industrial electrician.

Your level of experience and your qualifications determine how much you will earn as an industrial electrician. Those who are interns or have some type of apprenticeship position have a lower salary because they have little or no experience when entering the role. Once you have worked for a while and gained more experience and knowledge, you have the opportunity to negotiate a better and higher salary. If you work overtime, you will receive extra compensation in the form of an OB allowance, which in turn will increase your salary for the current month.

Sometimes, even the geographical location, where in Sweden you work, can affect how much you earn based on demand and cost of living. Working in a larger city means an increased chance of a higher salary.

An industrial electrician has a detailed list of responsibilities. The role includes, among other things:  

• Installation of new equipment: When a factory, plant, or facility needs a new electrical system, they rely on you as an industrial electrician to install the system and test the wiring to make sure everything works as it should. This applies to both new constructions and older buildings that need renovation.
• Reading instructions and drawings: When installing new systems, you rely on instructions and drawings to achieve the correct specifications. It is also important to have good knowledge of the regulations and rules that apply. You should be an expert when it comes to reading and interpreting instructions and drawings.  
• Troubleshooting equipment: If something goes wrong, it is your responsibility to test the equipment and find the problem. Once you know where the problem is, you repair and test the equipment to ensure that employees can use it again safely.
• Maintenance of equipment: As an industrial electrician, you may be hired to carry out routine inspections of electrical systems. In that case, you inspect the equipment at regular intervals to ensure that everything is safe and working as it should.
• Repair of equipment: sometimes you can manage to repair existing equipment, but there are also times when you need to order new parts. When you are done, you test the equipment and carry out further repairs if it still does not work. 
• Report writing: Most types of facilities have a logbook to keep track of their equipment and to make sure everyone knows how things work. You write detailed reports every time you repair, replace, or install an electrical system. The facility uses these reports when they want to review the equipment’s history or find out about previously reported problems.
• Working with different system components: every system consists of lots of parts, like cables, switches, transformers, and much more. A mistake can be dangerous and involve risk, sometimes even deadly, so you should be an expert in your field.

Working as an industrial electrician can sometimes involve a certain amount of danger. You are often exposed to various wires, cables, and other live parts, where a mistake can lead to serious injuries. Therefore, you should take all available safety precautions. Some industrial electricians work outside in the cold or in really high heat, especially when the power is out and extreme weather conditions can have an impact. Other industrial electricians work indoors in buildings with air conditioning and heating. It also happens that you work at a high altitude if the job is located in a tall building with many floors.

Most industrial electricians work at factories or manufacturing facilities. Who your colleagues are depends on which industry and sector you work in. You will probably work quite a lot with different job roles, for example with engineers. project manager, electrical engineer service engineer, process engineer, mechanical engineer and facility managers. You will also likely have other industrial technicians as colleagues depending on how large the workplace or project is.

Companies cannot know exactly when they might need an industrial electrician. Sometimes they can schedule a repair or installation of equipment well in advance, but if a system suddenly stops working, they need immediate help with repairs. Because of these circumstances, as an industrial electrician you do not only work regular hours, but it can also mean working evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Emergencies that need to be resolved, however, bring higher pay since they usually happen as overtime, outside of regular working hours.

Industrial electricians usually work 40 hours a week, eight hours per day, but maintenance work and repairs may also need to be done in the evenings and on weekends. Some companies may also offer part-time or short-term contracts for industrial electricians, and if you are self-employed your schedule is relatively flexible, allowing you to decide how many assignments you want to take on.

Industrial electricians begin their careers through apprenticeships, which then transition into roles that often involve expertise in specific systems. There is a clear progression, with the three previously mentioned levels, when it comes to advancing within the profession. Highly experienced industrial electricians can also move on to various leadership and management roles. If you choose to specialize, you can, for example, become a maintenance or installation electrician. With additional training, you can also reach various engineering roles. 

There are many advantages to finding an open job as an industrial electrician through Randstad.

• Various development and career opportunities
• An experienced contact person who can help you when needed 
• many job vacancies in your area
• Full-time or part-time work depending on the job/assignment  

Do you want a permanent position as an industrial electrician? A temporary position or substitute job as an industrial electrician is often a good first step towards a permanent job. Every year, several people get a permanent position with employers thanks to a temporary job that has gone through us at Randstad. In addition, many companies recruit their permanent employees directly through Randstad.

You perform physical work that requires a combination of endurance and an eye for detail when you work as an industrial electrician. In addition to lifting heavy objects, you also do a lot of climbing on ladders and scaffolding when you repair, maintain, or inspect equipment. Dexterity helps you handle the delicate aspects of working with electrical systems.

As an industrial electrician, a large part of the job involves paperwork. This includes, for example, writing reports and preparing schedules for the maintenance of different types of equipment. Therefore, it is useful to have strong skills in administration, planning, and organisation.

You should be careful when, in your role as an industrial electrician, you repair different types of equipment. This is important to avoid accidents and workplace injuries. Being careful and staying calm also helps you follow the safety rules.

Som industrielektriker installerar och reparerar du elsystem på fabriker och tillverkningsanläggningar. Du utför även förebyggande underhåll för att förbättra effektiviteten och minska risken för produktionsstopp. 

In some cases, being an industrial electrician is not so simple and there can be quite a few challenges. Education and on-the-job training are required before you can qualify to become an industrial electrician. These requirements help you get into the work and gain the skills needed to handle the job.

An industrial electrician should be flexible and adaptable, as jobs can vary in size and scope. It is also important to be analytical when studying instructions and diagrams for how, for example, wires and cables should be routed. It is also important to be physically resilient, dexterous, and have an eye for detail to be able to perform the work safely. 

It's easy to apply for a job as an industrial electrician. Search among our open jobs in your area. Then submit your CV and your personal letter or apply via LinkedIn. 

If you need help with your job application, you can read all our job tips here! 

Here you can find more information about the role of industrial electrician.