Need For Electricians

cawacko

cawacko

Well-known member
A lot of talk in the real estate industry about the decarbonization of buildings to support sustainability and to deal with climate change. This (portion of the) article talks about the need for more (skilled) electricians to do the work necessary. I'm not real familiar with the electrician industry but doing a google search it states a college degree is not necessary to be an electrician. For those in the know is that true? And to be a skilled electrician, as opposed to a regular run of the mill electrician I guess, is a college degree required?

I guess there is an element of snark here, but also a legitimate question. We mock those who don't go to college and who support sending people to trade school but can trade schools produce the needed skilled electricians or will more future electricians need to go to college?




Are neutral-use building concepts a glimpse of real estate’s future?

Maybe I should’ve been an electrician instead of a writer. The electrification of building systems is undoubtedly crucial for real estate decarbonization. One challenge of this is the huge demand for electricity that will strain the grid. But another challenge will be a shortage of skilled electricians. Like construction workers, electricians tend to be older and close to retirement. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there will be roughly 80,000 new electrician openings soon. Funds from the Inflation Reduction Act will chip into job training, but many say it’s not even close to what’s needed. Commercial building owners will need to keep an eye on this. If the nation wants to electrify the economy and real estate, a multi-pronged effort to recruit, train, and pay good wages to young electricians must be a top priority – sooner rather than later.
 
cawacko said:
We mock those who don't go to college and who support sending people to trade school but can trade schools produce the needed skilled electricians or will more future electricians need to go to college?
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I've only got an undergraduate degree and never mock anyone for not going to college.
I mock people who undervalue education, of which I wish I had more.

College or vocational school, what's certain is that K-12 is no longer adequate, and Americans have to view education more seriously.

Also important: people who decide to have kids can no longer view it as an eighteen year commitment. It's getting closer to thirty, actually, and it never entirely ends.
 
cawacko said:
A lot of talk in the real estate industry about the decarbonization of buildings to support sustainability and to deal with climate change. This (portion of the) article talks about the need for more (skilled) electricians to do the work necessary. I'm not real familiar with the electrician industry but doing a google search it states a college degree is not necessary to be an electrician. For those in the know is that true? And to be a skilled electrician, as opposed to a regular run of the mill electrician I guess, is a college degree required?

I guess there is an element of snark here, but also a legitimate question. We mock those who don't go to college and who support sending people to trade school but can trade schools produce the needed skilled electricians or will more future electricians need to go to college?




Are neutral-use building concepts a glimpse of real estate’s future?

Maybe I should’ve been an electrician instead of a writer. The electrification of building systems is undoubtedly crucial for real estate decarbonization. One challenge of this is the huge demand for electricity that will strain the grid. But another challenge will be a shortage of skilled electricians. Like construction workers, electricians tend to be older and close to retirement. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there will be roughly 80,000 new electrician openings soon. Funds from the Inflation Reduction Act will chip into job training, but many say it’s not even close to what’s needed. Commercial building owners will need to keep an eye on this. If the nation wants to electrify the economy and real estate, a multi-pronged effort to recruit, train, and pay good wages to young electricians must be a top priority – sooner rather than later.
Click to expand...

All my older brothers are electricians but sadly the trade knowledge didn't reach me or my closer-in-age brother. I don't believe a college degree is needed though it probably helps on a resume.
 
Electricians are bad because most of them are white men. Same with car repairmen and plumbers and physicists and engineers and all useful professions. Libs think the important people are social workers and diversity consultants.
 
Jade Dragon said:
All my older brothers are electricians but sadly the trade knowledge didn't reach me or my closer-in-age brother. I don't believe a college degree is needed though it probably helps on a resume.
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Have your brothers commented at all on the challenge of getting new electricians into the industry? If yes, have they offered reasons why?
 
Text Drivers are Killers said:
Electricians are bad because most of them are white men. Same with car repairmen and plumbers and physicists and engineers and all useful professions. Libs think the important people are social workers and diversity consultants.
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Hopefully the industry is more open to tranny's and you'll get your shot!
 
cawacko said:
Have your brothers commented at all on the challenge of getting new electricians into the industry? If yes, have they offered reasons why?
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Not much has been mentioned but I'm not sure they'd bring it up with family even if it was an issue.
 
When I had my house re-wired, i ran into electrician after electrician who wouldn't install a home ethernet system--which is not much more complicated than putting in the phone and cable jacks.
We don't do electronics, they'd say. Especially when I told them to watch for ground loops where my A/V system was going.

One even asked me why I wasn't content with 100 amp service,
and I won't even mention the generator which required coordinating with a gas fitter. Such inconvenience!

Even wiring the ceiling speakers was a big deal, because they didn't do it every day. It's like fucking lamp cord, for Christ's sake, only a heavier gauge.

Too many electricians want to do what they always do and nothing more.
Here is where proper vocational training is important, and maybe it does involve some college level courses, although not a full electrical engineering degree, I wouldn't think.
 
cawacko said:
A lot of talk in the real estate industry about the decarbonization of buildings to support sustainability and to deal with climate change. This (portion of the) article talks about the need for more (skilled) electricians to do the work necessary. I'm not real familiar with the electrician industry but doing a google search it states a college degree is not necessary to be an electrician. For those in the know is that true? And to be a skilled electrician, as opposed to a regular run of the mill electrician I guess, is a college degree required?

I guess there is an element of snark here, but also a legitimate question. We mock those who don't go to college and who support sending people to trade school but can trade schools produce the needed skilled electricians or will more future electricians need to go to college?




Are neutral-use building concepts a glimpse of real estate’s future?

Maybe I should’ve been an electrician instead of a writer. The electrification of building systems is undoubtedly crucial for real estate decarbonization. One challenge of this is the huge demand for electricity that will strain the grid. But another challenge will be a shortage of skilled electricians. Like construction workers, electricians tend to be older and close to retirement. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there will be roughly 80,000 new electrician openings soon. Funds from the Inflation Reduction Act will chip into job training, but many say it’s not even close to what’s needed. Commercial building owners will need to keep an eye on this. If the nation wants to electrify the economy and real estate, a multi-pronged effort to recruit, train, and pay good wages to young electricians must be a top priority – sooner rather than later.
Click to expand...

Here’s a partial list of what an unlicensed person CAN do in their own home electrically. This is only Florida.

1. Change a light bulb
2. Change an electrical outlet cover
3. Set up a home entertainment system as long as wire and cable don’t run in the walls
4. Set up a wireless computer network
5. Hang a flat screen TV on a wall

That’s about it. Everything else requires a licensed electrician, but not a college degree. If we’re ever going to be the Jetsons, we need electrical engineers to design and develop all the geegaws and doodads that make the magic happen, and qualified professional electricians to install them. And as the technology grows, we’ll need continuing education for those technicians. We need MORE than 80,000 electricians, and we damn sure DON’T need 87,000 new f’ing IRS agents.
 
Callinectes said:
Here’s a partial list of what an unlicensed person CAN do in their own home electrically. This is only Florida.

1. Change a light bulb
2. Change an electrical outlet cover
3. Set up a home entertainment system as long as wire and cable don’t run in the walls
4. Set up a wireless computer network
5. Hang a flat screen TV on a wall

That’s about it. Everything else requires a licensed electrician, but not a college degree. If we’re ever going to be the Jetsons, we need electrical engineers to design and develop all the geegaws and doodads that make the magic happen, and qualified professional electricians to install them. And as the technology grows, we’ll need continuing education for those technicians. We need MORE than 80,000 electricians, and we damn sure DON’T need 87,000 new f’ing IRS agents.
Click to expand...

Where do you see the most electricians coming from? Is it a career you get into when you're young or any idea if people in say their 30's decide they want a career switch to become an electrician?

At job fairs at Universities (if those still exist) would an electrical firm send recruiters? Or are they more likely to focus on those who go to (electrical) trade school?
 
NiftyNiblick said:
I've only got an undergraduate degree and never mock anyone for not going to college.
I mock people who undervalue education, of which I wish I had more.

College or vocational school, what's certain is that K-12 is no longer adequate, and Americans have to view education more seriously.

Also important: people who decide to have kids can no longer view it as an eighteen year commitment. It's getting closer to thirty, actually, and it never entirely ends.
Click to expand...
My brother is a builder and does not have a college degree and is much smarter than the vast majority of people that have gone to college and makes in excess of500k a year.
 
I believe most electricians are licensed through an apprentice and journeyman program.

This is my understanding of the system off the top of my head.
An apprentice can do work under the supervision of a journeyman. No experience required to be licensed as an apprentice. Once they have achieved a certain period of time and experience they can take the test to become a journeyman.
Journeymen electricians can do most work without supervision but work under a master electrician. After a certain period of time and experience they can test to become master electricians.
Master electricians are the ones that can design electrical systems and pull permits for work.

One can become eligible to be licensed as a master electrician without work experience if you complete a degree in electrical engineering.
 
Poor Richard Saunders said:
I believe most electricians are licensed through an apprentice and journeyman program.

This is my understanding of the system off the top of my head.
An apprentice can do work under the supervision of a journeyman. No experience required to be licensed as an apprentice. Once they have achieved a certain period of time and experience they can take the test to become a journeyman.
Journeymen electricians can do most work without supervision but work under a master electrician. After a certain period of time and experience they can test to become master electricians.
Master electricians are the ones that can design electrical systems and pull permits for work.

One can become eligible to be licensed as a master electrician without work experience if you complete a degree in electrical engineering.
Click to expand...

The author in the OP is talking a need for skilled electricians. To do the type of work necessary to decarbonize buildings across the country must one reach a master electrician level to be considered 'skilled' or is there a level of arbitrariness in it?
 
ExpressLane said:
My brother is a builder and does not have a college degree and is much smarter than the vast majority of people that have gone to college and makes in excess of500k a year.
Click to expand...

College, particularly undergraduate college, is not to learn a vocation but to broaden the vistas of one's mind.
People with broad-based general knowledge have made themselves appear superior to those without it among people who really matter.

Populist ideas and anti-elitism is in the process of making America globally irrelevant.
 
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