Sunday, December 30, 2007

Some Do's and Don'ts When Hiring An Electrician / Electrical Contractor

Selecting the right electrical contractor isn't as easy as picking someone out of the Yellow Pages. The ramifications of hiring the wrong contractor can be financially disastrous and even dangerous.

First and foremost, it's imperative to know if the contractor you're considering hiring, is licensed, bonded, and has adequate general liability and workers compensation insurance.

Then, you need to determine if they are experienced in the type of work you need performed, and if they are generally considered good, honest and reputable.

The best place to start answering some of these questions is at the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors and / or the Division of Consumer Affairs (basically the Authority having Jurisdiction), and of course, the Better Business Bureau.

Now lets pretend for a moment that you have an electrical job you need done. Not an emergency -- perhaps it's just fixing a light that stopped working. What would you do

Would you call a few contractors and get multiple bids You can, but I wouldnt necessarily suggest it.

Most people think that they should get multiple bids for every job. This isnt the case, and in actuality, putting to bid every little job may in fact backfire.

Good contractors are few and far in between, and asking for multiple bids for a small job will only alienate them the next time around. Try looking at this from their point of view. Their time is worth probably about $100/ hr, and yet, he or she makes the time to come to your residence and provide you with a free estimate for whatever work you may need.

Typically, a good contractor will try to provide you with an extra-competitive bid, especially the first time around, just to make you a customer.

But how can you tell if the first contractor walking into your house is The good contractor Some simple rules may apply here, but remember there also are exceptions to every rule.

 A good contractor will typically look the part. In other words, if he or she looks messy and disorganized, then it's probably indicative of the type of work he or she does. Someone who takes pride in their work usually takes pride in their appearance. Some contractors may argue this point, but remember we're talking generalities here and not the exceptions. He or she should have some type of company identification (even a shirt with a logo would do).

 A good contractor will have company cards with their company name and / or their name, telephone and license # on it.

 A good contractor will respond to your calls quickly and provide you with a free estimate (for most jobs) the same day or within a reasonable amount of time, and will take the time to explain what they will do and how they will do it.

 A good contractor will never offer to do the job without taking out permits and may even walk away from a job if the homeowner insists on not taking them. Remember, permits are additional insurance for the homeowner guaranteeing (through inspection) that the job was performed safely and correctly.

 A good contractor will never cut corners and do something unsafe in order to accommodate your budget. They will, instead, offer suggestions on how to modify your plans to meet both their code and safety requirements, and your budget. If these two cannot meet, then they will wish you good luck and walk away from the job.

 A good contractor will be happy to provide you with copies of their insurance certificates and references when asked. Try not asking for them unless it's a decent size job.

Suppose a homeowner would like to make a minor alteration or addition to their electrical system. If the electrical system is old, then that part of the system may need to be brought up to current code standards before they can add to it or modify it.

In order to circumvent this regulation, the homeowner may insist that the job be done without permits and possibly even hire someone unlicensed to do the work.

What he or she doesn't realize is that if their house burns down, they will very likely NOT be covered. Your homeowners policy probably states (very clearly) that anyone doing work on the residence has to be properly licensed and all building, plumbing and electrical codes must be followed, and work performed with permits wherever required.

If you hired someone whom you thought was licensed, but ultimately wasn't, it still may NOT be covered because you didn't take out permits for the work, and as far as the insurance company is concerned, it was done illegally.

If and when you decide to put a job out to bid, make sure that the work is properly specified (in minute detail) so that all the contractors are bidding on exactly the same things. Otherwise, there's no way of telling who's bidding apples and who is bidding oranges. Not properly specifying a job is probably the most common mistake homeowners make.

Why Let's assume you need to have 10 receptacles, 4 lights and 2 dimmers installed in a room. Without specifying the exact types such as (Standard, Decora, other), amperage (15/20), location and method of use (this is used by good contractors to determine how many receptacles to put on a single circuit), types of lights, bulbs (R30, R40, halogens, etc.) and trims (for Hi Hats) standard, eyeballs, etc., wattage of bulbs (determines type and rating of dimmers used), there is no way of telling who is bidding what. And these are just some of the variables used for a fairly simple job!

 A good contractor always uses first-class, contractor-grade materials and never uses anything else, regardless of budget. They will usually price and give you the higher grade items automatically. This is where they get in trouble when bidding with other contractors. Someone else may be using approved but inferior materials, which would enable them to come in considerably lower than the good contractor. They probably know that you'll have problems with the items installed sooner rather than later, but don't care because it falls beyond their warrantee period (if they even have one).

 A good contractor will take into consideration how the receptacles are being used (such as computers, entertainment equipment, vacuum cleaner, etc.) and automatically factor in (price) dedicated lines for these items, even though current codes may allow all of the receptacles to be wired on a single circuit.

Other contractors won't, and will therefore be able to do the job cheaper. Of course, when you start tripping breakers because the new receptacles are overloading the circuit, there won't be anything to do about it, because it didn't violate any codes at the time, and more importantly, you didn't specify it.

But how could you specify it You're not in the electrical field, and you assumed the contractor would know better and factor this in.

Well, you're right. The good contractor already factored it in, but you gave the job to the other one.

Are you starting to get the picture about the dangers of multiple bids Very often, you don't end up with the good contractor.

That's a pretty typical bidding scenario, and its obvious why people are intimidated dealing with contractors. Make the wrong move and it can spell big trouble.

Anyway, if you do bid the work, try to have it properly specified perhaps by an architect or engineer. A good rule of thumb would be, if you get multiple bids, always pick from the middle up, and never, ever pick the lowest bid.

When you've finally selected a contractor, ask them for a copy of their insurance policies, and make sure everything (including start and end dates on larger jobs) is in writing.

Very often smaller contractors work out of their own house or garage, and many do not carry workers compensation insurance. This may or may not be a factor. If they have a helper with them or send someone else to your house to do the work, it becomes a huge factor.

Without this insurance policy, you (the homeowner) are 100 % liable for any accidents their workers may incur. Additionally, many contractors have only enough general liability insurance to satisfy state regulations, but nowhere near enough to pay for your house if it burns down.

Finally, a last note of caution; as with everything else in life, you get what you pay for ".

In other words, don't let price alone be the determining factor when hiring an electrical contractor. Remember, if a plumber messes up, youll have a flood, if an electrical contractor messes up youll have a fire or perhaps even worse.

Good Luck.

Resources

This article was written by John Frezados and published on www.electrician-electricalcontractor.com , which is a website dedicated to providing industry, trade and employment information for electricians and electrical contractors. The article was part of a series of articles at www.electrician-electricalcontractor.com/electricalcontractor.html , written for Electrical Contractors, to help improve their methods of operation and profitability. John Frezados is a Mechanical Engineer, a Licensed Master Electrician and Certified Electrical Instructor, and has over 20 years experience in the Electrical / General Contracting fields. He currently spends his time writing, teaching and consulting in the Electro-Mechanical Contracting and Engineering fields. He has authored numerous books and courses, such as "The Electrical Contractor's Blueprint for Success" and "Custom Estimation Systems for Electrical Contractors" and teaches certified continuing education courses (listed at www.ccesllc.com ) for Electrical Contractors.

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Thursday, December 27, 2007

Becoming An Electrician - Where Do You Start?

If you're interested in becoming an electrician, there are plenty of schools, training centers and institutes that offer excellent training courses. Attending one of these will give you a good education, and help you to start your career as an electrician in a positive way.

Some of the other ways you might choose to become a trained electrician include:

- Online certification courses

- Military training programs

- Government sponsored programs

- Sponsored training centers

In the end, though, you need to learn the complexities of working with anything and everything electric, from installing wires to maintaining appliances.

The first step is to decide what type of electrician you want to be once you've finished your training. This may sound silly, but in fact there are many different career paths open to a qualified electrician, and the school you choose needs to cater for your particular interest. For example, if you want to operate as an electrical contractor, then you need to make sure you learn the skills involves in home repairs or commercial maintenance. You don't need to perform highly specialized tasks. As long as you have a broad knowledge of how electricity is used in the home and how to fix it, you can get started. But you might also want to attend an electrician school that teaches the basics of running your own business, too.

If you don't really know what field you want to work in, then choose an electrician school that offers a broad range of subjects, so that you can get experience in all areas. That way you will have a lot of job options available to you upon graduation, and you may also find the type of electrical work you are most keen to pursue in the workforce. Getting a broad base of understanding can help you to focus in on your areas of strength and interest.

Once you've graduated, you will have all the necessary skills to move into an entry-level position as an apprentice or electrician. You can choose to work in construction, become a maintenance technician, work in a factory, work with electrical motors, and the list goes on. The important thing is to choose a school that will teach you what you need to know, so that you can get work immediately and start your career as an electrician.

If you want to find out more about electrician trade schools, click over to Gordon's site at http://www.tradeschoolinfozone.com

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Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Instrument Technicians and Dual Trade Electricians - The Backbone of Industrial Companies

Recent government studies have revealed the fact that there is an acute global deficit of blue collar laborers in present, the crisis regarding manual workforce becoming increasingly prominent in the last few decades. This phenomenon has been augmented and sustained by a pronounced migration of blue collar workers and specialized, off-contract laborers towards other work fields, generating serious employment issues to a wide range of industrial companies that depend on such categories of workforce in order to sustain their activity.

In present, it can be very difficult for most companies to quickly fill their job vacancies with skilled and reliable blue collar workers. The task of finding and recruiting specialized, preferably Trade qualified blue collar workers can be very challenging, time consuming and costly for major industrial companies. However, these impediments can be effectively overcome with the aid of reliable, professional recruiting company that specializes in providing effective, professional services to industrialized business in search of experienced blue collar, Trade qualified personnel.

Major recruiting agencies offer a wide variety of services, helping company owners in the process of hiring skilled and trusty blue collar workers, with or without contract. Blue collar workforce recruiting companies primarily specialize in recruiting and mobilizing experienced Instrument Technicians and Dual Trade Electricians to proximal or remote worksites, where they can sustain their activity for the businesses that require their services. Although some blue collar workforce recruiting companies usually specialize in the Instrument and Electrical fields, they can also help clients in hiring and establishing a solid team of various other qualified workers, including fitters and boilermakers.

Instrument Technicians and Dual Trade Electricians are by far the most requested qualified blue collar laborers, as they have an extended set of vital roles inside any industrial company. Instrument Technicians and Dual Trade Electricians can sustain a wide range of activities, fulfilling important tasks regarding maintenance, repairs, instrument calibrations, installation, elaborate verification, and even upgrade. The back bone of virtually any industrial power plant and other industrial companies, Instrument Technicians and Dual Trade Electricians fulfill an extended set of vital roles.

If you are the owner of a company or industrial business and you wish to find skilled Instrument Technicians, Dual Trade Electricians or other categories of specialized blue collar workers quickly and with minimal effort, the best thing to do is request the services provided by a serious recruiting agency. Whether you are interested in on-hire or contract blue collar personnel, single or multiple hiring, a solid blue collar workforce recruiting company can satisfy your requirements with professionalism, providing you with the best trained workers you can find! Ask for the help of such a company and you are guaranteed to establish a solid, compact and experienced blue collar project team in no time! Fill your Instrument Technician and Dual Trade Electrician job vacancies the easy and safe way by relying on a professional, serious recruiting company.

So, if you want to find out more information about Instrument Technicians or about Dual Trade Electricians, we recommend you to click these links.

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Friday, December 21, 2007

The Electrician's Guide to Effective Yellow Page Advertising

I can guess that if your are any kind of electrician at all, you can do all the basic trouble-shooting, rewiring, and replacement that any homeowner or business person would require. After all, you are a licensed professional, right? But knowing how to replace a circuit breaker is not what?s going to pay the bills. So what is going to ultimately make you successful? Your accountant, insurance agent, landlord, truck fleet dealer, or your parts supplier? A big ?No? should be the answer in all those cases. How about your Yellow Page rep?

You have to bring in new customers or establish a reliable base of returning customers. It?s going to take a marketing plan that allows for future growth and increasing profits. Assuming that I you have realized that a Yellow Page program is essential for your success, what do you have in mind? Who do you want to reach and how will you get there? Set aside a reasonable advertising budget that has room to grow as you do. Now, pick up the local directory and survey the YP heading. How many of your competitors are in the book and what are their ad sizes? What will it take to meet or beat them? Now you have an idea of size, it?s time to get to the content of the ad.

What makes you better than all of them? Don?t say your price and experience. Everyone of them already says that somewhere. You have to come up with something that will get the readers attention and set you apart from the other guys. Hey, I didn?t say that this would be easy. It?s about time to seek out an expert, wouldn?t you agree?

I should know, I was a YP rep and consultant for nearly 25 years and, prior to that, had my own advertising agency. I also have a degree in marketing. I?ve been designing Yellow Page ads for the past three decades. So I have expertise in YP creation and have advised almost 7000 companies on how to put together the most effective YP ads. If you have a display or in-column ad, regardless of size, color or position, I can tell you it most probably needs improvement in the headline, artwork, body text, placement, book, or heading. You must understand the ROI or return on investment and learn how to track the results as well.

So consider getting some expert advice before you place your next ad. There are many good and inexpensive places to turn, some available on the internet. Or read any on my online articles here and you?ll probably pick up some terrific tips. Then go to my website for more great stuff.

Jeffrey Hauser's latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages,? which can be viewed at www.poweradbook.com

He was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Electrician and Energy Trade Schools

Electrician and Energy Trade Schools produce workers who can answer the world's increasing demand for more and better energy technology. Traditional forms of energy include electricity, nuclear power, and fossil fuels such as oil, gas and diesel fuel. Electrician and Energy Trade students can specialize in any of these fields, as well alternative forms of energy such as solar, wind, ethanol, methane and others.

Electrician and Energy jobs are some of the fastest-growing fields of employment, and there are many types of positions available. Some Electrician and Energy jobs include maintenance electricians, heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers, power plant workers, construction electricians, gas and oil workers, electrical and electronics installers and repairers, electronic home entertainment equipment installers and repairers, telephone line installers and repairers, and small and large appliance repairers. Electricians and Energy Trade workers are typically paid between $15 and $26.50 per hour. They regularly work a standard 40-hour week, and overtime or night and weekend shifts are common.

Electrician and Energy Trade Schools offer various training programs at vocational facilities, or through local unions. Electricians are typically educated in the form of apprenticeships lasting three to five years. Professional electricians are required to pass an exam that tests knowledge of local electric and building codes, electrical theory, and the National Electrical Code.

Find electrician and energy trade schools that suit you by searching the many options found at www.schoolsgalore.com.

M. Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Electrician and Energy Trade Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

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Monday, December 17, 2007

Electrical Engineering Training

Interested in acquiring electrical engineering training at a vocational or trade school? An electrical engineering course will help you to understand and apply the versatile skills of design, development, analytics and maintenance of electrical equipment.

While many employers require a Bachelor Degree for entry-level positions of the field, the electrical engineering training programs offered at vocational schools usually consist of a two-year program, allowing the student to gain valuable credits that can later be transferred to a college or university.

In addition to electronics and electronic systems technology, training will often integrate additional vocational coursework in life and physical sciences, humanities, and mathematics. What's more, students of electrical engineering training courses may also opt to choose from a variety of certification programs geared toward select fields of engineering.

Those interested in becoming electrical engineers will learn that, in order to offer services to the public, one must become licensed to do so. (A license is required for engineers in ALL 50 states.) Students who have successfully graduated from an electrical engineering course, and have attained their degree from an accredited electrical engineering school, must also complete 4 years of associated work experience in addition to passing individual state exams to acquire full licensure.

Typically, training provided at electrical engineering schools will help graduates to increase employment opportunities and earning potential. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, those who have gained a minimal Bachelor Degree (and related work experience) can begin earning as much as $51,000 annually.

If you would like to learn more about Electrical Engineering Training, or even Online Electrical Engineering Schools, you can find more in-depth information and resources on SchoolsGalore.com.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on our website.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Electrical Engineering Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.

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Friday, December 14, 2007

Electrical Engineering Careers

If you are interested in becoming an electrical engineer, there are many electrical engineering careers that are excellent career choices. While becoming an electrical engineer can take a bit of schooling, studying, and hard work, the variety of electrical engineering careers that are available often make it worth the years of working towards the goal. If you are considering getting an electrical engineering degree, you may want to take a look at the electrical engineering careers that are available once you complete your training.

Digital Technology

One of the many electrical engineering careers includes working with digital technology. This career allows electrical engineers to work with digital technology and to develop ways to make digital technology small enough to be easy to use. Workers in this career may be able to work with cell phone companies to make the required technology small enough to fit into the smallest cell phone or they may design technology to make cell phones more efficient. This can be an exciting career for an electrical engineer and can be quite lucrative as well.

Power Engineering

Another of the many electrical engineering careers is power engineering. This type of a career deals with working with power and electricity and transmitting, generating, and distributing this power effectively. This career requires working with generators, motors, transformers, and even power electronics. While this can be a dangerous job at times, it can be very exciting and rewarding for an electrical engineer.

Computer Engineering

Electrical engineering careers also include computer engineering, as well. While electrical engineers do not actually design the software for computers, they often design the hardware and electrical technology that makes them run effectively. If you enjoy working with computers and want an electrical engineering degree, this is one of the electrical engineering careers that you may enjoy.

Control Engineering

Another of the electrical engineering careers that are available for those with an electrical engineering degree is control engineering. This career involves working with controllers to make entire systems work in a particular manner. Electrical circuits, PLCs, micro controllers, and digital signal processors are often used for this job. Many people in this specific field actually end up working for NASA and working with the systems and controls for space shuttles. This can be one of the most exciting electrical engineering careers that are available for electrical engineers.

Electronic Engineering

Electrical engineering careers are also available in electronic engineering for those who are electronic engineers. In this career field, electronic engineers not only design electronic circuits, but they also test them, as well. Those who choose electrical engineering careers in this field work with radios, computers, and modern television systems on a regular basis. This can be a very rewarding and interesting career to pursue.

These are just a few of the electrical engineering careers that are available once you get a degree in electrical engineering. There are always career options for electrical engineers, so getting a degree in this field guarantees you a job in a field related to your interests.

To learn more about this challenging career and get into more details about life as an electrical engineer, visit electrical engineering careers.

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Wednesday, December 12, 2007

When Do You Need an Electrician?

Just what do you need an electrician for? Well, most people think that you only need an electrician when you are constructing a new home, but this is simply not the case. In fact, if you have anything in your home that has to do with electricity and it needs repairs, it is far better to call in an electrician and to get them to fix it for you. If you make a mistake while trying to fix your own wiring and the like, such an error can be quite costly to you. Thus, when it comes time to repair or upgrade the wiring in your home, it is time to call an electrician.

Electricians go to school and learn everything they need to so that your wiring is correctly installed in your home. Newer homes must undergo inspection, as do those that have had recent additions. If the wiring is not correctly placed, you can run into increased financial costs to fix errors. This is where relying on a professional to do the work for you comes in handy. If you have a professional that knows all the ins and outs of installing electrical wire and breaker boxes, you are far better off then if you attempt such things on your own.

You can find a professional by using your local yellow pages. Or, if you prefer, you can find a professional that can handle your electrical wiring issues on the Internet. Conversely, you can even find a professional that can help you via word of mouth. Just as long as you realize the importance of hiring a professional in the first place. Don't play fix it yourself if you have no clue as to what you are doing. It can be quite dangerous to install electrical wiring incorrectly.

So just what does an electrician handle? Well, that depends on the type of electrician you have called on! An electrician can work on homes or cars, on electrical wiring or the wiring of security systems. It all depends on what their focus is. An electrician can usually read a blueprint and is often found working on construction sites, the sites of new homes, the sites in which people are making additions to their home and the like.

There are a variety of electrician associations that can help you locate and identify a quality electrician. An electrician is specially licensed to handle whatever area of electrical work they perform. At least, most of them are. Not every electrician requires a license. Nevertheless, when you do hire an electrician you should ask if they have a license and who issued it to them. There is nothing wrong with you checking the credentials of any electrician you are planning on hiring. What the license proves is that they have met the state mandated study hours and curriculum so that they can do the job right for you. You can never be too careful and checking the credentials of anyone you hire is always a prudent move.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Electricians

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Sunday, December 9, 2007

Electrical Engineering Technology

In order to succeed in their jobs, electrical engineers have to be familiar with a variety of electrical engineering technology. To deal with various aspects of electrical engineering technology, electrical engineers must become familiar with various theories of communications, electricity, and electronics. Electrical engineers can use electrical engineering technology to help them develop new systems, test systems, and make older systems more effective and efficient. Electrical engineers learn the drafting, designing, and technical skills that they will need to put their ideas as an electrical engineer into action.

One type of electrical engineering technology that electrical engineers must be very familiar with is the technology of circuits and how they work. In its simplest form, an electrical circuit is a connection of electrical elements that is in a closed loop to allow the current to pass through continuously. Electrical engineers learn how to predict where the current is in the circuit and the voltage that is in the circuit, as well. In today?s world, it is much easier to design circuits than ever before due to newer electrical engineering technology that has software called circuit simulation software, to design the circuits safely and effectively.

Digital and analog electronics is another form of electrical engineering technology that engineers must be well acquainted with to perform their jobs. Both digital and analog electronics are used in computers and phones, however, digital electronics are becoming more widely used as analog electronics is becoming more and more outdated. This form of electrical engineering technology requires that engineers understand Boolean algebra, digital circuits, and how logic gates work. Even those that deal with digital electronics must also understand the electrical engineering technology of analog electronics as well. Digital electronics are usually built with various analog components, so understanding how analog electronics work is essential.

Another type of electrical engineering technology that electrical engineers must be familiar with is opto-electronics. This technology deals with how light interacts with devices that are electric. Various forms of light that may be used to interact with these devices include X-rays, infrared, gamma rays, and ultraviolet rays.

Electronic engineers also have to be familiar with the electrical engineering technology that deals with control systems as well. Control systems are used to control electrical devices as well as regulate and command them. Engineers must know the differences between sequential controls and linear controls and how to properly and effectively use these control systems. This type of electrical engineering technology can be used in a variety of ways from controlling your computer to controlling aspects of a space shuttle.

If electrical engineers are going to be effective in their jobs, they must understand electrical engineering technology and how it works. There are many different technologies that they must use together in their work each day. Because of the knowledge required, becoming an electrical engineer is not for the faint of heart. It takes years of study and work to be able to implement various forms of electrical engineering technology in order to successfully complete electrical engineering jobs.

To learn more about this challenging career and get into more details about life as an electrical engineer, visit electrical engineering technology.

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Electrical Engineers - Engineering At Its Best

In any line nature of work, experience is one of the most valuable assets that you could have especially if you are going to work as electrical engineers. Believe it or not, if you are a top scorer student in college does not mean you will be a good engineer. It is how you work and how you solve a problem related to this field that makes you invaluable.

Some basic job that electrical engineers do everyday include computer science, power, telecommunications, digital electronics, optoelectronics, control systems, analog electronics, and artificial intelligence. There are many different technologies that we depend on that are developed and serviced by this type of job. The technology that brings electricity into our homes and the technology that has developed the global positioning system is what these engineers are working with. Not only do they design these technologies, but they also work to make them better, they test them, and even deploy them, as well.

Before we go into more details related to this job, you need to know that what you learn in college might not be accurate to the actual site working condition. Theoretical understanding is not the only answer when it comes to solving difficulties at site; one thing that fresh graduates fail to understand. This is where only experience can take over/charge to solve any problem that occurs at site.

Electrical engineering is an exciting job and the engineers work on the cutting edge of technology all the time. They are always working to make technology better and are finding ways to improve the technology that already exists as well.

Do engineers work in a nice working office atmosphere?

Some of them work in labs, developing and testing new technologies. Others work in offices dealing with clients and helping them with their technology. Yet others work in industrial plants and help manage the technology that is already in place.

You should understand that electrical engineers is not the same as electronic engineers. While the two may sound the same, there are great differences between the two. An electrical engineer will deal with electricity and electrical things on a large scale, where electronic engineers will deal with smaller electronics such as cell phones and computers and the components that are inside them.

Electrical engineering has a very wide job base and you can choose from any number of jobs. The education in this job prepares them to work in many different related fields. A good advantage of this work is it can provide you with a variety of job opportunities, and most of them will be very different. If you want to pursuit in electrical engineering, you need to remember that the training and the job take a great deal of dedication and hard work.

In conclusion, electrical engineers will have a bright future in his career. The varieties of work for this type of job offers are just endless.

To learn more about this challenging career and get the latest updates about life as an electrical engineer, visit electrical engineers.

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Thursday, December 6, 2007

Electrician and Energy Trades Online

Online Electrician and Energy Trades Schools provide opportunities for study at home, or at the office, or wherever it is convenient for the student. Earning a degree in electrician and energy trades can be done comfortably without hassles of traffic and meeting other's schedules.

Online electrician and energy trades schools offer training through Internet courses for basic information and education in the field, followed by apprenticeships that last three to five years. Before entering into professional practice, electricians are required to pass examinations that prove knowledge and skills of electric and building codes, electrical theory, and the National Electrical Code.

Electrician and energy trades occupations handle electrical system maintenance; heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC) mechanics and installations; power plant facilities construction and maintenance work; gas and oil construction and maintenance work; electrical and electronics installation and repair; home entertainment equipment installation and repair; telephone line installation and repairs; and small and large appliance repair. Electrician and energy trades professionals regularly work 40 hours per week in five 8-hour day shifts, however, night and weekend shifts are fairly common.

Electricians generally specialize in either construction or maintenance of electrical systems, though many do both. Electrician and energy trades specializing in construction install new wiring systems into new buildings, or rewire and upgrade existing electrical systems as needed. Specializations in maintenance deal with upgrading electrical systems and repairing electrical equipment.

If you are interested in learning more about electrician and energy trades schools, please search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Electrician and Energy Trades Online at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

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Monday, December 3, 2007

Electrical Jobs: Electrical Engineer

 

Electricity is ubiquitous from your personal cellular to large transportation systems such as the subway or planes. Since its invention, electricity has made our life much easier and convenient. But electricity would be only an energy source without people creating and maintaining equipments or applications using it. Electrical engineers are the people who create, improve and maintain electronic devices and equipments. Because of the ubiquity of electricity, electrical engineers can be found in any industrial branches of the economy and may work on as many different products as cars, robots, cell phone systems, or lighting and wiring systems in buildings. Indeed, whether you take a look at the personal electronic, plane or automotive industry electrical engineers play a core role designing the circuits and electronics parts, testing designs and improving them.

As the field of work for electrical engineers is wide, there is a common distinction made between an electrical engineer and an electronic engineer. Electrical engineers typically deal with large-scale electrical systems such as power transmission and motor control, whereas electronic engineers typically deal with the study of small-scale electronic systems such as computers and integrated circuits

How to become an electrical engineer? If you want to embrace a career as an electrical engineer, you are generally required to graduate from college in engineering. Just like any other engineering career, you will need to have excellent grade in mathematics and science to study in an engineering schools. Being a science-oriented student is not enough, you will be required to have good skills in English, social studies, and computers. Most recruiters also expect their engineers to be creative, curious, logical, detail-oriented and good team-workers.

In the U.S., there were about 299,000 electrical engineers and electronics engineers in 2004. Most of them worked for companies manufacturing medical device, communications equipment, or electronics. Despite varying greatly from one sector to another, electrical engineers earn in average $67,340. Besides prospects for electrical engineers are very good since jobs are expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2014.

Electric Job can help you find electrical jobs, engineering jobs, and utility jobs and all jobs in the electrical jobs and engineering jobs industry. Electrical jobs, engineering jobs, electrician jobs, lineman jobs, power jobs, energy jobs, utility jobs, careers, and employment search.

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Getting Your Electrician License

One thing you need to know about getting certified and receiving your electrician license is that it’s going to take a lot of hard work on your part. There is quite simply a lot to learn before you could even begin to think about taking the state testing required to receive an electrician license. Whether you take an online course, attend schools, or study by yourself at home, there’s a lot to learn in order to pass the license test.

Here’s an overview of one course that leads to successful licensing. It begins with learning strategies, what type of student you are, and how best to approach the material. It quickly moves into a simple explanation about electricity, house circuits, and electrical distribution. From there it moves on to discuss safety, national electrical codes, federal OSHA requirements, and what to do if you or someone else gets shocked on the job.

After that electrical equipment and supplies are discussed – meters, circuit analyzer tools, conductors, insulators, conduits, resistors, switches, relays, thermostats, remote controls, and fuses.

Once you’re familiar with the tools, basic installation techniques are explored. An interest in math will be very helpful. The math required for high level electrical work can be complex but once you know the formula to solve your problem, it makes things that much easier. And don’t forget the metric system either. Lots of equipment is manufactured in countries where the metric system rules so you have to have a working understanding of the differences.

By the time you completely understand resistance theories, parallel circuits and Ohm’s law you’ll have mastered the basic thinking skills involved with getting your electrician license. From this point forward you’ll have learned enough to take the license test. Courses of study after this can be thought of as graduate courses in that they focus in on specific areas that may not interest you. Right at this point you’ll have the basic knowledge to take the test and if you’ve learned your stuff and studied hard you should have no problem passing the test and receiving your electrician license.

Electricians Info provides detailed information about electrician jobs, schools, training, tools, licenses, and services. Electricians Info is the sister site of Circuit breakers Web.

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Sunday, December 2, 2007

What Does An Electrician Cost?

 

When you need electrical help, an electrician is your best choice. Of course, you have to pay for them, so what kind of expense are you looking at?

There is no definitive guide to the price of electrical work done by a qualified and licensed electrician in the United States. The price of their services and of electrical work in general will vary widely from electrician to electrician. It will also vary from area to area. Competition is generally good for the consumer and shopping around for a good price for your electrical work is going to enable you to find the best price.

Price is only one factor to consider. The importance of quality electrical work demands that you consider skill and experience on at least an equal footing with price. Reputation is important to any tradesmen and there are always ways of determining the reputation of an electrician before you engage his services. It is a good idea to do this before you need to do it. It is much like having a family doctor. A good working relationship with an electrician should be established before an emergency situation arises. This would be even truer with a contractor, of course, but applies to a homeowner as well.

The electrician’s price will usually be broken up between labor and parts much like an auto mechanic. The majority of electrical work is going to require materials. Even troubleshooting jobs will uncover faulty equipment that needs to be replaced. The electrician will often have a mark up on equipment, but also purchases it in bulk and at a discount. Even with a mark up, the cost passed on to the consumer would likely be lower than the cost of purchasing the equipment in advance. Also, when the consumer purchases the equipment himself, he is giving up one of the advantages of the experience of the electrician and risks getting the wrong item for the job.

Labor costs can vary widely from electrician to electrician as well. Larger electrical firms calculate labor charges based on the hourly wages of the electrician. This figure is marked up sufficiently to cover the wages plus the additional costs of an employee. It will also include a profit margin for the electrical company. Individual electricians set their own hourly labor rate based on their experience and the competition in their local area. Often, labor rates will be at a premium for emergency jobs on weekends or after hours. Often there are call out charges for these unusual situations.

There is no doubt that electrical work is not inexpensive. The prices charged by electricians sometimes tend to encourage some to attempt to do jobs themselves. It would be well to consider that the electrician is earning his money for his experience. He has undergone a great deal of training and understands the code requirements of your area. He also understands how to perform his work safely, and to ensure the safety of the work he does. In other words, the electrician’s price is worth it and can be considered money well spent.

Find an electrician at ElectricianCompanies.com.

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