Career Overview
Assemblers and inspectors in this group work for manufacturers of industrial electric motors, transformers, control equipment, railway locomotives, transit vehicles and other heavy electrical equipment and perform a variety of tasks.
People in this occupation:
- Assemble, build, fit, wire and inspect heavy-duty industrial electrical equipment
Job Titles
Duties
Assemblers:
- Assemble and fit metal and other pre-made parts according to blueprints to build heavy-duty electric motors or transformers
- Build supports for heavy-duty electric motors, build transformer cores, assemble windings into cores using overhead cranes and make electrical connections using crimping, brazing and soldering equipment
- Assemble and fit electrical motor or transformer equipment.
- Set up and adjust production machinery and equipment, such as coil winding machines, for the manufacture of heavy-duty electrical equipment
- May perform basic tests on electric motors automation equipment
Electrical fitters and wirers:
- Read engineering drawings, electrical diagrams and blueprints
- Fit electrical control devices into switchboards and panelboards to produce industrial electrical control equipment
- Wire electrical connections for switchboards and panelboards
- Assemble panelboard and switchboard cabinets and install bus bars used to carry heavy electrical current
- May operate metal working equipment to make or modify bus bars
Inspectors:
- Watch production and troubleshoot production problems
- Check final assembly of electric motors, transformers or control equipment for quality control standards
- Collect, record and review inspection results
Special duties
Workers may install or repair electrical wiring, motors and generators. They may also maintain underground power transmission and distribution systems.
Workers in this group may also operate semi-automatic electric arc welding equipment and repair industrial electrical control systems and devices. In addition, people in these occupations may operate metal machining tools to shape metal or use hand and power tools to fabricate wood products.
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
105% Employed Full Time
67%Key aspects of work in this occupation:
- Assemblers and inspectors in this group usually work in an indoor work environment. This work can produce enough noise to cause loss of hearing
- Workers are exposed to electrical circuitry, high tension wires, transformers or other equipment that may be a source of electrical shock. Work may be performed with equipment, machinery or power/hand tools that could cause an injury
Career Pathways
With experience, progression to supervisory positions is possible.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is usually required
- College courses in electricity or electro-technology may be required
- Several years of on-the-job training are usually provided
- Set-up persons, inspectors and leadhands in this unit group may require experience as an assembler, fitter or wirer in the same company
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Academic/Basic Upgrading

Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
105Employment by Region
Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
---|---|---|
Cariboo | 0 | 0.0% |
Kootenay | 0 | 0.0% |
Mainland/Southwest | 85 | 77.3% |
North Coast and Nechako | 0 | 0.0% |
Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
Thompson-Okanagan | 10 | 9.1% |
Vancouver Island/Coast | 0 | 0.0% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
20Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
---|---|---|
Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
Mainland/Southwest | 20 | 1.2% |
North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
Northeast | Not available | Not available |
Thompson-Okanagan | Not available | Not available |
Vancouver Island/Coast | Not available | Not available |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
---|---|
Manufacturing | 10 |
Construction | 10 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.