Electrical Apprentice job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

O*NET occupation

Helpers--Electricians

O*NET-SOC 47-3013.00

Preparation

Job Zone 1-2 of 5

very little to some preparation

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$42,670

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Helpers--Electricians (O*NET-SOC 47-3013.00). O*NET 31.0 lists “Electrical Apprentice” as a job title for this occupation only (evidence: O*NET's Sample of Reported Titles (titles job holders report) and O*NET job-incumbent data). Figures on this page are for that occupation. TryHired has no separate career page for this title yet.

1. Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire stripping pliers, and attach wires to terminals for subsequent soldering. importance 4.4 of 5
2. Trace out short circuits in wiring, using test meter. importance 4.2 of 5
3. Measure, cut, and bend wire and conduit, using measuring instruments and hand tools. importance 4.2 of 5
4. Examine electrical units for loose connections and broken insulation and tighten connections, using hand tools. importance 4.2 of 5
5. Maintain tools, vehicles, and equipment and keep parts and supplies in order. importance 4.1 of 5
6. Drill holes and pull or push wiring through openings, using hand and power tools. importance 4.1 of 5
7. Clean work area and wash parts. importance 4.1 of 5
8. Perform semi-skilled and unskilled laboring duties related to the installation, maintenance and repair of a wide variety of electrical systems and equipment. importance 4.1 of 5
9. Thread conduit ends, connect couplings, and fabricate and secure conduit support brackets, using hand tools. importance 4.0 of 5
10. Disassemble defective electrical equipment, replace defective or worn parts, and reassemble equipment, using hand tools. importance 4.0 of 5
11. Construct controllers and panels, using power drills, drill presses, taps, saws, and punches. importance 3.9 of 5
12. Transport tools, materials, equipment, and supplies to work site by hand, handtruck, or heavy, motorized truck. importance 3.9 of 5
13. String transmission lines or cables through ducts or conduits, under the ground, through equipment, or to towers. importance 3.8 of 5
14. Install copper-clad ground rods, using a manual post driver. importance 3.8 of 5
15. Dig trenches or holes for installation of conduit or supports. importance 3.7 of 5
16. Raise, lower, or position equipment, tools, and materials, using hoist, hand line, or block and tackle. importance 3.4 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Performing General Physical Activities, Processing Information and Getting Information.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Trim trees and clear undergrowth along right-of-way.
• Requisition materials, using warehouse requisition or release forms.
• Solder electrical connections, using soldering iron.
• Paint a variety of objects related to electrical functions.
• Break up concrete, using airhammer, to facilitate installation, construction, or repair of equipment.
• Operate heavy equipment, such as backhoes.

Knowledge areas: Building and Construction, Mechanical, Public Safety and Security, Design and Customer and Personal Service.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Computer-aided drafting or design software, Recordkeeping software, Report generation software. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2 of 5 (very little to some preparation). Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

Most electrical apprentices surveyed by O*NET (71%) name a high school diploma or equivalent as the education the job requires.

Job title: Electrical Apprentice
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring an Electrical Apprentice to help electricians by performing duties requiring less skill.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire stripping pliers, and attach wires to terminals for subsequent soldering.
- Trace out short circuits in wiring, using test meter.
- Measure, cut, and bend wire and conduit, using measuring instruments and hand tools.
- Examine electrical units for loose connections and broken insulation and tighten connections, using hand tools.
- Maintain tools, vehicles, and equipment and keep parts and supplies in order.
- Drill holes and pull or push wiring through openings, using hand and power tools.
- Clean work area and wash parts.
- Perform semi-skilled and unskilled laboring duties related to the installation, maintenance and repair of a wide variety of electrical systems and equipment.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in active listening, speaking and critical thinking
- Working knowledge of Building and Construction and Mechanical
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Office software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

For Helpers--Electricians, the median annual wage was $42,670 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $20.51. BLS estimates about 63,630 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Helpers--Electricians to grow 0.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,100 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

• Read a real electrical apprentice posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire stripping pliers, and…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only electrical apprentice work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (active listening and speaking): a real situation, what you did and what changed.