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Electricians

Outlook

Employment of electricians will grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Growth will result from an overall increase in both residential and commercial construction. In addition, growth will be driven by the ever-expanding use of electrical and electronic devices and equipment. Electricians will be called on to upgrade old wiring and to install and maintain more extensive wiring systems than have been necessary in the past. In particular, the use of sophisticated computer, telecommunications, and data-processing equipment and automated manufacturing systems is expected to lead to job opportunities for electricians. Electricians with experience in a wide variety of skills—such as voice, data, and video wiring; solar photovoltaic installation; and industrial component wiring—will have the best employment options. Electricians will also be needed to help install energy-saving devices such as motion sensors for turning on lights and link alternative power generation sources such as photovoltaic panels and wind turbines to homes and power grids.

In addition to opportunities created by growth in the construction and residential industries and other fields, a large number of job openings will occur as a result of workers retiring or leaving the field for other occupations.

While the overall outlook for this occupational field is good, the availability of jobs will vary over time and from place to place. Construction activity fluctuates depending on the state of the local and national economy, while alternative power generation depends on the availability of government incentives and credits. Thus, during economic slowdowns, opportunities for construction electricians may not be plentiful. People working in this field need to be prepared for periods of unemployment between construction projects. Openings for apprentices also decline during economic downturns. Maintenance electricians are usually less vulnerable to periodic unemployment because they are more likely to work for one employer that needs electrical services on a steady basis. But if they work in an industry where the economy causes big fluctuations in the level of activity—such as automobile manufacturing, for instance—they may be laid off during recessions.

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