What Does an Electrician Do? A Guide to Working as a Sparky
When you think of an electrician, you might picture someone installing a power point or fixing the lights.
That's definitely part of the job, but there's a lot more to being a sparky.
Electricians install, maintain, test and repair electrical systems and equipment. They can work everywhere from houses and apartment buildings to factories, construction sites, hospitals, infrastructure projects and remote mine sites.
What you actually do each day depends heavily on the type of electrical work you get into.
What Does an Electrician Actually Do?
At its simplest, an electrician works with electrical wiring, equipment and systems to make sure they're installed correctly, operating properly and safe to use.
Typical electrical work can include:
- Installing wiring and cables
- Installing power points and lighting
- Connecting electrical equipment
- Installing and working on switchboards
- Testing electrical circuits
- Diagnosing electrical faults
- Repairing faulty wiring and equipment
- Reading plans and wiring diagrams
- Using electrical testing equipment
- Maintaining existing electrical systems
- Inspecting electrical installations
- Replacing damaged electrical components
Electricians also spend plenty of time planning work, communicating with customers and other trades, getting materials organised and making sure everything meets the required safety standards.
It's a technical trade, but it's also very hands-on.
What Does a Typical Day Look Like?
There isn't really one typical day for an electrician.
A residential sparky might spend the morning installing power points during a renovation before heading across town to diagnose why someone's lights keep tripping.
An electrician working on a commercial construction site might spend the entire day running cable and installing electrical systems throughout a new building.
An industrial electrician could spend hours trying to work out why a piece of machinery has suddenly stopped operating.
A FIFO electrician might be maintaining electrical equipment at a mine hundreds of kilometres from the nearest major city.
That's one of the appealing things about electrical work: there are plenty of different directions you can take it.
Residential Electricians
Residential electricians work in houses, apartments and other homes.
This is probably the type of electrician most people are familiar with.
Typical residential work can include:
- Wiring new homes
- Renovations
- Installing lights
- Installing power points
- Ceiling fans
- Switchboard upgrades
- Fault finding
- Electrical repairs
- Smoke alarms
- Outdoor electrical work
- General maintenance
Residential electricians often travel between multiple jobs during the day and can have a lot of direct contact with homeowners, builders and other trades.
If you like variety and don't want to work at the same site every day, residential work can provide plenty of it.
Commercial Electricians
Commercial electricians work on buildings such as offices, shops, warehouses, schools, restaurants and larger developments.
The projects are generally larger than residential jobs and can involve more complex electrical installations.
A commercial electrician might work on:
- Office fit-outs
- Retail developments
- Warehouses
- Apartment developments
- Schools
- Shopping centres
- Large lighting systems
- Distribution boards
- Emergency lighting
- Electrical maintenance
Commercial construction also means working alongside plenty of other trades.
You'll often need to coordinate your work with builders, plumbers, HVAC technicians, data technicians, fire contractors and other workers on site.
Industrial Electricians
Industrial electricians work with electrical systems and equipment used in industrial environments.
This can include:
- Factories
- Manufacturing facilities
- Processing plants
- Warehouses
- Utilities
- Heavy industry
- Automated facilities
Industrial work can become considerably more technical.
Instead of simply installing wiring throughout a building, you might be working with motors, machinery, sensors, control systems and automated equipment.
Fault finding is particularly important.
If a critical machine stops operating, the business may be losing money every minute it's offline. Finding and fixing the problem quickly can make an experienced industrial electrician extremely valuable.
Maintenance Electricians
Not every electrician spends their career building new things.
Maintenance electricians focus on keeping existing electrical systems and equipment working properly.
Large buildings and facilities can have enough electrical equipment to require electricians permanently on site.
Maintenance electricians might work in:
- Hospitals
- Factories
- Universities
- Shopping centres
- Hotels
- Large office buildings
- Warehouses
- Government facilities
The job can involve preventative maintenance as well as responding when something breaks.
One minute you might be completing a scheduled inspection. The next you're trying to work out why half a building has lost power.
Construction Electricians
Construction electricians work on new building projects and major renovations.
They can be involved from relatively early in the build through to final testing and commissioning.
The work might include:
- Installing cable trays
- Running cables
- Installing switchboards
- Fitting outlets
- Installing lighting
- Connecting equipment
- Testing installations
Construction work can mean early starts, busy sites and plenty of coordination with other trades.
Projects can range from houses and apartment buildings to hospitals, warehouses and major infrastructure developments.
FIFO and Mining Electricians
Australia's mining and resources industry employs plenty of electricians.
FIFO electricians can work on mine sites, processing plants and remote facilities maintaining the electrical systems that keep everything running.
The work can involve:
- Fixed plant
- Processing equipment
- Electrical distribution
- Motors
- Pumps
- Camp infrastructure
- Industrial equipment
- Fault finding
- Preventative maintenance
Mining electrical jobs can offer strong earning potential, but the lifestyle isn't for everyone.
You may work long shifts and spend extended periods away from home on a roster.
What Tools Do Electricians Use?
Electricians use a mixture of hand tools, power tools and specialised electrical testing equipment.
Common tools can include:
- Pliers
- Side cutters
- Screwdrivers
- Wire strippers
- Cable cutters
- Crimpers
- Drills
- Impact drivers
- Tape measures
- Levels
- Multimeters
- Electrical testers
The exact kit depends on the type of electrical work you're doing.
An industrial electrician diagnosing machinery may carry very different equipment from a residential sparky wiring new homes.
And yes, you'll probably accumulate a ridiculous number of tools throughout your career.
Is Being an Electrician Physically Demanding?
Electrical work isn't the heaviest trade out there, but it can definitely be physical.
You might spend time:
- Climbing ladders
- Working overhead
- Crawling through roof spaces
- Working under floors
- Carrying equipment
- Pulling cable
- Standing for long periods
- Working in awkward positions
Some electrical jobs are much easier on the body than others.
An industrial electrician doing fault finding and maintenance may have a different physical workload from someone roughing in houses every day.
Do Electricians Work Outside?
Sometimes.
Electrical work isn't exclusively indoors.
Depending on your job, you could work outside on construction sites, infrastructure projects, industrial facilities, solar installations or other outdoor electrical systems.
Weather can therefore become part of the job.
Other electricians spend most of their working lives indoors.
Again, it depends heavily on which part of the industry you enter.
Is Electrical Work Dangerous?
Electricity can obviously be dangerous.
Electricians can also encounter other workplace hazards including heights, construction equipment, confined spaces and hazardous environments.
That's why electrical work in Australia is regulated and why safety forms such a major part of electrical training.
Qualified electricians need to understand how to isolate equipment, test electrical systems and perform their work safely.
Taking shortcuts around electricity can have serious consequences.
Do Electricians Need to Be Good at Maths?
You don't need to be a maths genius to become an electrician, but you do need to be comfortable with numbers.
Electrical work can involve:
- Measurements
- Basic calculations
- Electrical formulas
- Voltage
- Current
- Resistance
- Power
- Cable sizing
- Reading technical information
You'll learn the relevant electrical theory during your apprenticeship.
Being reasonably comfortable with maths before you start will make that part of the training easier.
Do Electricians Deal With Customers?
Some do constantly. Others barely do at all.
A residential service electrician might speak directly with customers every day.
You'll need to explain what's wrong, discuss possible solutions and sometimes deliver the unfortunate news that the five-minute-looking job isn't actually going to take five minutes.
An electrician working on a large construction or mining project may have very little interaction with the end customer.
Communication still matters, though.
Electricians regularly work with supervisors, builders, engineers, apprentices and other trades.
What Hours Do Electricians Work?
Working hours vary considerably.
Many electricians work fairly standard weekday hours, often with early starts.
Construction sites might start around 6:30 or 7:00 in the morning and finish during the afternoon.
Other electrical jobs can involve:
- Overtime
- Weekend work
- Night shifts
- On-call work
- Shutdowns
- Rotating rosters
- FIFO rosters
Industrial facilities operating 24 hours a day may need electricians available around the clock.
The upside is that overtime, penalties and shift work can also increase your earnings.
What Skills Do Electricians Need?
Good electricians need more than practical skills.
Useful qualities include:
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
- Reliability
- Safety awareness
- Communication
- Practical ability
- Technical understanding
- Patience
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to work in a team
Fault finding is a good example.
You need to look at the symptoms, test the system, rule out possible causes and work logically towards the actual problem.
Sometimes the hardest part of the job isn't fixing something.
It's figuring out what needs fixing.
Where Can a Career as an Electrician Take You?
Qualifying as an electrician doesn't mean you have to spend the next 40 years doing exactly the same job.
Electrical experience can open pathways into areas such as:
- Residential electrical
- Commercial electrical
- Industrial electrical
- Mining
- Infrastructure
- Renewable energy
- Automation and controls
- Maintenance
- Electrical estimating
- Supervision
- Project management
- Technical sales
- Electrical contracting
Some electricians stay on the tools for their entire careers.
Others eventually move into management, estimating or running their own businesses.
The range of options is one of the biggest advantages of the trade.
Is Being an Electrician a Good Career?
For someone who enjoys practical and technical work, electrical can be an excellent career.
It's a licensed trade with skills used across a huge range of Australian industries.
Electricians also tend to earn above the median Australian worker once qualified, with additional earning potential available through overtime, industrial work, mining, specialisation and supervision.
There are downsides.
You'll spend several years completing an apprenticeship, the work can be physical and electrical safety has to be taken seriously.
But if you like solving problems, working with your hands and having the option to move between different industries, becoming a sparky is definitely worth considering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an electrician do every day?
It depends on the job. Electricians can install wiring and equipment, test electrical systems, diagnose faults, complete repairs and perform maintenance. Their daily work varies significantly between residential, commercial and industrial environments.
Do electricians only work on houses?
No. Electricians work across residential construction, commercial buildings, factories, infrastructure, utilities, mining and many other industries.
Is being an electrician hard work?
Electrical work can be physically and technically demanding. Electricians may work in roof spaces, climb ladders, pull cables and spend long periods on their feet while also dealing with technical electrical systems.
Do electricians need to be good at maths?
Basic maths and the ability to understand formulas are important. Electrical apprentices learn the specific theory and calculations required for the trade during their training.
Can electricians work in mining?
Yes. Electricians are employed throughout Australia's mining and resources industry, particularly in maintenance, fixed plant, construction and processing facilities.
Do electricians make good money?
Qualified electricians generally earn above median Australian full-time earnings, although pay varies considerably depending on experience, industry, location, overtime and specialisation.