A colleague of mine confided today that they are finding work a bit of struggle at the moment. To give context they have been an electrician for over 15 years and were starting to find it all a bit samey. This point of view surprised me as I’ve always enjoyed being an electrician and certainly don’t find it boring.
Then I started to wonder if I was heading towards the same fate in years to come. I decided to do a little research by asking colleagues and reading through forums to find answers to the question, is being an electrician boring?
The majority of electricians we spoke to said that they do not find being an electrician boring. They commented that the variety of work and the regular changing of work locations ensured that being an electrician was a fulfilling and interesting career.
Is Being An Electrician Boring?
Poll Asking Electrcians If They Find Their Job Boring
| Answer | Number of Electricians |
|---|---|
| Yes | 3 |
| No | 14 |
The majority of electricians I spoke to said that they do not find being an electrician boring. They all mentioned the amount of variety we get each day as being a major factor in keeping work fresh and varied.
Interestingly, out of those that said it was a boring career there was no obvious correlation of time spent in the trade. Some said they still found it interesting even though they were nearly at retirement age whereas a few of the younger fresher lads said they found the job boring.
Is being an Electrician Fulfilling?
I have personally always found being an electrician to be a really fulfilling career and the majority of other electricians I work with seem to share my opinion. I have always found that looking around at the work I have done after a long day gives a nice sense of pride and fulfilment.
A great thing about being a tradesman is that our work lasts a long time. Often when out with my girlfriend, I will point out a light I have fitted or a building I have worked in. She doesn’t seem to share my enthusiasm for the history tour but it definitely makes me feel fulfilled seeing work I have created still there years later.
Why Should You Not Become an Electrician?
From my experience, someone should not become an electrician if they are not adaptable to change. We are constantly changing the work we are doing both by the location and the type of job. We can be on a wind farm one day and in a residential house another. Enjoying change is vital.
Another reason someone may not want to become an electrician is the fact that it often involves early starts. Most shift patterns for electricians start at 7 or 8 am. Enjoying early starts isn’t essential but it definitely helps.
What Are The Cons of Being an Electrician?
A con of being an electrician is that we have to keep up to date with the ever-changing regulations that govern the industry. Sometimes these changes can be a minor amendment but other times they can be a pretty substantial overhaul.
Another con of being an electrician is the physical aspect of the job. Being an electrician can certainly be hard on our bodies leading to injuries and generally feeling worn out. Many electricians suffer knee pains from a large amount of time kneeling down and I have also known several electricians (including myself) who have suffered from shoulder pains.
Some people simply dislike the thought of being considered a blue-collar worker so being an electrician or any tradesman is an idea they struggle with. I’ve occasionally experienced being ‘looked down upon in my job but I just smile internally because I know I enjoy my job more than the majority of white-collar workers probably do!
Is Electrician Work Boring?
Most electricians I work with don’t find electrical work boring as there is so much variety. Good examples of the amount of variety we can do in a day are:
- Pulling in cables
- Installing cable containment systems
- Testing installations
- Upgrading existing installations
- Installing electric car chargers
- Installing solar panels
- Working on high voltge networks
These are just a few examples of the types of tasks we do as electricians during a typical day at work. With this amount of variety in our workday, it is difficult to find electrical work boring as there is so much variety we can gravitate towards the bits we like best.
Are Electricians Happy With Job?
Personally, I have always been happy with being an electrician and many colleagues that I asked feel the same way. The camaraderie among tradesmen is usually great and the atmosphere on-site can be great fun at times.
Even if we are not enjoying the job we are currently on the chances are it is only for a brief amount of time before we are onto the next one, which is hopefully more fun. There is often little stress involved unless we are running jobs (as discussed here)
Add together the nice work atmosphere, variety of work and knowing that we will never be stuck on a job we don’t like for very long and it gives us a good indication into why electricians are happy with their job.
Conclusion
So, is being an electrician boring? I guess it depends on your outlook and whether or not you enjoy the actual work that we do. Some people never seem to click with the trade and find electrical work boring. I guess we are all different and what excites some people can bore others to tears.
Personally, I really enjoy being an electrician and don’t find it boring. I don’t think I could ever do an office job as going to the same place every day wouldn’t really keep me interested for very long. I guess this is what makes us all unique – that we all find interest in different areas of life.
