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What is an electrician/mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Ronald Widdoss
introduction image

The Electrician/Mechanic is a skilled tradesman tasked with installing, repair, testing, and modifying electrical systems and components. As an electrician/mechanic, you'll maintain electrical components and systems. You'll perform diagnostic testings on industrial equipment, electrical control components, and machinery. You'll ensure complete repair and service documentation. Also, you'll ensure a sufficient inventory of supplies is kept. Additionally, you'll implement preventative maintenance, troubleshoot repair issues, and ensure compliance with blueprints, electrical codes, and regulations.

Candidates for this role must be graduates of apprenticeship or its equivalent in a related trade discipline. You must be able to read and interpret blueprints, schematics, and relevant data. You must be familiar with troubleshooting and test procedures. Also, you must possess analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, you must be able to work in varying weather and conditions. The average salary of an electrician/mechanic is $58,326 per year. This is equivalent to an hourly rate of $28.04. It falls between $51,000 and $66,000.

What general advice would you give to an electrician/mechanic?

Ronald Widdoss

Be a sponge. Learn all you can and prove to your employer you can be taught and that your up for the challenge.
ScoreElectrician/MechanicUS Average
Salary
4.7

Avg. Salary $60,355

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.6

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%

Asian 2.22%

Black or African American 8.24%

Hispanic or Latino 19.55%

Unknown 4.26%

White 64.88%

Gender

female 2.51%

male 97.49%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.8

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.5

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Electrician/mechanic career paths

Key steps to become an electrician/mechanic

  1. Explore electrician/mechanic education requirements

    Most common electrician/mechanic degrees

    Associate

    30.4 %

    High School Diploma

    30.4 %

    Bachelor's

    15.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific electrician/mechanic skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Hand Tools7.26%
    PLC6.51%
    Electrical Systems6.12%
    Preventive Maintenance4.90%
    Electrical Conduit4.57%
  3. Complete relevant electrician/mechanic training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New electrician/mechanics learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an electrician/mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real electrician/mechanic resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming an licensed electrician/mechanic usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed electrician/mechanic in most of states. 25 states require electrician/mechanics to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    StateEducationExamLicense url
    Alabama-State exam requiredLicensed Journeyman Electrician
    Alaska-State exam requiredElectrical Worker
    Arkansas-Third-party exam requiredJourneyman Electrician
    Colorado-State exam requiredJourneyman Electrician
    HawaiiDegree requiredState exam requiredElectrician
  5. Research electrician/mechanic duties and responsibilities

    • Perform HVAC maintenance on all units including chillers, scrubbers and split systems.
    • Know how to troubleshoot whether it can be a mechanical issue, an electrical issue or a PLC issue.
    • Utilize Allen Bradley PLC logic to monitor, troubleshoot, diagnose and repair the causes of equipment malfunctions and breakdowns.
    • Power: install meters, disconnect switches, and power panels; knowledge of transformers, generators, and motors.
  6. Prepare your electrician/mechanic resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your electrician/mechanic resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an electrician/mechanic resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable electrician/mechanic resume templates

    Build a professional electrician/mechanic resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your electrician/mechanic resume.
    Electrician/Mechanic Resume
    Electrician/Mechanic Resume
    Electrician/Mechanic Resume
    Electrician/Mechanic Resume
    Electrician/Mechanic Resume
    Electrician/Mechanic Resume
    Electrician/Mechanic Resume
    Electrician/Mechanic Resume
    Electrician/Mechanic Resume
  7. Apply for electrician/mechanic jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an electrician/mechanic job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first electrician/mechanic job

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Average electrician/mechanic salary

The average electrician/mechanic salary in the United States is $60,355 per year or $29 per hour. Electrician/mechanic salaries range between $43,000 and $83,000 per year.

Average electrician/mechanic salary
$60,355 Yearly
$29.02 hourly

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How do electrician/mechanics rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Electrician/mechanic reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023
Pros

Thinking about the job while working the job

Cons

Bending pipe,cause it cost me money if the measurements is off


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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2022
Pros

Is to keep lights burning to satisfy customers

Cons

The customers siting on the dark


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022
Pros

Nothing? Its the worst job on site and you have to put up with working with uneducated divs. And thats just the management.

Cons

Retarded trades who think they are special. They don't realise to be an electrician requires superior brain power, something they can only dream about. Hence the continual flapping of their gums trying to make us believe their dull useless lives are interesting.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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