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The differences between plant electricians and electrical helpers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a plant electrician and an electrical helper. Additionally, a plant electrician has an average salary of $62,953, which is higher than the $31,465 average annual salary of an electrical helper.
The top three skills for a plant electrician include PLC, electrical equipment and hand tools. The most important skills for an electrical helper are hand tools, ladders, and EMT.
Plant electricians are electrical professionals who are responsible for maintaining equipment used in production or to generate electricity in industrial plants and factories. These electricians are required to maintain electrical equipment while providing routine repairs on their electrical components to ensure proper performance. They must inspect the electrical systems and equipment throughout the plant to identify hazards and defects. Plant electricians must also implement maintenance programs that are used to test equipment and diagnose an isolated system malfunction.
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.
Plant electricians and electrical helpers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plant Electrician | Electrical Helper | |
| Average salary | $62,953 | $31,465 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $83,000 | Between $26,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Buffalo, NY |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Maine |
| Best paying company | Ford Motor | Xcel Energy |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between a plant electrician and an electrical helper in terms of educational background:
| Plant Electrician | Electrical Helper | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between plant electricians' and electrical helpers' demographics:
| Plant Electrician | Electrical Helper | |
| Average age | 42 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.9% Female, 2.1% | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.3% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 2% |