Electrician or Electrical Engineer? What both jobs offer…

Electrician and electrical engineering jobs both offer lucrative career opportunities. The career path that you decide to follow will depend on your qualifications, skills and interests. Learning more about what each position entails will help you to make the right choice. Both Electrical Engineering and Electrician jobs can be found on Job Mail.

Electricians work in private homes and in businesses. Electricity is essential for everyday activities and therefore there is a high demand for competent Electricians. While Electricians are primarily responsible for wiring, Electrical Engineers are involved in the design, manufacturing and maintenance of electrical components. Electrical Engineers are hired in a variety of sectors including the construction, manufacturing and transportation sectors.

The duties of an Electrician will depend on the area that they decide to specialise in. Responsibilities include testing and installing wiring systems. Production electricians are required to follow diagrams to assemble electrical appliances. Electricians may be hired to re-wire a house or to inspect wiring systems in a factory. While Electricians usually work in a small team, Electrical Engineers work as part of a larger team of professionals. Their duties vary according to the sector that they are employed in. Electrical Engineers are usually required to assess customer needs in order to design suitable products. Tasks associated with this position include reviewing technical drawings, researching design solutions and constructing product models. Electrical engineers may be required to attend meetings and liaise with colleagues as well as clients.

Electricians are required to have a comprehensive understanding of theoretical information as well as completing practical work. To qualify as an Electrician, they must have a N2 or N3, finish an apprenticeship and pass a Trade Test. Courses for Electricians cover topics such as safety, bench work, electrical wiring, transformers, motor starters, fault finding and installation work. To become an Electrical Engineer it is necessary to complete a relevant diploma. Universities, such as the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, offer a National Diploma in Electrical Engineering. Once the diploma is complete and the graduate has at least three years of experience, it is possible to apply for registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa.

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Another helpful way to find out more about these positions is to browse through job advertisements. Job seekers can find a position for an Electrical Engineer on Job Mail.

Job seekers can also find a vacancy for an Electrician on Job Mail. The advertisement provides more information on what employees are looking for when they are hiring an Electrician.

For more electrical engineering jobs and electrician jobs, visit www.JobMail.co.za.