ABOUT THE JOB
Are you familiar with the local stores, restaurants and other commercial businesses around your area? Are you also interested in doing electrical works? If yes, then let’s combine both of your interests and passions and turn it into a profitable professional career.
Commercial electricians are responsible for business-related electrical systems that are used to power stores, offices buildings and other commercial structures. Being a Commercial Electrician brings you to the domain of working with industrial, residential and power line electricians altogether in some projects. If you have a passion with troubleshooting and repairing devices and looking for a hands-on occupation, becoming a commercial electrician is the ideal profession for you.
Generally, a commercial electrician’s tasks are to install or maintain the wiring, control systems and electrical devices within commercial establishments such as restaurants, offices and stores. They also have the responsibility to supervise and train apprentices and helpers. Commercial electricians start a project by inspecting and understanding blueprints and technical documents. They are also responsible for reinforcing and strictly following several building codes and safety rules within their area.
This field of work in the electrical trade is expected to grow by 14 percent in the ten-year period up until 2029, giving commercial electricians a chance to discover that there is a bright future ahead of them since new commercial structures and other civil projects are starting to gradually increases according to the US Department of Labor.
Being a Commercial Electrician is no easy task. As their settings change, they have to follow a certain set of rules and guidelines that are specific to that setting. Here are the following duties and responsibilities that one has to keep in mind if they want to partake in this career.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Commercial electricians undergo a lot of projects, each requiring to perform a wide range of duties. These duties may vary according to their work setting and the type of task that they are doing. In general, here are the following duties and responsibilities that a Commercial electrician has to always follow:
• They are in charge of the installation of commercial switch gears
• Termination of large conductors
• Installation of cable trays
• Installation of commercial outlet boxes
• Installation of components within the commercial establishment’s electrical systems
• Commercial wiring and lighting
• Electrical works regarding on troubleshooting issues with commercial transformers and generators
• Electrical works that are needed to maintain the supply of power within the establishment
• Complex and complicated system wiring since the structures are meant for commercial use
Commercial electricians are different from the profession of industrial electricians. Although sometimes mistaken as something to be similar, commercial electricians work with low voltage wirings and electrical networks. While industrial electricians focus more on high voltage wiring and use industrial machinery when working. Commercial Electricians are also working in a commercial setting, far from the stresses of industrial works. They are always to reinforce all safety codes and protocols within their area for every project they undergo.
Tasks
Here are some of the tasks that a Commercial electrician performs;
• Electrical service upgrades and repairs
• Installation and repair of different types of electrical systems and circuits
• Troubleshooting, repair and maintenance of different voltage systems
• Wire, test and troubleshooting motors, generators and transformers
• Installation and repair of fire detection systems
• Installation and troubleshooting of I.T. computer cabling
• Installation of audio and video wiring systems, and complete surveillance systems
SALARY
The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the federal agency responsible for maintaining salary statistics for all professional classifications in the nation, including electrical installers and repairers of commercial and equipment.
According to the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in the year 2015, there were findings that shows a nationwide statistics on the average salary of Commercial electricians tell that they have earned an average salary of $56,670, but those who belong in the higher areas of the commercial business earned an average of $79,030.
A survey made by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in the year 2017 on the salary of Commercial electricians, found out that they made a median salary for all electricians was $53,784. Professionals that make up the 10% of the overall, earned over $92,690 and the other 10% were earning the least salary amongst the others earned about less than $32,180. Commercial Electricians working for restaurants and e-commerce industries had median salaries of $60,570. Those who are working for manufacturers earned about $58,470 and a median pay for those working with small businesses earned about $52,190.
REQUIREMENTS
For the requirements, Commercial electricians require both proper classroom training and a suitable working experience, which can be achieve through an electrician apprenticeship. Beginners will attend an electrician school at a technical college and get credited to be eligible to apply for an apprenticeship program. In order to be an electrician, it is required that you must have a high school diploma or some equivalent. The Apprenticeship Program usually takes about four to five years, wherein you have to work 2,000 hours and take 144 hours of classes each year.
Trade unions and other associations promote a lot of electrician apprenticeship programs. Incoming apprentices will be able to study and learn how to use tools and complete various tasks while with their superiors on the job. However, while in class, they will study on how to understand diagrams. blueprint reading, electrical regulations, principles of the electrical theory, as well as medical and safety procedures, such as First Aid. When they have completed the apprenticeship program, the outcome will be an aspiring commercial electrician that is also considered to be a journeyman electrician.
In most states, being a licensed electrician is required. Licenses are issued by state governments and each of them having their own set of requirements.
3-4
3-4 years of training usually required.
Here are some of the fundamental knowledge that a Commercial Electrician needs to have according to the National Electrical Code:
• Identification of grounded conductors
• Branch circuits, including outside circuits and feeders
• Surge arresters
• Overhead service conductors
• Commercial garages
• Overcurrent protection
• Conduit bodies, fittings, and handhole enclosures
• Know the types of cables and conduits being used in the commercial setting
• Busways and auxiliary gutters
• Commercial control panels
• Air conditioning and refrigeration equipment
• Generators and transformers
• Commercial storage batteries
• Hospital commercial electrical systems and equipment
• Electric signs and outline lighting
• Manufactured wiring systems
• Elevators, escalators, moving walks, platform lifts, stairway chairlifts, and dumbwaiters
• Integrated electrical systems
• Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems