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Helpers--Electricians

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure

What they do

Help electricians by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $42,670 Median per year · $20.51/hr Most earn $33,020–$58,340

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Raise, lower, or position equipment, tools, and materials, using hoist, hand line, or block and tackle.
  • Clean work area and wash parts.
  • Disassemble defective electrical equipment, replace defective or worn parts, and reassemble equipment, using hand tools.
  • Trim trees and clear undergrowth along right-of-way.
  • Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire stripping pliers, and attach wires to terminals for subsequent soldering.
  • String transmission lines or cables through ducts or conduits, under the ground, through equipment, or to towers.

Job outlook

United States
1% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 6,100 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors81.9%
  • Temporary help services3.7%
  • Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors2.6%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals2.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Electrician's Helper is an entry-level job. You can usually start with a high school diploma and a few months to a year of general work experience, and it's a common first step toward becoming an electrician.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish school with solid math and shop or technical classes, which help with measuring, reading plans, and handling tools.

  2. Construction Laborer

    6 months-1 year

    Work on job sites doing general tasks like carrying materials, cleaning up, and learning how crews run a site, which builds the work habits and experience employers look for.

  3. Electrician's Helper

    Ongoing entry-level role

    Assist licensed electricians by holding tools and materials, cleaning the work area, and learning wiring basics from hands-on work.

Where it can lead

  1. Electrician

    6 months-1 year as a helper, then an apprenticeship of experience first

    Move into electrical training through an apprenticeship or certificate program, where you install, maintain, and repair wiring systems with more independent responsibility.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, electronics, or drafting classesThese classes teach hands-on skills and basic reading of diagrams that are useful on electrical job sites.
  • Take algebra and geometry seriouslyElectrical work relies on measuring, calculating loads, and understanding circuits, so strong math helps a lot.
  • Join a Skills USA or similar trade clubTrade student clubs often offer hands-on practice, competitions, and connections with local employers.
  • Get a summer or part-time job on a job site or at a hardware storeAny work around tools, materials, or construction crews gives you early experience and shows employers you're reliable.
  • Volunteer on a community build or home repair projectHelping with basic repairs or construction gives you a feel for the work and builds teamwork and safety habits.

In college

  • Take courses in electrical theory, physics, or industrial technologyClasses in circuits and electricity give you a foundation that helps you understand what electricians do and speeds up later training.
  • Get a part-time job in construction, maintenance, or facilitiesWorking on a crew or in building maintenance builds practical experience and can count toward the 6 months to 1 year of work often expected for helper roles.
  • Look into an OSHA safety training courseBasic job site safety training is widely valued by construction employers and shows you take safety seriously.
  • Join a student trade or engineering clubClubs related to construction, electrical, or technology offer hands-on projects and networking with people in the field.
  • Talk with a campus career center or local apprenticeship officeThey can explain how apprenticeships work in your area and help you prepare applications before you graduate.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local electrician or electrical contractor if you can shadow them or talk with them about the work; many are happy to share advice with students who show real interest.
  • Build comfort with basic safety habits, like following lockout rules and wearing protective gear, since employers value workers who take safety seriously.
  • Keep a simple record of the tools you've used and the tasks you've helped with, which can make job applications and apprenticeship interviews stronger.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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