Whether you are hiring an electrician or deciding on a career in the electrical trade, it is important to understand the essential skills they require to get the best outcome.
They involve a combination of hard skills like technical ability and knowledge gained through on-the-job training, education and certifications, and soft skills such as communication, problem-solving and people skills acquired through work or life experience.
As a guide, we have listed some of the skills that we believe make a great electrician.
1. Technical ability
Electricians must undertake the technical requirements of an electrical project, which require strong math, physics, and technical problem-solving abilities. These are hard skills related to electrical installations, repairs and maintenance tasks, usually gained through electrical training and apprenticeships.
2. Regulatory understanding
Being a licensed trade, electricians must know relevant standards for performing electrical work, such as the National Electric Code and local electric codes, to conduct tasks safely and effectively.
3. Health and safety knowledge
The electrical trade is exposed to health and safety risks daily. So electricians must know relevant health and safety regulations, standards and procedures to complete their job safely and correctly. And they need to keep up to date with these obligations to protect themselves, their colleagues, customers and the community.
4. Basic math
Math knowledge is essential to electrical work and daily tasks such as taking measurements and calculating power or current ratings. Qualified electricians can efficiently perform functions with basic algebra learned at school.
5. Ability to work in a team and independently
Electricians may conduct some work independently or in a team, depending on the size of the job and project. The ability to collaborate with colleagues or other trades, follow and provide instructions, make recommendations, and effective communication are essential to get the job done safely and effectively.
6. Problem-solving
A significant part of the electrician’s job involves responding to electrical issues, diagnosing them and providing solutions. Problem-solving skills are critical to assessing various situations and using technical knowledge and critical thinking to determine solutions.
7. Clear communication
Verbal and written communication skills are just as necessary as technical skills, as electricians are responsible for effectively communicating with people who often have no technical knowledge of electrical systems. This involves listening to customers or suppliers to understand their needs and conveying information in a way they will understand.
8. Good people skills
Electricians deal with various people daily, from colleagues to customers to subcontractors and suppliers, so good interpersonal skills are vital to the role. Having patience, friendliness and empathy all contribute to great customer service.
Contact our team today if you would like to work with a reliable and trusted electrician or are interested in becoming part of a team!
