain experience.

You'll Probably Have Some Early Starts

If the idea of starting work at 10am appeals to you, construction might be a shock.

Tradies are known for early starts for a reason.

Construction projects commonly begin early in the morning, and electricians may need to travel to different sites before the working day even begins.

The upside is finishing earlier.

Plenty of tradies would rather start at 6:30 or 7:00 and have their afternoon back than work a traditional office schedule.

Other electrical jobs operate completely different hours.

Industrial and mining electricians may work nights, rotating shifts or FIFO rosters.

Electrical Work Comes With Responsibility

There's an obvious difference between making a mistake while painting a wall and making a mistake with electricity.

Electrical work can be dangerous when performed incorrectly.

That's why electricians undergo extensive training and why electrical work is licensed and regulated.

You'll need to take safety seriously throughout your career.

That includes following procedures, testing properly and resisting the temptation to take shortcuts because something will "probably be right".

If you're someone who constantly cuts corners, electrical probably isn't the trade for you.

You Can Eventually Work for Yourself

Starting an electrical contracting business is a common long-term goal.

Once you've gained the necessary experience and met the relevant licensing and business requirements, working for yourself can provide considerably more earning potential.

Instead of being paid an employee wage, you're building your own customer base and charging for the work your business completes.

Running a business isn't automatically better, though.

You'll also be responsible for things such as:

• Finding customers
• Quoting jobs
• Invoicing
• Buying materials
• Vehicles
• Insurance
• Licensing
• Accounting
• Employees
• Scheduling
• Chasing unpaid invoices

Some electricians love being their own boss.

Others happily earn a wage and leave the headaches with someone else.

Having the option is valuable either way.

You Don't Have to Stay on the Tools Forever

A trade qualification can lead to plenty of jobs that don't involve carrying a tool bag every day.

Experienced electricians can move into roles such as:

• Electrical supervisor
• Site manager
• Project manager
• Estimator
• Facilities manager
• Maintenance planner
• Technical sales
• Operations
• Training

Some people eventually leave hands-on electrical work almost entirely while still benefiting from the knowledge they gained as a tradesperson.

That can become increasingly attractive later in your career when crawling through roof spaces isn't quite as fun as it was at 21.

What Are the Downsides of Being an Electrician?

No career is perfect.

Some of the potential downsides include:

• Four years of apprenticeship training
• Lower wages while you're an apprentice
• Early starts
• Physical work
• Travel between sites
• Working in hot roof spaces
• Working at heights
• Potential exposure to dangerous electrical systems
• Construction industry ups and downs
• Ongoing responsibility for working safely

Certain higher-paying roles come with additional compromises.

FIFO can mean being away from home for weeks.

Shift work can mean nights and weekends.

Running your own business can mean answering customer calls when you'd rather be doing literally anything else.

You need to decide which trade-offs you're comfortable with.

Electrician vs Office Job

One isn't automatically better.

They're simply very different careers.

Electrical can appeal if you:

• Prefer practical work
• Don't want to sit behind a desk all day
• Enjoy solving problems
• Like seeing tangible results from your work
• Want the option to work for yourself
• Don't mind early starts
• Want skills that can take you into different industries

An office career might suit you better if you prefer predictable working conditions, working from home and avoiding physical work.

Interestingly, an electrical career doesn't necessarily mean avoiding offices forever either.

Plenty of experienced sparkies eventually move into management, estimating and technical roles.

Is Electrical Better Than Other Trades?

There's no objectively best trade.

Electrical is attractive because of its earning potential, licensing, technical nature and range of career options.

But you might be happier as a carpenter, plumber, refrigeration mechanic, fitter or another type of tradesperson.

The best trade is usually the one that matches what you're actually interested in doing.

If you hate electrical theory but love building things from timber, becoming a sparky just because you've heard they make good money probably isn't the smartest move.

Who Is Electrical a Good Career For?

Electrical could suit you if you're:

• Practical
• Reliable
• Comfortable with basic maths
• Interested in how things work
• Good at solving problems
• Safety conscious
• Happy working with your hands
• Willing to keep learning
• Comfortable working independently and with others

You don't need to arrive at your first apprenticeship with all of those skills perfected.

You'll develop plenty of them along the way.

So, Is Becoming an Electrician Worth It?

For many people, yes.

You get paid while completing your training, finish with a recognised trade qualification and can build a career across a huge range of industries.

The earning potential is strong, particularly once you've gained experience, and there are plenty of ways to progress beyond a standard electrical job.

You'll have to get through several years of apprentice wages and accept the realities of working a physical trade.

But you're learning a skill that can give you options for decades.

If practical work, problem solving and a career that doesn't involve sitting behind the same desk every day sounds appealing, electrical is definitely worth considering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is becoming an electrician worth it in Australia?

For many people, yes. Electricians have opportunities across numerous industries and generally have strong earning potential once qualified. Whether it's worth it for you depends on your interests and career goals.

Is being an electrician stressful?

It can be. Electrical work involves responsibility, deadlines and potentially dangerous systems. Fault finding and breakdown work can also be stressful when equipment needs to be repaired quickly.

Is electrician a good career long term?

Electrical can provide a strong long-term career because experienced electricians can move into specialised work, supervision, management, estimating, technical roles or business ownership.

Is being an electrician hard on your body?

Electrical work can be physical, particularly in construction. However, the physical demands vary considerably between residential, commercial, industrial and office-based electrical careers.

Can electricians make six figures?

Yes. Qualified electricians can earn six-figure incomes, although actual earnings depend on experience, industry, location, overtime and working arrangements.

Is 30 too old to become an electrician?

No. Adults can start electrical apprenticeships and change careers later in life. The main consideration for many mature-age apprentices is managing the temporary reduction in income while completing the apprenticeship.