Electricians Working Conditions and Lifestyle

There are going to be two main options which have a big bearing on your working life and hence your lifestyle. Self employed or employee.

Employee Electrician

If you work for someone like British gas you will reap many benefits such as steady work, security, earning over 30k, new van bought for you, paid leave, sick pay, tools, pension, a support team...Pretty nice! This type of work is suited to most people but as you can imagine there is a lot of competition to work for larger companies. As a fully qualified employee most of your time will be spent in the field fixing, fitting and maintaining domestic heating systems. You will usually need more qualifications to be an employee, especially if working with gas. Working for smaller businesses may be more achievable but there are less perks the further down you go.

Self-Employed Electricians

For the self employed the story is different! No sick pay, no pension, no van, no paid holidays, no guaranteed wages to pay the bills, sorting your own tax out... Basically you are out in the mean old world with nothing but your body and your brain. But if you work hard you can build a successful business that pays you enough to get by ok... and unlike your contemporaries working for British case, you can decide when you work.

General Working Conditions for Electricians

In either scenario you will sometimes need to work in confined spaces in awkward positions for long periods of time. Physical fitness and strength are good bonuses. The job can be lonely at times and stressfully busy and frantic at others. I have heard people say it is not a job for big people but I know some rather portly electricians who dispel that myth.