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The differences between electrical helpers and apprentices can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an electrical helper and an apprentice. Additionally, an apprentice has an average salary of $37,107, which is higher than the $31,465 average annual salary of an electrical helper.
The top three skills for an electrical helper include hand tools, ladders and EMT. The most important skills for an apprentice are PET, customer service, and basic math.
| Electrical Helper | Apprentice | |
| Yearly salary | $31,465 | $37,107 |
| Hourly rate | $15.13 | $17.84 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 47,283 | 13,014 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 34 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
An Electrical Helper is responsible for assisting head electricians in conducting electrical repairs and installments for private households or commercial establishments. Electrical Helpers operate various electrical tools and equipment, requiring them to inspect the materials before and after every use to avoid potential hazards and operational failures. They also support the senior electricians in performing troubleshooting procedures, component replacements, and upgrading systems for optimization. An Electrical Helper must have excellent organizational and mechanical skills, especially in fixing broken cables and strictly following safety protocols and regulations.
An apprentice is responsible for learning specialized tasks on their chosen field through actual job training under the supervision of tenured staff. An apprentice's duties include performing administrative tasks as needed, creating observation reports of daily operations, providing possible recommendations on improving productivity, and adhering to the business' safety standards and regulatory procedures. An apprentice must be detail-oriented, fast-learner, and enthusiastic. An apprentice should also know how to accept constructive criticisms and feedback to improve performance and skill development.
Electrical helpers and apprentices have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Helper | Apprentice | |
| Average salary | $31,465 | $37,107 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $36,000 | Between $26,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Buffalo, NY | Worcester, MA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Xcel Energy | Mid-South Management |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an electrical helper and an apprentice in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Helper | Apprentice | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between electrical helpers' and apprentices' demographics:
| Electrical Helper | Apprentice | |
| Average age | 34 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% | Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 2.3% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 2.2% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 3% |