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What is a lead electrician and how to become one
Lead electricians assign and inspect the work of electricians and trades helpers. They plan and develop work schedules, equipment usage schedules, and procedures for equipment maintenance. They also utilize knowledge, skills, and electrical testing equipment to evaluate systems accurately for maintenance, warranty repairs, design, and other purposes. Lead electricians earn a median sum of $58,000 annually or $27 per hour.
Lead electricians coordinate the daily operation of the electrician's shop. They are responsible for leading and coordinating the work of electrician positions in installing, maintaining, repair, and removing electrical systems. They also lay out and estimate the cost of construction projects and electrical maintenance work related to electrical.
In terms of academic qualifications, lead electricians hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. Although, earning a higher degree may prove advantageous in the long run. They are expected to have some years of experience as an electrician. Some states require that lead electricians have a valid driver's license to practice.
What general advice would you give to a lead electrician?
Ronald Widdoss
Avg. Salary $56,709
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 7%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%
Asian 2.23%
Black or African American 8.28%
Hispanic or Latino 18.55%
Unknown 4.26%
White 65.83%
Genderfemale 2.61%
male 97.39%
Age - 41American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 41Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Lead electrician career paths
Key steps to become a lead electrician
Explore lead electrician education requirements
Start to develop specific lead electrician skills
Skills Percentages Electrical Equipment 8.31% Hand Tools 8.23% Electrical Systems 7.56% Ladders 6.24% EMT 5.70% Complete relevant lead electrician training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lead electricians 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 a lead electrician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lead electrician resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed lead electrician usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed lead electrician in most of states. 25 states require lead electricians to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Alabama - State exam required Licensed Journeyman Electrician Alaska - State exam required Electrical Worker Arkansas - Third-party exam required Journeyman Electrician Colorado - State exam required Journeyman Electrician Hawaii Degree required State exam required Electrician Research lead electrician duties and responsibilities
- Remove, analyze, identify issue install properly working pressure transducers, effectively accomplishing priorities to go underway.
- Run all types of electrical conduit for switches, lights, fire alarms, telephone, receptacles and HVAC units.
- Resolve plumbing and none electrical issues.
- Repair low pressure steam boilers, HVAC systems, cooling towers, waters system, and sump pumps.
Get lead electrician experience
Generally, it takes 6-12 months to become a lead electrician. The most common roles before becoming a lead electrician include electrician, journeyman electrician team lead and apprentice electrician.Prepare your lead electrician resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your lead electrician 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 a lead electrician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable lead electrician resume templates
Build a professional lead electrician 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 lead electrician resume.
Apply for lead electrician jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a lead electrician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first lead electrician job
Are you a lead electrician?
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Average lead electrician salary
The average lead electrician salary in the United States is $56,709 per year or $27 per hour. Lead electrician salaries range between $38,000 and $84,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do lead electricians rate their job?
Lead electrician reviews
Bending pipe,cause it cost me money if the measurements is off
Thinking about the job while working the job
Is to keep lights burning to satisfy customers
The customers siting on the dark
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.
Nothing? Its the worst job on site and you have to put up with working with uneducated divs. And thats just the management.
Updated January 8, 2025
