8 Common Assumptions And Misconceptions About Electricians

With demand for skilled tradespeople at an all time high in the UK, maybe it is time to look at some of the most common assumptions and misconceptions about our industry.

1.You Don’t Need To Be Qualified To Be An Electrician

Yes you very much do need to be qualified to be a successful electrician and there are varying degrees of qualification available as well.

From starting your course as a level two electrical installer to growing all the way to fully gold card qualified. These qualifications help to maintain the quality in our industry and although there may be rogue traders who are not qualified this is not the standard we hope to work towards.

There are numerous routes to become a qualified electrician from apprenticeship to privately funded courses - have a look at our current courses here.

As electricians we need to maintain our industry knowledge and through our continued professional develop we can evidence this to our competent person scheme.

2. Only Men Are Electricians

This is not only not true but there is significant evidence to suggest that more and more women are thinking about getting into the trade. On our social media platforms we have around 12% female viewers, although this seems like a lower number than the 51% of the population that are female this shows a massive increase on the actual number of existing female electricians’

As both of our directors are female electricians the future seems to be brighter for utilising women to help fill the skills gap that we are seeing across the UK at the moment.

3. You Can’t Be An Electrician If You Are Colourblind

There has been a historically a need to pass an Ishihara test before setting out on your career as an apprentice. This is still true for larger apprenticeships, however private electrical training providers rarely test for this. This is due to changes in colours on the line and neutral conductors to allow for easier recognition.

4. There Is An Upper Age Limit To Becoming An Electrician

There is a minimum age for an apprenticeship of 16, however this is hard to work around on larger sites where you would need to be over 18. There are significant benefits to employers for having older learners or mature career changers come into the industry.

When you pay for your own course there is no check for age limit and I think that in my career as an electrical teacher I have taught a wide range of ages and experience. Some of them have come on the course to just get a better idea of the electrical industry and others as a way to use their redundancy money to move away from a career that is no longer viable.

At the end of the day if you’ve only got another ten years until you retire you might as well be doing something that brings you joy and a real sense of pride.

5. Electrical Work Is Not Safe

The myth that being an electrician is dangerous is very hard to understand as we have risk assessments in place.

Safe Isolation is a way to prove that your installation is not live and that you can secure it and remain in control at all times. Following correct procedure allows for safe working practices.

You will also be workign at height at times and this is to be considered when thinking about your personal safety and that of those workign beneath you!

Charities like Electrical Safety First are there to supportt our industry and help advise where needed.

6. Electricians Earn So Much Money

Lots of training providers try to sell their electrical courses on a dream of earning potential. Whilst we agree that the average electrician can earn more than the national average wage, it seems unlikely that you can earn that in your first year.

With more experience comes higher earnings and the more you learn the more you can earn as you specialise in certain areas like testing or electric vehicle charging equipment testing.

7. Electricians Never Tidy Up After Themselves

One stereotype that I used to hate on site was that because I was a female I would be tidier than my apprentice. It is never advised to work in an untidy manner as there are associated risks with regards to trips and falls, but at the end of teh day it is a matter of professionalism.

The customer may not see the neatness of your electrical installation as it is all safely outisde of their reach, but they will be able to see the mess you leave behind.

There is also good reason to recycle scrap and take your mess with you!

8. Being An Electrician Means Working Alone

This can be true and there are plenty of jobs where you can choose to work alone on routes and there are jobs where you can work in a team.

If you are ever feeling isolated and alone as an electrician you can link in with the electrical industries charity who have 120 years of experience supporting electricians.

What Next…

For further details about your next step to becoming an electrician do please get in touch with us here or have a look at our journey into becoming trainers here.