Electrician
Also advertised as: Apprentice Electrician, Approved Electrician, Domestic Electrician, Electrical Improver, Electrical Technician, Electrician
Installs, tests and repairs electrical systems in homes, sites and commercial buildings.
What the job involves
Electricians install and maintain wiring, consumer units, lighting, power and increasingly EV chargers and solar. Qualification runs through a Level 3 apprenticeship and AM2 assessment, after which self-employment is realistic and common.
Typical responsibilities
- Install wiring, circuits and distribution boards
- Test, inspect and certify installations
- Diagnose and repair electrical faults
- Work to BS 7671 wiring regulations
- Quote and manage small jobs directly
Common employers
- Electrical contractors
- Housebuilders
- Facilities providers
- Self-employed
- Local authorities
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£22,000 – £30,000 a year
With experience
£38,000 – £55,000 a year
Typical hours
40 to 45 hours, with overtime and call-outs
Working environment
Sites, homes and commercial buildings
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Electrical installation
- Testing and inspection
- Wiring regulations
- Fault finding
- Site safety
Transferable skills you may already have
- Practical hands-on work
- Following technical drawings
- Working at height
Requirements employers ask for
- Electrical installation
- Testing and inspection
- Wiring regulations
- Fault finding
- Site safety
- Level 3 Electrotechnical qualification
- AM2 assessment
- ECS card
- ECS card
- Part P competent person scheme for domestic work
Useful but not essential
- Practical hands-on work
- Following technical drawings
- Working at height
- 18th Edition wiring regulations
- EV charging and solar PV certificates
- Inspection and testing 2391
Helpful qualifications
- 18th Edition wiring regulations
- EV charging and solar PV certificates
- Inspection and testing 2391
Licences and checks
- ECS card
- Part P competent person scheme for domestic work
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Installation and Maintenance Electrician (Level 3)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Electrical installation
- Related subject: Engineering
Where this career can lead
next
Approved Electrician
next
Site Supervisor
next
Electrical Contractor
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Earn while training
- Strong self-employment income
- Growing EV and renewables work
What people find hard
- Physically demanding and weather exposed
- Responsibility for safety-critical work
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a electrician?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a electrician earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £22,000 to £30,000 a year, rising towards £55,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Practical hands-on work, Following technical drawings, Working at height.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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