Wiremen
Inside Wiremen are commonly known as electricians. An electrician's training in our apprenticeship program consists of 8000 hours of on the job training and 200 hours per year over the five years of apprenticeship of classroom training. This is an earn while you learn program in Washington and Oregon. You start at a wage that is a percentage of the final journeyman wage and work up through steps as you gain experience. Health insurance and retirement benefits are included in the wage package. If you are looking for a challenging career with good pay and great benefits, this could be for you. Check out how to apply today.
While the Outside Lineman works on the distribution network, bringing power from sources of generation to the customers, the Inside Wireman's job is to distribute and connect the customer's electrical equipment to that power source. The Inside Wireman installs and maintains all of the various types of electrical systems found in commercial and industrial facilities. This equipment may be lighting and receptacles, to motors, to heating equipment, to systems that control the operation of all of a facility's energy usage.
The Inside Wireman installs conduit systems that contain the wire from the motor control centers or panelboards to all of the equipment that uses electricity. Those conduits may contain power cables or control cables. Many of the conduit systems are exposed and must be installed to exacting standards using neat and workmanlike craftsmanship.
The work of an Inside Wireman can vary. One day the Inside Wireman could be installing a Fire Alarm System or Security System in a high rise building and the next day he or she could be installing conduit in a ditch on the outside of the building. Inside Wireman also install electrical systems in industrial facilities such as chemical plants, power plants, chip manufacturing facilities and automobile plants. Each type of installation has specific electrical needs and systems to support those needs. While there are many tasks associated with the Inside Wireman classification, the apprenticeship training provides all of the knowledge necessary for an individual to perform these tasks in a professional manner while helping the individual to sharpen his or her skills and abilities to be the best workers in the electrical construction and maintenance industry.
The duties of an Inside Wireman are listed below.
The number next to each duty is the average of the percentage
of journeymen reporting that they perform that task.
| 99% | Installing New Wiring and Repairing Old Wiring |
| 98% | Installing Receptacles, Lighting Systems and Fixtures |
| 97% | Planning and Installing Raceway Systems |
| 94% | Troubleshooting and Repairing Electrical Systems |
| 92% | Planning and Initiating Project |
| 92% | Supervising Journeymen and Apprentices |
| 88% | Establishing Temporary Power During Construction |
| 88% | Establishing Power Distribution within Project |
| 87% | Establishing Grounding System |
| 86% | Installing Service to Buildings and Other Structures |
| 86% | Providing Power and Controls to Motors, HVAC, and Other Equipment |
| 82% | Installing Fire Alarm Systems |
| 71% | Installing and Repairing Traffic Signals, Outdoor Lighting, and Outdoor Power Feeders |
| 67% | Establishing OSHA and Customer Safety Requirements |
| 67% | Installing Instrumentation and Process Control Systems, Including Energy Management Systems |
| 64% | Erecting and Assembling Power Generation Equipment |
| 57% | Installing Security Systems |
| 56% | Installing, Maintaining and Repairing Lightning] Protection Systems |
| 36% | Installing and Repairing Telephone and Data Systems |
Journeymen wiremen use a broad array of tools. We have classified the tools by how frequently you will likely need to use them
| Daily | Hand tools: level, pliers, needle nose
pliers, slip joint pliers, hammer, wire cutters, screw
driver, fish tape, measuring tape, ruler, wrench,
hacksaw, wire stripper, hand bender, ladder,
knife.
Power-assisted tools: hand drill. Meters: voltmeter. |
| Weekly | Hand tools: file, punch, socket set, allen
wrench, keyhole saw, crimping tools, hand drill, vise,
hand reamer, knock out sets, tap and dies.
Power-assisted tools: electric screw gun, hydraulic bender, power cutting and threading machine, electric roto hammer drill. Meters: ammeter. |
| Monthly | Hand tools: plumb bob, fuse pullers,
clamps, pipe wrench, hoist, cum-a-long.
Power-assisted tools: electric saber saw, wire tugger. |
| Occasionally | Hand tools: torque wrench, architect
scale, handsaw, wood chisel, shovel, transit, block and
tackle, adapter cables, caliper, tamp tool.
Power-assisted tools: soldering iron, drill press, gas-operated auger, air hammer, coring machine to drill through concrete, roto stripper, water pump, fiber optic fusion splicer. Meters: oscilloscope, wattmeter, optical power meter, MEGGER, dielectric test set to hipot cable, dynamometer, optical time-domain reflectometers. Heavy equipment: trencher, electric lift, bucket truck, crane, power borer, derrick, auger, dozer, back hoe, caterpillar. |