In one of our published articles, we have discussed the many branching paths that is available for a journeyman electrician to take. However, it is worth noting that, like many other types of employment, the role of an electrician is not always a full-time job, although majority of them do.
What is a “Full-time Job” and how it differs from a “Part-time Job”?
By definition, one of the major differences between a “full-time job” from a “part-time job” is the number of hours which an employee render for work.
A full-time job is defined as a 40-hour per week work, 5 days a week. This is your typical 9 AM to 5 PM job or 8 hours of work per day. On the other hand, a part-time job is defined as a less than 40-hour week work which some states in the US specify as a maximum of 30 hours per week.
However, as a full-time job demands so much time from an employee more than a part-time job would, an employee working a full-time role gets more pay than his part-time counterpart and even enjoys better overall compensations and workplace rights, including overtime pay.
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Why opt for a part-time role?
There are plenty of reasons why an employee would choose to work part-time despite being capable of working full-time like what most of his peers would. Typically, it boils down to the number of hours that they are expected to do work in the work area. At generally 6 hours per day, that’s 2 hours less than what a full-time employee would have to spend in the site doing work.
Meaning, a part-timer would have plenty of available time in hand past working hours to do whatever he wanted, whether specially allocated for leisure or for holding another employment elsewhere.
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Should you, as an electrician, hold part-time job?
There is not necessarily a right or wrong answer as to whether an electrician hold a part-time job as such or not. It all boils down to preference and which type of employment best suits your unique predisposition. I am sure that there is a good reason why you would choose to work on lesser benefits when there is an option to get the best possible reward for your profession.
When you think about it, there is not really a harm in being a part-timer as an electrician. But it does puts you in a disposition—both in pay and privileges—that is quite disadvantageous than your full-time peers. It is worth measuring first the pros and cons before you consider working lesser hours that comes with lesser pay and less perks.
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Part-time Options for an Electrician
Being a journeyman electrician may entitle you to a certain career path. But it is worth noting that a part-time electrician in many of its diverse paths is considered a rarity and is the reason why people in this line of work are doing their job full-time.
However, there is still a small minority who do manage to fit in the role of a part-timer. Normally, your chance of holding a part-time role as an electrician is quite likely if you are not part of a union. After all, there is a strict rule among union groups that their members to hold a full-time job with their profession, not less.
While being outside of any union group is risky especially for a technical job as an electrician, the idea is perhaps worth undertaking if you are so keen in the idea of going solo.
Granted you are out of the union and is thinking of finding a part-time job that directly relates to your profession, there are actually plenty of platforms online where you could find a job that is suitable for you.
For instance, taking a peek at the job portal Indeed with the keyword set to “part time electrician,” you will see plenty of options waiting for you to apply from across the different states in United States.
As of writing this article, the top twenty available jobs for a “part time electrician” from the website are as follows:
- Part-Time Licensed Maintenance Person (Electrician) at Chariho Regional School District; Wood River Junction, RI
- Electrician Trainee, Summer – Part Time – Archer Daniels Midland Company; Clinton, IA
- Instructor, Electrical Part-time Continuing Education College of The Albemarle; Elizabeth City, NC
- Instructor, Electrician – Part-Time, School District of Manatee County; Bradenton, FL
- Maintenance Electrician (part-time), UMN; Morris, MN
- Part-Time Electrician, Tampa Bay Lightning; Tampa, FL
- Part Time Fire Watch, Long Island University; Brookville, NY
- Part-Time Appointment Setter; Mister Sparky, Katy, TX
- Stage Hand, Just Right Productions LLC; Tacoma, WA
- Electrical Instructor, North Orange Continuing Education, Part time, North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD); Anaheim, CA
- Maintenance Electrician, Montana State University; Bozeman, MT
- CE Electrical Trainer, Galveston College; Galveston, TX
- Electrician, US Department of the Army; Fort Hood, TX
- Adult Education Part-Time Electrical Instructor (Residential and Commercial) Dayton Area School Consortium; Dayton, OH
- Youth Apprentice-Electrician E K Machine Company Inc.; Fall River, WI
- Electrical Instructor Part Time PCI; Worcester, MA
- Electrician, US Department of Veterans Affairs; Canandaigua, NY
- Electrician, Delphinus Engineering; Chula Vista, CA
- Journeyman Electrician, Weil Electrical Services Inc.; Tampa, FL
- Electrician Supervisor, Rooms To Go; Seffner, FL
The list only covered the first two pages of Indeed which leaves for more pages for other available positions for the part-time role as an electrician. This is not to mention that there are also numerous other platforms out there which displays hundreds and hundreds of jobs for the exact same keyword.
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If the overall picture insinuates anything, it is that the market is still flooded with jobs whose requirement are people with electrician background who are expected to work for 39 hours or less per week.
Being a part-timer as an electrician may not be so scary, after all.