
Electrical fitter, electrical technician, installation electrician
Electricians fit, service and fix electrical equipment, circuits, machinery and wiring.
Salary Range: £18,000 to £42,000

How to become an electrician
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly

College
You can take a Level 2 and 3 Diploma in Electrical Installation, which may help you to find a trainee position with a company.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
More information

Apprenticeship
You can do an installation electrician advanced apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
More information
Direct application
You may be able to move into electrical installation work if you’ve got experience and relevant qualifications from a related industry, for example building services or electrical engineering.
More information
Registration
- you’ll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site
Further information
You can find out more about becoming an electrician from Electrical Careers and Go Construct.

What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You’ll need:
- the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
- knowledge of building and construction
- maths knowledge for understanding technical plans
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- problem-solving skills
- the ability to use your initiative
- the ability to work well with your hands and use equipment safely
- customer service skills for working with colleagues and clients
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

What you’ll do
Day-to-day tasks
Your work will depend on what type of electrician you are, for example:
- installation electrician – install power systems, lighting, fire protection, security and data networks in buildings
- maintenance electrician – check electrical systems to make sure they’re working correctly and safely
- electrotechnical panel builder – make and install control panels that operate electrical systems in buildings, like heating or alarms
- machine repair and rewind electrician – fix and maintain electrical motors and transformers found in industrial equipment
- highway systems electrician – install and maintain street lighting and traffic management systems
Working environment
You could work on a construction site, at a client’s business, at a client’s home or on the streets.
Your working environment may be cramped, at height and outdoors in all weathers.

Career path and progression
With experience, you could move into design engineering, site or project management, consultancy work or training.
You could also set up your own business.