The US has been in a recession for years. Even though economists note that the official markers of a recession are over, we still haven’t seen any significant job growth as unemployment hovers around 9%. Although there is a significant unemployed workforce, there is still a high demand for qualified technicians that still goes unsatisfied. The electrician field is perhaps one of the most recession-proof technician jobs there are, and one can set his/her own schedule while fulfilling a much needed function.
Electricians Needed in Residential Settings
Electricians are needed for many reasons around the house. There are any number of electrical problems that can occur such as faulty wiring. 18.6% of house fires start from wires, outlet boxes, and the like, according to the Fire Safety Administration. Electricians are also needed to check houses that are put up for sale to make sure they are up to code. Keeping houses up to code are perhaps the most needed function for electricians in this country, and it is a well-paid and simple function to carry out, as well as being a much-needed function that keeps people safe when they make some of the largest purchases they will ever make in their lives.
Electricians Needed in Commercial Settings
Especially if you live in an urban setting, electricians are needed in large numbers to maintain large office complexes. Metropolitan areas have huge skyscrapers with hundreds of offices inside that are constantly in need of electrical upkeep. Electricians are also needed to approve new office builds. Offices are full of electronics these days, and so new builds require extensive wiring to accommodate today’s high-tech needs. Like in the residential areas, electricians are also needed to help appraise office areas and make sure they are up to code.
Offices aren’t the only area of commercial real-estate that is in need of the high-paid services of an electrician. Schools need help with wiring maintenance. Supermarkets need help from electricians to keep their coolers working at the high performance necessary to keep their produce fresh. Electricians are also needed to set up video displays in commercial settings (also known as digital signage) where information is displayed on LCD displays on campuses and office complexes.
Electricians Needed in Industrial Settings
Factory lines are perhaps the most demanding places in terms of electricity usage and safety issues. Electricians are needed to make sure that large industrial buildings are up to code and that the conditions are safe. Any problems can end in a fire and loss of employee lives, so the electrician holds a lot of responsibility, but is also paid well because of this. Factories employ electricians full time so that they always have someone on-site to handle any outages. Outages can result in hours of down-time which can cost a factory thousands of dollars in opportunity cost.
There is a diverse array of possibilities for electricians, and this area of our workforce shows no signs of disappearing or shrinking. If anything, we will continue to need the services of electricians more and more in the years to come. The strange irony about this recession is that there are a lot of people out of jobs, but there are so many opportunities for people that are simply trained in the right skills, and the electrician field is definitely one of those.
