What Kind of Electrician Should I Be

One press picks a kind of electrician to look into, with the work that job does.

What Kind of Electrician Should I Be

Show all 45
  1. Marine electricianWires ships: one of the specialty areas of the trade.

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How it works

Thinking about the electrical trade? Press the button for a kind of electrician to look into, from residential wireman to outside lineman, each with the work that job does. The whole list is under the tool, by work site.

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Four apprenticeships

The Electrical Training Alliance, which develops the training standards for the joint union and contractor apprenticeships, names four specialty areas: outside lineman, inside wireman, VDV (voice, data and video) installer technician and residential wireman. Each has an apprenticeship program of its own.

Apprentice, journeyman, master

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics says most electricians learn the trade in a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, then count as journey workers, and may later advance to master electrician. Most states require a license and the requirements vary by state, so ask your state electrical licensing board.

  • Stage electricians hang, focus and run show lighting. They are not part of the electrical trade and have different skills and qualifications.

Questions and answers

What type of electrician should I be?

Start with where you want to work. Houses point to residential wireman, big buildings and plants to inside wireman, the outdoors and climbing to outside lineman, and data, phones and alarms to VDV installer technician.

What are the different types of electricians?

By work site: residential, commercial, light industrial, industrial and low-voltage wiremen inside buildings, and linemen on power lines. By task: service electricians do isolated repairs and upgrades, construction electricians take on larger projects, and maintenance electricians keep existing systems working.

What is the difference between a lineman and an electrician?

A lineman installs and repairs the lines that move electricity from generating plants to customers, outdoors and at high voltage. An electrician installs and maintains the power, lighting and control systems in homes, businesses and factories.

Which electricians do not work on buildings?

Marine electricians wire ships, avionics technicians maintain the electronic systems of planes, and vehicle electronics installers fit sound, security and navigation equipment in motor vehicles. On a film crew the head electrician is called the gaffer.

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Browse People and Jobs

All 45 kinds of electrician

Homes and buildings 8

  • Commercial electrician Wires commercial buildings: one of the five specialties a wireman is generally trained in.
  • Construction electrician Works on larger projects, such as a new electrical system for an entire building.
  • Fire alarm installer Installs fire alarm systems: a sub-specialty done by trained specialists or by inside wiremen.
  • Inside wireman Installs power, lighting, controls and other electrical equipment in commercial and industrial buildings.
  • Maintenance electrician Finds problems in existing systems and fixes or replaces parts, light fixtures, controls and motors.
  • Navy construction electrician A US Navy rating: installs and repairs wiring and distribution systems, and climbs poles and towers.
  • Residential wireman Installs all of the electrical systems in single-family and multi-family houses.
  • Service electrician Answers requests for isolated repairs and upgrades, and troubleshoots wiring in existing buildings.

Factories and plants 5

  • Control wiring specialist Wires the controls of motors and other equipment: a sub-specialty of the trade.
  • Electric motor repairer Installs, maintains and repairs electric motors, wiring or switches; an armature winder is one.
  • Industrial electrician Installs electrical systems in plants: chemical plants, power plants, chip and automobile plants.
  • Industrial electronics repairer Adjusts, tests, repairs or installs electronic equipment such as industrial controls and antennas.
  • Instrument mechanic Installs, troubleshoots and repairs instrumentation, automation and control systems.

Power lines and substations 6

  • Local utility line worker Maintains the transformers, voltage regulators and switches of a local utility.
  • Outside lineman Installs the distribution and transmission lines that move power from the plant to its users.
  • Powerhouse electrician Maintains and repairs electrical equipment in generating stations and substations.
  • Telecommunications line installer Installs and maintains the cables of network companies, and may splice fiber optic cable.
  • Traffic signal and outdoor lighting electrician Installs and repairs traffic signals and outdoor lighting, work that inside wiremen and outside linemen both do.
  • Transmission line worker Travels a region on a crew that services the transmission lines and towers of the interstate grid.

Low voltage: data, phones and alarms 4

  • Central office technician Sets up and maintains switches, fiber optic cables and other equipment at telecom switching hubs.
  • Security and access control installer Lays out and installs security and access control systems and verifies that they operate.
  • VDV installer technician Installs the low-voltage cabling for voice, data and video, working beside the inside wireman.
  • Vehicle electronics installer Installs, diagnoses and repairs sound, security and navigation equipment in motor vehicles.

Ships, aircraft and vehicles 6

  • Aviation electrician's mate A US Navy rating that maintains the electrical and instrument systems of aircraft.
  • Avionics technician Repairs and maintains the electronic systems of a plane, including radio communications and radar.
  • Electro-technical officer A licensed member of a merchant ship's engine department, on call for electrical and electronic repairs.
  • Marine electrician Wires ships: one of the specialty areas of the trade.
  • Navy electrician's mate A US Navy and Coast Guard rating: stands watch on generators and switchboards and maintains circuits.
  • Transportation equipment electronics installer Installs and maintains communication, sonar and navigation systems on trains and watercraft.

Stage and film sets 9

  • Best boy electric The assistant to the gaffer, who acts as foreman of the department on a film crew.
  • Deck electrician A member of the running crew who runs the lighting that happens on stage or backstage.
  • Followspot operator Moves a spotlight by hand to follow a performer around the stage.
  • Gaffer The head electrician of a film or television crew, responsible for carrying out the lighting plan.
  • Light board operator The electrician who operates the light board, and may program it, and carries out the cues.
  • Lighting technician Rigs sets and controls electric lights for theater, live music, video, television or film.
  • Master electrician (theater) Carries out the lighting design: oversees hanging, connecting and focusing the stage lights.
  • Moving light programmer Specializes in creating the cues for moving lights.
  • Stage electrician Hangs, focuses and operates stage lighting. The role is not part of the electrical trade.

Steps of the trade 7

  • Apprentice electrician Learns the trade in a 4- or 5-year program of paid on-the-job training and technical instruction.
  • Electrical contractor A business person or company that employs electricians to design, install and maintain systems.
  • Electrical inspector Examines the installed electrical systems of a building for compliance and proper functioning.
  • Electrical supervisor An experienced electrician who has advanced to supervisor or to a role in project management.
  • Electrician's helper Assists electricians with their duties. A helper may go on to enter an apprenticeship.
  • Journeyman electrician Has completed an apprenticeship and may work on their own, subject to local or state licensing.
  • Master electrician A journey worker who has met additional requirements: the step after journeyman.