skills an electrical improver needs

duck178 · Jun 3, 2025

Hi all,

I am currently in the middle of completing my electrical installation course and I want to work in the field to gain some experience. Unfortunately, my experience in electrical works is very limited, what sort of skills would I need?

I know that learning how to do containment and trunking is key, where do I learn how to do them? my course providers are private and they do not teach these skills. I don't know any electricians who would help me too.

Are there courses where training centres teach people these skills only?

PS Electrics · Jun 4, 2025

duck178 said:
Hi all,

I am currently in the middle of completing my electrical installation course and I want to work in the field to gain some experience. Unfortunately, my experience in electrical works is very limited, what sort of skills would I need?

That is hard to answer. Depends on a lot of factors. If you work for a large outfit you often specialise. In smaller places that becomes a lot more difficult and you would need to be more of an all rounder. If a sole trader well you have to be able to do it all!

To give an example I am rubbish at MICC though know how to do it and could do it. However on a large firm generally if you are good at a particular thing you are normally the one to be put on such jobs.

Another example only certain electricians would be put on surface conduit jobs because they were good at it. Of course that doesn't always work out that way and you have to be prepared to be able to do stuff you aren't particularly great at and it may take you a bit longer than those that it comes natural to.

duck178 said:
I know that learning how to do containment and trunking is key, where do I learn how to do them? my course providers are private and they do not teach these skills. I don't know any electricians who would help me too.

Trunking/Tray you could practise yourself easily enough not much tools or equipment required. Conduit is a little bit trickier because you need the bender. If you have transport consider getting a second hand one.

I appreciate you might not have the setup to do the above but if you do it certainly is an option.

Honestly there are quality videos out there you can learn from. efixx did a good one on conduit bending.

duck178 said:
Are there courses where training centres teach people these skills only?

You are on a difficult route into the industry if you are doing only theory based learning and exams.

duck178 · Jun 24, 2025

thank you so much for the detailed input.

other than trunking, containment, etc, what other skills would be expected of an electricians mate?

installing sockets, lighting etc are pretty much things anyone can do.

I see job adverts where it says "cable pulling", i'm not exactly sure what they mean by this? pulling out old cables? rewiring?

DrumUp · Jun 29, 2025

duck178 said:
thank you so much for the detailed input.

other than trunking, containment, etc, what other skills would be expected of an electricians mate?

installing sockets, lighting etc are pretty much things anyone can do.

I see job adverts where it says "cable pulling", i'm not exactly sure what they mean by this? pulling out old cables? rewiring?

pulling new cables, I think it is the most entry level job, although some knowledge and skills required: not to pull to strong, to pull in sections, bend radius, labeling, tools.

I am electrical trainee to be myself but I was network cable puller before.

Anyway I'm in the same boat as you. I have completed L2, finished telecom overseas and look for opportunity to do stuff. Problem is that whether the improves or mates, firms look only highly qualified ones [at least in internet ads]

EricMark · Jun 30, 2025

An electrician cover a massive range, and we tend to specialise. Even within a specialisation, we can go further. When I worked in manufacturing, the PLC was king, often the first tool out of the bag was the laptop. Where with installation often what it looked like was important, not marking a gland, and when I went to collage they were using what I would consider DIY methods, bending trunking by cutting it, where on site we had special rollers to get the curve we wanted.

As to inverter motor control, each one is different, you simply have to read the instructions which came with it.

As to design, not sure if that is an electricians job? I have done it, but a lot is down to cost, writing a PLC program and using one of the two wire control systems like ASii it is far faster to install as using the old massive control cabinet.

As a rule of thumb, we would consider if a process needs 4 timers or more, then better to fit a PLC. This is in a way now also impacting the domestic installation, which is the cheapest, run three core and earth for two-way switching, or use a smart switch?

There is also what if. If the user changes a router, how much work is involved re-programming all the devices?

I have never, except in collage, made off a mineral insulated cable. And I have 73 turns to the coil, but SWA made off glands up to 240 mm sq. My title has changed, job to job, TBM electrician, installation electrician, maintenance electrician, and I have had jobs where the range of skills is limited, one all I worked on was submersible pumps, and we all get caught out. I used to look after the site generators, and remember one time when they failed, running to the generator shed to see 4 other electricians looking at them, with not a clue how to put them online, it was one of the skills I learnt, never to use again, like many others, stress relief for example, not sure why that was an electricians job.

duck178 · Jul 3, 2025

DrumUp said:
pulling new cables, I think it is the most entry level job, although some knowledge and skills required: not to pull to strong, to pull in sections, bend radius, labeling, tools.

I am electrical trainee to be myself but I was network cable puller before.

Anyway I'm in the same boat as you. I have completed L2, finished telecom overseas and look for opportunity to do stuff. Problem is that whether the improves or mates, firms look only highly qualified ones [at least in internet ads]

I'm just gonna jump in cold water and see what I can expect. Got no choice. Best of luck brother