Electrical mechanics
Career Overview
People in this occupation:
- Maintain, test, rebuild and repair electric motors, transformers, switchgear and other electrical apparatus
- Work for independent electrical repair shops, service shops of electrical equipment manufacturers and maintenance departments of manufacturing companies
Job Titles
Duties
Electrical mechanics:
- Test and observe electrical, electronic and mechanical components and systems using testing and measuring instruments
- Troubleshoot and repair electric motors, transformers, switchgear, generators and other electro-mechanical equipment
- Replace or recondition shafts, bearings, commutators and other components
- Wind, assemble and install various types of coils for electric motors or transformer
- Do static or dynamic balancing of armatures or rotors by welding, brazing or soldering electrical connections and by aligning and adjusting parts
- Test and repair or replace faulty wiring or components in electrical switchgear
- Test repaired motors, transformers, switchgear or other electrical apparatus to make sure they run properly
- Do some machining to recondition or modify shafts, commutators or other parts
- Do on-site servicing and repair
Special duties
Electrical mechanics may specialize in working with certain types of apparatus, such as electric motors or transformers, or in certain functions, such as winding coils.
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
330% Employed Full Time
82%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in a controlled indoor environment
- Working with equipment, machinery or power/hand tools may be a source of injury
- Exposure to electrical circuitry, high tension wires, transformers or other equipment may be a source of electrical shock
- Exposure to fire, to emissions of steam or to intensely hot surfaces may also cause injury
- The workplace may be noisy enough to cause marked distraction or possible loss of hearing
Career Pathways
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Red Seal trade certification allows for movement between provinces.
Although specialization may occur, workers in this group are expected to be capable of repairing all electrical apparatus.
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
- Completion of a four-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some college or industry courses in electrical mechanics is usually required for trade certification
- Trade certification as an electric motor system technician is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Nunavut
- Electrical motor and equipment repairer – winding trade certification is available, but voluntary in Quebec
- Electrical motor system technician (electrical utility) trade certification is available, but voluntary in New Brunswick
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified electric motor system technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination
Trades training resources
Visit our trades training page at www.workbc.ca/trades to learn about apprenticeship and trades training in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
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!
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Determining the kinds of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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.
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
330Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 35 | 10.4% |
| Kootenay | 10 | 3.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 200 | 59.7% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 55 | 16.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 25 | 7.5% |
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)
140Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 10 | 0.2% |
| Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
| Mainland/Southwest | 100 | 1.6% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 20 | 0.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 10 | 0.1% |
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) |
|---|---|
| Utilities | 50 |
| Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services | 40 |
| Construction | 20 |
| Wholesale Trade | 10 |
| Manufacturing | 10 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
