A Construction & Maintenance Electrician (309A) lays out, assembles, repairs, maintains, connects and tests electrical fixtures, apparatus, control equipment and wiring in just about every kind of residential and commercial building you can imagine.

Learn about the business case for training apprentices in the electrical field

Essential Skills for Success as an Electrician

Trade Code 309A NOC Classification 7241Red Seal Yes Journeyman: Apprentice Ratio 3:1

You may find additional information about  and applicable standards at the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT) website – Construction sector link: www.collegeoftrades.ca/trades/training-standards1/construction.

Job -Related Skills, Interests and Values

• reading and interpreting drawings and electrical code specifications
• splicing and connecting wire to fixtures and components to form circuits
• testing and troubleshooting circuits to ensure that systems operate safely
• pulling wire through conduits and through holes in walls and floors
• communicating effectively as a member of a team with supervisors and other skilled tradespeople
• working on a variety of different projects and tasks

To view the Essential Skills necessary to work as a Construction & Maintenance Electrician, click on the following link for NOC code 7241: http://www10.hrsdc.gc.ca/CE/English/ShowProfile.aspx?v=213

What Preparation and Training Do You Need?

To become a Construction & Maintenance Electrician, , you should preferably have a secondary school diploma this is usually required by employers and unions today, but grade 10 is currently the legal minimum to be apprenticed in this trade under the Ontario College of Trades Apprenticeship Act (2009). Please note that minimum entry requirements to this and other trades are currently under review by the Ontario College of Trades. Completion of a 9,000 hour apprenticeship will include a combination of on-the-job and in-school training, before successfully writing an examination to obtain your Certificate of Qualification. Related training in high school through co-operative education, technical courses or OYAP is an advantage. If you are currently attending high school, you may benefit from enroling in a Construction Specialist High Skills Major program. For more information, please click on the following link:

http://edu.gov.on.ca/eng/studentsuccess/pathways/shsm/construction.pdf

What’s Your Future as a Construction & Maintenance Electrician?

Most workers employed as Construction & Maintenance Electricians work full-time, sometimes seasonally or on a project-by-project basis, or can be self-employed. There is always a risk of injury on the job as you are working with electricity and sometimes on construction sites. Potential employers include:

• Residential and Commercial builders
• Electrical sub-contractors
• Self-employment

The trend in the last decade, as with many trades, is toward the use of ‘smart’ technology. Electricians must keep up with advances by learning about and operating computer-controlled equipment and by learning to deal with fibre optics, local area networks and coaxial cable. For additional information about this career, check out the construction sector website at: www.CareersInConstruction.ca.

Wage Rate

• you start at a wage rate that is less than that of a journeyperson Construction & Maintenance Electrician
• this rate increases gradually as you acquire skills and gain competency
• the journeyperson’s wage rate varies in the range of $23.00 to $40.00 per hour depending on what geographic area you live in, and may offer benefits and the opportunities for overtime

Self-Rating

Ask Yourself: Is Working as a Construction & Maintenance Electrician for You?

If you answered Yes to most of these questions, a career as a Construction & Maintenance Electrician may be for you!