Report Highlights Jobs Electricians Prefer

For some retailers, professional electricians make up a good portion of their customer base.

A new survey from Klein Tools show why those tradesman enter or leave the field and what type of work they prefer. Klein Tools 2015 State of the Industry study shows that 42 percent of electricians entered the field because they thought it offered long-term security. Another 35 percent say they believed it would be a skill that would always be in demand.

If job security topped the list as to why they entered the field, then lack of job security was also a reason to leave the field and look for other work. Those leaving the field often go into professional specialties, such as computing or engineering, or professional trades such as installers or technicians.

Electricians also prefer to work on larger industrial projects. Fifty-six percent of electricians prefer to work on industrial and utility projects. Many of them, 37 percent, prefer new home construction, but those with 20-years of experience or more are less likely to prefer new home construction.

“The preference in industrial jobs over home construction stems from perceived job security,” says Mark Klein, president of Klein Tools. “Electricians want projects that guarantee long spans of continuous work and increased opportunity for referral and additional contracting.”

But the upward turn in the economy and housing sales increase may again to favor home construction projects in the future.