An electrician who works on home wiring and outlets can quickly learn how to install a new system for household use. Repairs involving circuitry, outages, and electrical boxes can also be managed competently for residential customers. When an electrician is ready to tackle the industrial wiring of factories, plants, and offices, here are some tips to prepare for that transition.
Serve an Apprenticeship
As an electrician, you may be looking for ways to expand your business and acquire more industrial customers. There is a great way to do this while also helping to grow the industry and create opportunities for aspiring electricians—by offering apprenticeships. Apprenticeship programs are a great way to help new electricians learn the trade and give you access to a larger pool of potential workers. Let’s explore some of the ways that apprenticeships can benefit your business.
Access to New Talent
By offering apprenticeships, you will have access to a larger talent pool than if you were only hiring experienced electricians. You will be able to “grow your own” employees from scratch and make sure that they are up-to-date on all the latest trends in electrical engineering and safety standards. This will benefit both your residential customers as well as any industrial clients you may have.
Training Programs
Apprentice training programs provide an excellent opportunity for teaching new electricians all the necessary skills required in their profession. You will be able to ensure that your staff is well-versed in safety protocols, building codes, and best practices when it comes to installing electrical systems or wiring them up in commercial settings. This type of training program also provides incentives for prospective students who may not have considered an electrical career before.
Industrial Customers
Having apprentices on board gives you access to industrial clients who may not have hired an inexperienced worker before unless they underwent specialized training ahead of time. By offering apprenticeship programs, you can demonstrate that any new hires coming through your door are already familiar with safety protocols and best practices within the industry. This makes them far more attractive prospects for potential industrial customers who want assurance that their electrical needs are being taken care of by qualified personnel as quickly as possible.
Take Classes
If you’re an electrician, you may be wanting to expand your business and increase your profits. One way to do this is by taking classes that enable you to broaden from residential customers to industrial customers. Here we’ll discuss some of the classes and certifications you can take in order to make this transition.
Advancement Classes
In order to offer services for industrial customers, electricians must become familiar with industrial-grade equipment and the intricacies of large projects. To gain experience, most electricians take courses such as Advanced Electrical Theory or Industrial Controls and Automation. These courses teach students how to recognize and troubleshoot complex electrical systems, understand intricate industrial wiring diagrams, read blueprints, and use test equipment such as oscilloscopes. In addition, many community colleges offer a certificate program in Industrial Electricity that provides instruction on installing and maintaining commercial-grade electrical systems.
Certification Programs
In addition to taking classes in order to expand your knowledge base, there are several certifications available that will allow you to work on hazardous-classified locations or large construction projects. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) offers certification programs for electricians who work with hazardous materials such as flammable gases or liquids. Additionally, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) offers certification programs for workers who will be working on large construction sites or multi-story buildings. Finally, the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has a program for electricians who will be working with complex machinery or computer systems.
Becoming certified in any or all of these areas can open up new opportunities for your business; it also shows potential clients that you have adequate training and experience when dealing with complicated electrical systems or special safety requirements associated with industrial jobs. Taking classes at a local college and obtaining certifications will help show potential clients that you are committed to staying up-to-date on industry standards and trends so that they can trust you with their job site needs safely and effectively. With these credentials under your belt, there’s no telling how much success you can have!
Become a Master Electrician
Earn a master electrician license after two years (an estimated 4,000 hours) of electrical experience as a journeyman electrician and pass the Master Electrician Exam. Achieving this level of expertise will place you in the top tier of experienced and knowledgeable electricians that businesses and industries often need. You might want to partner with a general electrician who can refer industrial clients to you when needed.
Solicit Industrial Customers
As your experience increases and your reputation grows, reach out to local industries with a business card or email message to introduce your services. You may want to offer a discount price on an inspection of a facility to check for electrical problems. Then you can offer a quote for the work that needs to be done if the client wants to make the update or repair.
Extending your capabilities into the industrial sector can lead to more and better-paying clients. As your skills continue to progress, you will be able to attract a growing stream of business and industry clients.