Electrical Apprentice

 Electrician Apprentice Job
Description  

Job Summary:  

An apprentice electrician is an
entry-level electrical trainee enrolled in an apprenticeship program to learn
the concepts and skills necessary to become a qualified electrician. As an
apprentice, an electrician will receive a combination of classroom education
and paid on- the-job experience. Skills that are typically covered in these
programs include how to design, install and repair industrial, commercial or
residential electrical systems, as well as how to install and maintain
data-telecommunications wiring.  

Apprentice electricians work under
the observation of a journey-level electrician, building basic skills and
gaining additional tasks and responsibilities as they improve.  

Electricians work with blueprints
when they install electrical systems in factories, office buildings, homes, and
other structures. Blueprints indicate the locations of lighting fixtures, power
distribution equipment such as transformers and switchboards, outlets, load centers,
panel boards, and other equipment. Blueprints also indicate how the structure
or facility is circuited. Electricians must follow the National Electric Code
and comply with State and local building codes when they install these systems. 

In most commercial, industrial and
institutional facilities, they place conduit (pipe or tubing) inside designated
partitions, walls, or other concealed areas. They also surface mount these
conduits and install PVC or rigid steel conduit underground in trenches. They
install various sizes of metal boxes that will enclose electrical switches and
outlets. They then pull insulated wires or cables through the conduit to
complete circuits between these boxes. In lighter construction, such as
residential and light commercial, plastic-covered wire or metal clad cable
usually is used instead of conduit.  

Regardless of the type of wire
used, electricians connect it to circuit breakers, transformers, or other
components. They join the wires in boxes with various specially designed
connectors. After they finish the wiring, they use testing equipment, such as
ohmmeters, voltmeters and ammeters to check the circuits for proper
connections, ensuring electrical compatibility and safety of components.  

In addition to wiring a building's
electrical system, electricians may install twisted pair or fiber optic cable
for computers and other telecommunications equipment. A growing number of
electricians install telephone systems, computer wiring and equipment, street
lights, intercom systems, and fire alarm and security systems. They also may
connect motors to electrical power and install electronic controls for
industrial equipment. 

Maintenance work varies greatly,
depending on where the electrician is employed. Electricians who specialize in
residential work may rewire a home and replace an old fuse box with a new
electrical service to accommodate additional appliances. Those who work in
large factories may repair motors, transformers, generators, and electronic
controllers on machine tools and industrial robots. Those in office buildings
and small plants may repair all types of electrical equipment.  

An apprentice electrician may work
installing underground utilities that include digging ditches, operating large
jackhammers, compaction equipment and working with heavy equipment operators
such as backhoes, and concrete truck drivers.  

Electricians work in both extreme
hot and cold conditions, inside and outside.  

Essential Functions Include but
are not limited to: 

· Measure, cut, and bend wire and conduit, using
measuring instruments and hand tools. 

· Maintain tools, vehicles, and equipment and keep
parts and supplies in order. 

· Perform semi-skilled and unskilled laboring
duties related to the installation, maintenance and repair of a wide variety of
electrical systems and equipment. 

· Disassemble defective electrical equipment,
replace defective or worn parts, and reassemble equipment, using hand tools. 

· Thread conduit ends, connect couplings, and
fabricate and secure conduit support brackets, using hand tools. 

· Examine electrical units for loose connections
and broken insulation and tighten connections, using hand tools. 

· Drill holes and pull or push wiring through
openings, using hand and power tools. 

· Clean work area and wash parts. 

· Dig trenches or holes for installation of
conduit or supports. 

· Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire
stripping pliers, and attach wires to terminals for subsequent soldering. 

· Trace out short circuits in wiring, using test
meter. 

· Install copper-clad ground rods, using a manual
post driver. 

· Break up concrete, using airhammer, to
facilitate installation, construction, or repair of equipment. 

· Erect electrical system components and
barricades, and rig scaffolds, hoists, and shoring. 

· Transport tools, materials, equipment, and
supplies to work site by hand, handtruck, or heavy, motorized truck. 

· Construct controllers and panels, using power
drills, drill presses, taps, saws and punches. 

· Raise, lower, or position equipment, tools, and
materials, using hoist, hand line, or block and tackle. 

· Requisition materials, using warehouse
requisition or release forms.