Electrician
Electricians install, maintain and repair the wiring, switchboards and equipment that power homes, businesses and worksites.
- Median salary
- $113,900
4.4%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 197,300
1.4%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +12%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- 2 out of 10
- Average hours
- 45/wk
+5h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- In shortage
national
- Electricians work on the wiring and equipment inside homes, offices, factories and construction sites, installing new systems and finding faults in existing ones while following safety standards and building codes.
- Most work comes from residential and commercial building projects, and plenty of electricians also do industrial maintenance or take emergency callouts outside business hours.
- The trade gets mixed up with electrical engineering, but electricians install and maintain the systems that engineers design.
How much do electricians earn?
The median full-time salary for an electrician is $113,900 per annum, before tax, up $24,100 since 2018.
Your weekly figure moves most with where you work and which agreement covers you: industrial and mining sites usually pay above domestic building work, and penalty rates apply to overtime, night shifts and emergency callouts. When you compare two jobs, ask how overtime and callouts are worked out and whether the advertised salary assumes a standard week or regular overtime on top.
What does an electrician do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Chasing down a fault with a multimeter and test gear when a circuit trips or a machine won't start
- Running cable and wiring up switchboards, outlets and fixtures on new builds and renovations
- Moving between job sites in a single day, from a quiet residential rewire to a noisy factory floor
- Working alongside carpenters, plumbers and other trades to keep a build on schedule
- Signing off completed work against safety standards and building codes before it's switched on
What skills do electricians need?
Employers look for reading plans and specifications, hand and power tool work, installation and maintenance, backed by Multimeter fluency and strong problem solving.
Specialist skills
- Reading plans and specifications
- Hand and power tool work
- Installation and maintenance
- Worksite safety management
- Building codes and standards
- Regulatory compliance
Software and tools
- Multimeter
- Voltage tester
- Circuit breaker panel
- Wire strippers and crimpers
- Conduit bender
General skills
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
Is the job growing?
About 197,300 people work as electricians in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 12% over the decade to 2035. That's healthy, above-average growth, and the role should stay in solid demand.
How do you become an electrician?
Here's the path most electricians take, step by step.
- 1Finish Year 12 or equivalent
Most employers look for passes in maths and a science subject, and physics helps with the load calculations you do later. Year 10 is sometimes enough if you have strong maths results and can show you're ready to work.
- 2Line up an apprenticeship
You can't enrol in the course without an employer, so apply directly to electrical contractors and ask about their intake timing. A white card and a driver's licence are expected on almost every site.
- 3Complete the Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician
The apprenticeship runs about four years and combines paid on-the-job training with block or day release at TAFE or another registered training organisation. Your training wage rises each year as you progress.
- 4Get your electrician's licence
Once you finish, you apply to the electrical regulator in your state or territory, such as Energy Safe Victoria or SafeWork NSW. Requirements differ between states, so check the rules where you plan to work before you book your final assessments.
- 5Choose a specialty when the chance comes
Solar and battery installation, industrial maintenance, instrumentation and high voltage work all open up during your apprenticeship, so ask your employer for exposure to the areas that interest you. Most electricians move into these through on-the-job experience, sometimes with a short course.
Study routes we have checked
Qualifications that are a recognised way into this role, and what else you need.
- Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician
A recognised route into this role
Complete the apprenticeship or recognised TRA pathway required by the licensing authority, then obtain the electrical licence or permit. The award alone is not permission to perform regulated electrical work. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
Ready to apply as an electrician?
Whether you're working toward becoming an electrician or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can an electrician move to?
Moving into Auto Electrician typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $32,100 a year more on average.
- Auto ElectricianRecorded move$146,000+$32,100
- Electrical EngineerRecorded move$132,800+$18,900
- Air Conditioning TechnicianRecorded move$109,200−$4,700
- Instrumentation TechnicianRecorded move$98,800−$15,100
Thick lines are moves people were recorded making in Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility (income tax records, 2011-12 to 2020-21). Thin lines are moves we suggest from skill overlap and entry requirements.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
Auto Electrician Electricians can move into automotive electrical work, though a separate apprenticeship covers vehicle systems and wiring.Known move | +$32,100 | 46% | requalify |
Electrical Engineer Electricians with strong electrical systems experience can move into electrical engineering, but a degree is required.Known move | +$18,900 | 14% | requalify |
Air Conditioning Technician Electricians bring electrical and safety skills to air conditioning work, with further training in refrigeration and climate systems.Known move | −$4,700 | 74% | reskill |
Instrumentation Technician Electricians can specialise in instrumentation, applying wiring and control knowledge with further study in calibration.Known move | −$15,100 | 42% | reskill |
Electrical Engineering Technician Electricians bring practical wiring and testing knowledge to electrical engineering technician work, though a diploma is needed.Known move | −$22,400 | 38% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as an electrician?
The typical electrician is 33 years old; 98% are men, 94% work full-time, and full-timers average 45 hours a week.
- 33
- Median age
- 2%
- Female share
- 94%
- Full-time
- +5h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being an electrician?
Most days you're on your feet, moving between sites and working out why something isn't doing what it should. Tracing a fault with a multimeter takes patience, and there's a fair bit of thinking alongside the physical work, so steady hands and a methodical streak count for more than raw strength. Deadlines and other trades set the pace on big builds, and an unlined roof space in summer is hard going. If finishing a job and flicking a switch that works gives you satisfaction, this trade tends to hold you.
What people like
- The result shows up straight away. Lights come on, a machine starts, an inspection passes. That feedback arrives the same day, which makes the trade satisfying if you like knowing whether your work is right.
- Every fault is its own puzzle. A 1970s house with dodgy wiring and a factory conveyor present completely different problems, so the diagnosing stays interesting if you enjoy working things out instead of repeating the same task.
- The licence travels with you. Your qualification is recognised around Australia, and the skills carry into mining, industrial and renewable energy work without a second apprenticeship.
- You earn while you train. An apprenticeship pays a wage from the first year and leaves you without a HECS debt, which changes what the first four years look like compared with a degree.
What people find hard
- Roof spaces in summer. Ceiling cavities, insulation and full sun on a metal roof are uncomfortable places to spend an afternoon, and no amount of technique makes them pleasant in January.
- Apprentice years are lean. The training wage is low and a lot of the early work is repetitive: pulling cable, fetching gear, cleaning up. It's the price of entry, but it's a real squeeze if you're helping support a household.
- Callouts interrupt your weekend. A freezer full of stock or a rental property with no power doesn't wait until Monday, so after-hours and weekend work comes with the trade.
- Mistakes carry real consequences. Your work is signed off in your name against the standard, and a fault you miss can start a fire long after you've packed up your tools for the day.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ electricians?
Construction employs the largest share of electricians, followed by Mining.
Top employing industries
- 1Construction
- 2Mining
- 3Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Certificate III/IV | 73.1% | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 12 or below | 17.1% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 5.4% | |
| Bachelor degree | 2.7% | |
| Postgraduate | 0.6% |
Will AI replace electricians?
Low exposure. Unlikely. AI will change some of the work around this job, not the job itself.
AI has a small footprint in this trade. The design, quoting and compliance side leans on software more each year, and some diagnostic gear now suggests where a fault is likely to be, but the work itself happens in roofs, walls and switchboards where a circuit has to be tested, isolated and connected by hand. If you're starting now, get comfortable with the design and job management software your employer uses and keep your fault-finding sharp, because that combination is what sites want.
How a typical week splits
None of the main tasks in this job.
- Reading plans and doing load calculations20% of the week
Design software works out cable sizing and maximum demand quickly, which cuts the paperwork, though it still needs your read on the conditions on site.
- Compliance, testing and sign-off20% of the week
Test results are logged digitally and apps pull the relevant standards together quickly, though the inspection and the certification stay with you.
- Running cable and making connections30% of the week
Pulling cable through a roof space or wall cavity and terminating it at a switchboard is awkward physical work that no software does for you.
- Finding and repairing faults30% of the week
Diagnostic tools can narrow down where a problem sits, but you still test circuits yourself, work out why an RCD keeps tripping and fix the cause.
How we work this out
We break each job into its main tasks, estimate the share of a typical week each one takes, and judge how far current AI and automation tools reach into it. The score out of 10 starts from the job's overall rating (low is 1 to 3, moderate 4 to 6, high 7 to 10) and the task split places it within that range. Source: Career Tips analysis of each role's main tasks.
Common questions about becoming an electrician
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do electricians earn in Australia?
Full-time electricians earn a median of $113,900 per year before tax, and apprentices earn a training wage set as a percentage of the adult rate. Your pay tracks the enterprise agreement or award covering your site, the penalty rates for overtime, night work and callouts, and how much industrial, mining or high voltage work you take on.
How do you become an electrician?
You complete an apprenticeship in electrotechnology and then get licensed in your state or territory. Start by approaching electrical contractors directly for an apprenticeship place, because you can't enrol in the Certificate III without an employer to take you on.
Are electricians in demand in Australia?
Electricians are currently in shortage nationally, and employment is projected to grow 12% over the decade to 2035. For someone finishing an apprenticeship, that points to steady work and a choice of employers in most areas, so ask a company about its project pipeline before you sign on if you want to know how busy the next year looks.
Will AI replace electricians?
No, the physical side of the trade keeps AI at arm's length. Software now works out load calculations, quoting and compliance paperwork, and diagnostic tools can point to likely faults, but the repair happens in a ceiling cavity or behind a switchboard with a tester in your hand. Learn the design and job management software your employer uses and keep your fault-finding sharp; the electricians who do both are the ones sites compete for.
What can an electrician move into later?
Electrical engineering technician and instrumentation technician roles build directly on the wiring and testing you already do, with a diploma or further study in calibration on top. Electrical engineering needs a degree, so it suits someone prepared for several years of part-time study. Plenty of electricians also go out on their own once licensed, which lifts what you can earn but puts quoting, insurance and chasing unpaid invoices on your desk.
How long does it take to become an electrician?
Expect about four years from starting your apprenticeship to holding a licence, including the off-the-job training at TAFE or another registered training organisation. If you already work as a trades assistant or an air conditioning technician, you still need the full apprenticeship to be licensed as a general electrician.
Related roles
- Electrical Engineering Technician
- Electrical Engineer
- Auto Electrician
- Instrumentation Technician
- Air Conditioning Technician
- Electrical Trades Assistant
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