The demand for skilled electricians in America is on the rise.

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that electricians will experience a 6% annual growth rate in employment, which is double the rate of all other occupations, resulting in approximately 73,500 job openings each year.
• Each year, more electricians retire or leave the job than enter the profession, prompting labor unions and non-union organizations to intensify their recruiting efforts and begin promoting career messaging to middle school students.
• A four-year paid apprenticeship under a licensed electrician, funded by industry groups, is typically required to become a journeyman electrician, along with a high school diploma or GED.

The need for electricity to power various aspects of daily life continues to increase, but the number of electricians available to install and manage electrical systems is decreasing.

The labor market conundrum poses a threat to the transition to renewable energy, which is vital for achieving climate goals and reducing carbon emissions, as well as other industries where power demand is high, such as cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence. This presents a golden opportunity for tens of thousands of workers to enter a stable profession, with numerous open positions in the years to come and competitive salaries.

"The electrification industry is thriving and will remain in high demand for a prolonged period, according to David Long, CEO of the National Electrical Contractors Association, which represents approximately 4,000 companies that hire members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union. "Every facet of American life will be affected by the work of electricians.""

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the employment of electricians will increase by 6% annually until 2032, which is twice the rate of all other occupations. This will result in approximately 73,500 job openings each year. As of 2022, there were 762,600 licensed electricians in the U.S., with a median salary of $61,590 per year. The highest 10% of electricians earned more than $104,000.

Despite the fact that approximately 10,000 electricians retire or switch careers annually, only around 7,000 new ones enter the field. This shortage causes homeowners to complain about the lengthy time it takes to find an electrician for wiring projects, while various industries, including construction, manufacturing, renewable energy, technology, and utilities, face project delays and higher labor costs.

Experts suggest that the division between unionized and independent electricians is roughly equal, but this can vary depending on factors such as geography and job description. In some areas, unionized electricians are more common, particularly in urban settings and on public works projects, while non-union electricians may be more prevalent in other regions, particularly in right-to-work states.

Electricians working under the IBEW union earn an average annual salary of $82,664, while non-union electricians earn an average of $56,180. According to Indeed, there are nine different job categories for electricians with varying annual salaries, ranging from $54,000 for a residential electrician to $82,500 for a master electrician. These salaries do not include benefits such as health care insurance and paid time off.

To address the shortage of electricians, multiple strategies are being employed. The IBEW and Independent Electrical Contractors are expanding their recruitment efforts to attract a more diverse workforce, particularly women and minorities, to their apprenticeship programs. Additionally, they are reskilling existing electricians to work in emerging sectors, such as wind and solar energy, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency data centers.

The IBEW is actively recruiting in high schools and middle schools, passing out flyers in neighborhoods and at job sites. The union has also expanded its marketing reach by placing ads on social media platforms, particularly in areas where there is a shortage of electricians. Additionally, the IBEW is targeting military veterans transitioning to civilian life.

"Thayer Long, executive director of the IEC, stated that our apprenticeship program will experience a 15% increase from the previous year due to the significant influx of individuals entering our industry."

A shift in messaging about trades, college degree

Historically, apprenticeships have been viewed as a prerequisite for becoming a journeyman electrician, with high school students often considering the skilled trades as a lesser alternative to college. However, this perception is shifting, as evidenced by the changing attitudes of students, parents, and educators towards the skilled trades, including electricians, plumbers, welders, HVAC installers, and construction workers.

"The traditional four-year college pathway is no longer the only option for career advancement, as a new generation is looking beyond high school and considering alternative paths such as the trades."

High school guidance counselors, such as Steve Schneider, who has been advising students for 28 years at Sheboygan South High School in Wisconsin, have observed that college for all was an easy approach when they first started in 1996. However, they noted that the skilled trades were available but not promoted.

Sheboygan South High School shifted its counseling services to emphasize trades training 12 years ago, according to Schneider. He and his colleagues collaborated with local manufacturers, including Kohler, American Orthodontics, and Rockline Industries, which hire skilled tradespeople. In partnership with Inspire Wisconsin, a statewide career-development organization, they established a nine-week, paid co-op program. This program provides high school students with hands-on training alongside workers from local companies, introducing them to skilled trades and other occupations, which can lead to an apprenticeship after graduation. Schneider described the program as "job shadowing on steroids."

What it takes to become an electrician

To become a union or non-union journeyman electrician, one usually needs a high school diploma or GED and completes a four-year apprenticeship that involves 8,000 hours of paid, on-the-job training under a licensed electrician, along with some classroom instruction. Both the IBEW and IEC cover the training costs, leaving apprentices almost debt-free upon completion.

The Electrical Training Alliance, a nationwide apprenticeship and training program, is jointly run by the IBEW and NECA. With nearly 300 training centers across America, the program has about 55,000 apprentices currently enrolled. "Our national curriculum is approved by the Department of Labor, so essentially someone who graduates can work in any one of the 50 states," said NECA's David Long.

The IEC's 70 training centers across the country offer tuition-free apprenticeships and a similar curriculum to the one provided by the organization. Thayer Long, the spokesperson for the IEC, stated that their training is very technical and hands-on, but they are now incorporating more hybrid learning environments, including online classes and the use of augmented- and virtual-reality tools. This is in response to the expectations of the new generation of electricians, who are digital natives and require training on their terms.

In addition to universities, community colleges, and technical schools, there are programs that prepare individuals for a career in electrician work. These programs include pre-apprenticeships, short-term training that leads to an apprenticeship, as well as associates and bachelor degrees that may be necessary for advanced technician and managerial positions.

The Los Angeles Trade-Technical College provides various electrician classroom-instruction programs. According to Bill Elarton-Selig, chair of the school's Construction, Maintenance and Utilities pathway, the school offers training but not work experience. LATTC connects its students and graduates to apprenticeships or employers who hire them. Out of LATTC's 12,000 students, 4,600 are currently enrolled in electrician training, and tuition is approximately $1,000 per year.

The College of Professional Studies at Syracuse University has established a consortium that integrates academic, skills training, and partnership programs in cooperation with the local business community, trade unions, high schools, community colleges, and other four-year institutions to prepare the workforce for the future.

The IBEW's Local 43 chapter is a pathway for electricians seeking academic degrees and current workers looking to upskill or reskill for new jobs. The union anticipates a hiring boom related to 's 20-year, $100 billion project to build four semiconductor factories in nearby Clay, New York, announced in 2022. This has spurred interest in the profession, said Alan Marzullo, business manager and financial secretary for Local 43, "and we're going to scale up to meet that demand."

Marzullo stated that construction will begin next year, with the first two fabrication plants expected to come online by 2029. This job alone will require 2,500 electricians.

"NECA's Long stated that the electrification of America presents a generational career opportunity. He emphasized the need to upgrade the nation's electrical grid, power data centers, build EV chargers, tighten cybersecurity, and expand internet broadband service. According to Long, the electrical industry must increase energy-producing capacity to deliver all these things."