What Does an Electrical Technician Do?

An electrical technician is responsible for managing the electrical systems of an establishment, ensuring the safety of the network and cables to support daily operations. Electrical technicians analyze schematics and specifications to construct electrical systems, run diagnostic tests, and perform repairs for any defects and inconsistencies. They assemble electrical equipment, replace malfunctioning components, upgrading systems, and advising management of high-quality electrical supplies. An electrical technician must have excellent knowledge of the electrical and mechanical industry, especially with supervising electricians on their duties, as well as responding to the clients' inquiries and concerns.

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Electrical Technician Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real electrical technician resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Test printed circuit boards to comply with military, ISO, and customer specifications.
Inspect, test and troubleshoot a variety of PLC and microprocessor control high voltage transformer systems.
Work in accordance with OSHA safety regulation, NEC, ANSI, ISO9001 compliance and with company safety policies.
Work with proximity sensors, ac & dc motors, VFDs, and controls on a daily basis here.
Install EMT risers in new buildings for communications.
Work on equipment using CNET, DNET, and Ethernet.
Experience in HVAC, welding, fabrication, and light machining.
Experience in creating and maintaining I/O databases for entire plant system.
Control instruments using LabVIEW to collect data and control small fixture.
Spearhead the development and implantation for the DC cable and battery setup.
Modify and install programs of all types of Siemens and Allen-Bradley PLCs.
Install commissioning and start-up of 4.16Kv switch gear and 480v motor control center.
Remove, troubleshoot, repair and install automate systems controls used to pilot the aircraft.
Crawl into tight spaces, onto ladders, and other electrical items attach to system and install properly.
Have excellent ability to work from ladders and scaffolds, in attics, or in tunnels and crawl spaces.

Electrical Technician Job Description

Between the years 2018 and 2028, electrical technician jobs are expected to undergo a growth rate described as "little or no change" at 0%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So if the thought "should I become an electrical technician?" Has crossed your mind, maybe you should take the growth rate into account. In addition, the number of electrical technician opportunities that are projected to become available by 2028 is 200.

Electrical technicians average about $26.55 an hour, which makes the electrical technician annual salary $55,215. Additionally, electrical technicians are known to earn anywhere from $37,000 to $80,000 a year. This means that the top-earning electrical technicians make $34,000 more than the lowest earning ones.

Once you've become an electrical technician, you may be curious about what other opportunities are out there. Careers aren't one size fits all. For that reason, we discovered some other jobs that you may find appealing. Some jobs you might find interesting include a maintenance electrician, industrial electrician, electrical engineer internship, and master electrician.

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12 Electrical Technician Resume Examples

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Heather Perkins Electrical Technician Contact Information Dallas, TX (910) 555-0650 hperkins@example.com Skills Fiber Optic Ethernet Test Equipment RN VFD Control Systems Plant Equipment Hand Tools Motor Control Service Calls Employment History Electrical Technician 2020 - Present Texas Instruments Dallas, TX Routed and wired cables and wire harnesses, subassemblies, coax wires, and pigtails. Maintained a Secret security clearance throughout naval career. Trained personnel on electrical systems, operations and theory. Access, Powerpoint, Outlook, and Windows. IC Technician 2015 - 2020 AT&T Dallas, TX Install and repair IPTV, VOIP and high speed internet services at residential and business locations. Installed High Speed Internet, Cable and Voice over Internet Protocol services to both residential and commercial clients. Handled customer installs of television and internet for U-Verse TV. Duplicate Customer product issues in the Customer Service Lab by replicating the Customer product configuration across hardware and software. Wire and install uverse services, internet and phone lines Troubleshooted Windows or Apple OS and peripheral devices. Low Voltage Electrician 2013 - 2015 Jiffy Lube Austin, TX Performed structured cabling (Cat5 and Cat6), fiber optic installation, and terminations and repair functions. Installed conduit Wired electrical boxes Installed switches and outlets Education High School Diploma 2013 - 2013


Natalie Robinson Electrical Technician Contact Info Hudson, MA (870) 555-7778 nrobinson@example.com Skills Technical AssistancePLCElectrical SystemsQAULNECSafety ProceduresMechanical EquipmentResistorsTrouble Shooting Employment History Electrical Technician 2020 - Present Corning Hudson, MA Diagnose, troubleshoot and repair Beckhoff (PLC's) with Manufacturing Engineer. Design and construct control systems for various projects. Full boiler checkout in gas power plant* Rosemount and Fisher instrumentation on Foxboro DCS Analyze, diagnose, and repair direct digital control systems at customer's location. Overhaul Fillers, Cappers, Labelers, converyors, and conveyor motors, Install and troubleshoot PLC panels. Engineering Technician 2019 - 2020 Intel Hudson, MA Perform preventative maintenance of probe card equipment on the sort/test manufacturing facility. Use Allegro CAD for fine pitch reworking and blue-wire motherboards and add-in cards in development (down to 0201 pitch). Provided Engineering support / feedback for tool qualification and factory defect issues. Cross sectioning materials for measurement failure analysis. Provide Engineering support/feedback for tool qualification & factory defect issues. Trained in ISO and LOTO requirements. Low Voltage Electrician 2018 - 2019 IBEW New York, NY work with many advanced tools and standard hand tools including sawzalls, screwdrivers, pliers and knives. Experienced in the area of working strictly to guidelines of schematic diagrams, blueprints, manuals and the National Electric Code. Wired relays, transformers, I/O boards and other components from schematics. Performed installations according to Engineer's specifications * Completed OSHA's safety training and applied knowledge to all working environments Education Certificate Computer Science 2017 - 2018 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey New Brunswick, NJ


Kathryn Turner Electrical Technician Pittsburgh, PA (590) 555-8645 kturner@example.com Experience Electrical Technician2015 - Present IBEW•Pittsburgh, PA Install, repair, maintain and upgrade electrical systems and equipment. Repaired or replaced distribution circuits, bus ducts and transformers. Assess customer's style of communication in order to effectively communicate. Installed new lighting ballasts Prepared lighting for visual merchandising and store fronts/displays Performed routine and corrective maintenance on facility electrical systems Work Highlights: Maintain facility filtration systems (including chillers, air compressors, and hi-vac). Electrical Installer2008 - 2015 IBEW•Pittsburgh, PA Operated heavy machinery, power tools, and hand tools. Installed control panels and distribution, apparatus testing for continuity of circuits to ensure electrical compatibility and safety of components. Install new/upgrade existing panelboards, safety switches, disconnects and transformers. Use hand tools to install receptacles, switches, lighting fixtures, etc. Electrical Technician2006 - 2008 General Electric•Cleveland, OH Tested and repair failure unit to component level both thru-holes and surface mount technology. Worked from complex product drawings, manuals, and specifications. Repair of electric motors and mechanical equipment at USC campus. Downloaded SLC 500 PLC programs. Trouble and repair PLC's, Variable Frequency Drives, and Instrumentation controllers (transmitters, flow valves, radars). Re-keyed facility locksets, including electromechanical locksets. Skills I/OLadder LogicHeavy EquipmentHand ToolsControl SystemsAir CompressorsElectrical InstallationEngineering DrawingsProcess InstrumentationReceptacles Education High School Diploma 2001 - 2001

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Electrical Technician Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 7% of Electrical Technicians are proficient in Hand Tools, PLC, and Electrical Equipment. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Math skills, and Mechanical skills.

We break down the percentage of Electrical Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Hand Tools, 7%
Operate power/pneumatic hand tools safely while efficiently preparing assemblies.
PLC, 7%
Designed and supervised the installation of three PLC systems for research processing equipment meeting equipment specifications not available commercially.
Electrical Equipment, 7%
Install, terminate, calibrate and test electrical equipment and instrumentation associated with deep water tension leg and semi-submersible platform construction.
Electrical Systems, 6%
Developed skills in designing electrical diagrams and layouts for electrical systems and applications related to commercial and residential systems.
Electrical Schematics, 4%
Ensured proper quality control was followed to reach customer and company design specifications contained in electrical schematics and vessel drawings.
Control Systems, 4%
Install and terminate high and low electrical voltage circuitry for robotic armatures/Programmable Logic Control systems, electrical circuitry on assembly lines.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Electrical Technician Resume templates

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Some of the skills we found on electrical technician resumes included "hand tools," "plc," and "electrical equipment." We have detailed the most important electrical technician responsibilities below.

Another trait important for fulfilling electrical technician duties is math skills. According to a electrical technician resume, "electrical and electronics engineering technicians use math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." Here's an example of how electrical technicians are able to utilize math skills: "applied principals and theories of electronics, electrical circuitry, engineering mathematics, electronic and electrical testing"

Mechanical skills is also an important skill for electrical technicians to have. This example of how electrical technicians use this skill comes from a electrical technician resume, "electronics engineering technicians in particular must use hand tools and soldering irons on small circuitry and electronic parts to create detailed electronic components by hand." Read this excerpt from a resume to understand how vital it is to their everyday roles and responsibilities, "utilized autocad lite to produce two dimensional mechanical drawings to assist in prototyping and production. "

A thorough review of lots of resumes revealed to us that "writing skills" is important to completing electrical technician responsibilities. This resume example shows just one way electrical technicians use this skill: "these technicians must write reports about onsite construction, the results of testing, or problems they find when carrying out designs" Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical electrical technician tasks: "experience writing plc programs for manufacturing engineers involving machine process changes and improvements. "

See the full list of electrical technician skills.

Before becoming an electrical technician, 23.6% earned their bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree, 2.7% electrical technicians went for the extra education. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, some electrical technicians have a college degree. But about one out of every three electrical technicians didn't attend college at all.

Those electrical technicians who do attend college, typically earn either a electrical engineering degree or a electrical engineering technology degree. Less commonly earned degrees for electrical technicians include a business degree or a electrical and power transmission installers degree.

Once you're ready to become an electrical technician, you should explore the companies that typically hire electrical technicians. According to electrical technician resumes that we searched through, electrical technicians are hired the most by Aerotek, Michael & Son Services, and Anheuser-Busch. Currently, Aerotek has 18 electrical technician job openings, while there are 16 at Michael & Son Services and 10 at Anheuser-Busch.

But if you're interested in companies where you might earn a high salary, electrical technicians tend to earn the biggest salaries at Texas Instruments, Intel, and Eastman. Take Texas Instruments for example. The median electrical technician salary is $92,038. At Intel, electrical technicians earn an average of $88,740, while the average at Eastman is $81,077. You should take into consideration how difficult it might be to secure a job with one of these companies.

View more details on electrical technician salaries across the United States.

We also looked into companies who hire electrical technicians from the top 100 educational institutions in the U.S. The top three companies that hire the most from these institutions include United States Steel, Us Navy, and United States Army Corps of Engineers.

For the most part, electrical technicians make their living in the manufacturing and professional industries. Electrical technicians tend to make the most in the energy industry with an average salary of $57,789. The electrical technician annual salary in the technology and manufacturing industries generally make $55,414 and $53,027 respectively. Additionally, electrical technicians who work in the energy industry make 7.9% more than electrical technicians in the professional Industry.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious electrical technicians are:

Aerotek18 Electrical Technicians Jobs
Michael & Son Services16 Electrical Technicians Jobs
Anheuser-Busch10 Electrical Technicians Jobs

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What Maintenance Electricians Do

A maintenance electrician is responsible for monitoring the electrical systems of a building, inspecting the wiring and cables for any malfunctions, and perform preventive maintenance as needed to ensure its safety and efficiency. Maintenance electricians upgrade electrical network systems for optimal performance and replacing faulty wiring, as well as installing new equipment in the building as the management advises. They also analyze schematics and blueprints for electrical line placements and running diagnostic tests to identify possible defects for immediate resolution. A maintenance electrician must have excellent knowledge of the electrical industry, especially on recording maintenance reports and solutions.

In this section, we compare the average electrical technician annual salary with that of a maintenance electrician. Typically, maintenance electricians earn a $6,897 higher salary than electrical technicians earn annually.

Even though electrical technicians and maintenance electricians have vast differences in their careers, a few of the skills required to do both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require hand tools, plc, and electrical equipment in the day-to-day roles.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. An electrical technician responsibility is more likely to require skills like "transformers," "preventive maintenance," "customer service," and "mechanical systems." Whereas a maintenance electrician requires skills like "preventative maintenance," "hvac," "cranes," and "general maintenance." Just by understanding these different skills you can see how different these careers are.

Maintenance electricians receive the highest salaries in the automotive industry coming in with an average yearly salary of $70,114. But electrical technicians are paid more in the energy industry with an average salary of $57,789.

The education levels that maintenance electricians earn is a bit different than that of electrical technicians. In particular, maintenance electricians are 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an electrical technician. Additionally, they're 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of an Industrial Electrician?

An Industrial Electrician installs, maintains, and repairs electrical systems in industrial facilities. They are usually part of a construction team to put in and check new equipment and systems.

The next role we're going to look at is the industrial electrician profession. Typically, this position earns a higher pay. In fact, they earn a $7,318 higher salary than electrical technicians per year.

Not everything about these jobs is different. Take their skills, for example. Electrical technicians and industrial electricians both include similar skills like "hand tools," "plc," and "electrical equipment" on their resumes.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences that are worth noting. For example, electrical technician responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "electrical systems," "control systems," "customer service," and "mechanical equipment." Meanwhile, a industrial electrician might be skilled in areas such as "allen-bradley," "work ethic," "programmable logic controllers," and "strong work ethic." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Industrial electricians may earn a higher salary than electrical technicians, but industrial electricians earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $69,749. On the other side of things, electrical technicians receive higher paychecks in the energy industry where they earn an average of $57,789.

On the topic of education, industrial electricians earn similar levels of education than electrical technicians. In general, they're 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How an Electrical Engineer Internship Compares

The electrical engineer internship offers tasks to undergraduate engineering students related to electrical systems analysis and branch circuiting, site investigations, lighting calculations, and design drawings by complementing theoretical knowledge with practical duties on the job to gain experience and increase marketability. Through the internship, the undergraduate engineering students may develop professional aptitude, strengthen their character, and may increase their confidence in their work as it prepares them for what to expect in their field.

The electrical engineer internship profession generally makes a higher amount of money when compared to the average salary of electrical technicians. The difference in salaries is electrical engineer interns making $8,183 higher than electrical technicians.

Using electrical technicians and electrical engineer interns resumes, we found that both professions have similar skills such as "plc," "electrical equipment," and "electrical systems," but the other skills required are very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers are a few of the skills necessary to fulfill responsibilities. Some examples from electrical technician resumes include skills like "hand tools," "transformers," "ladders," and "switches," whereas an electrical engineer internship might be skilled in "c++," "c #," "analog," and "revit. "

Additionally, electrical engineer interns earn a higher salary in the hospitality industry compared to other industries. In this industry, they receive an average salary of $66,132. Additionally, electrical technicians earn an average salary of $57,789 in the energy industry.

When it comes to education, electrical engineer interns tend to earn higher education levels than electrical technicians. In fact, they're 7.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Master Electrician

A Master Electrician installs, maintains, and repairs electrical systems in private homes or commercial properties. They also supervise the work performed by journeymen, ensure proper staffing, and monitor the quality, as well as prepare and submit work documentation.

Master electricians tend to earn a lower pay than electrical technicians by about $3,061 per year.

While their salaries may vary, electrical technicians and master electricians both use similar skills to perform their jobs. Resumes from both professions include skills like "hand tools," "plc," and "electrical equipment. "

While some skills are shared by these professions, there are some differences to note. "electrical schematics," "preventive maintenance," "customer service," and "hmi" are skills that have shown up on electrical technicians resumes. Additionally, master electrician uses skills like preventative maintenance, electrical projects, hvac, and renewable energy on their resumes.

Now, let's take a closer look at the financials in each career. The energy industry tends to pay more for master electricians with an average of $56,318. While the highest electrical technician annual salary comes from the energy industry.

In general, master electricians reach higher levels of education when compared to electrical technicians resumes. Master electricians are 13.5% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Updated October 2, 2020