Electrician
Installing, testing and maintaining electrical systems in homes, sites and industry. A licensed trade where the qualification is the whole thing.
Also called: Electrical improver, approved electrician, sparky
What it pays
£33,000 to £48,000 a year employed. Self employed day rates of £180 to £280 are common, more in London and on industrial work.
The hours
Usually 39 to 45 hours. Site work starts early; maintenance often carries a call out rota.
How you get in
- Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Installation, usually through an apprenticeship
- NVQ Level 3 and the AM2 assessment for full qualification
- 18th Edition wiring regulations, kept current
- ECS gold card for site access
The tickets and qualifications employers ask for
NVQ Level 3 AM2 18th Edition ECS card 2391 inspection and testing for extra money
What you should not be paying for
An apprenticeship is paid work, not a course you buy. Adult career changers can use a Skills Bootcamp or an employer sponsored route: be careful with expensive fast track courses that do not include the NVQ or AM2.
What people like about it
- A licensed trade that cannot be offshored
- Strong self employed earnings once qualified
- Demand from housebuilding, retrofit and EV charging
What is genuinely hard
- Four years to qualify properly, and no shortcut worth taking
- Site conditions, weather and travel
- Chasing payment if you go self employed
Where it leads
- Approved electrician
- Testing and inspection
- Site supervisor
- Own business, or EV and renewables work
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