Flick that Switch!

Our inquiry is about electricity… it is called FLICK THAT SWITCH! Miss Cookson’s Dad came to school on Monday to share information about his job with us – he is an electrician. We came up with questions to ask him, which you can read below. Then we made circuits using wire with alligator clips, batteries, light bulbs and buzzers. We learnt that all the metal parts of the circuit had to be connected to make the circuit complete. We had to be good problem solvers when the light bulbs or buzzers didn’t work. Some of the batteries we had weren’t working, so we checked to see if they were flat with a voltmeter.

Our Interview with Jan the Electrician

When did you start being an electrician?
When I left school, I was 15. I was taught how to be an electrician through an apprenticeship. So I did lots of my learning on the job.

Why did you decide to be an electrician when you were younger?
I liked to fix things and I liked to put them back together. I liked solving problems and making broken things go again! So I thought being an electrician would suit me.

Do you think you will always be an electrician?
I don’t know, I’m always open to new challenges and jobs ideas! I took a break from electrical work for some years and worked as a teacher’s aide and an ambulance officer too.

What do you do in a day at work?
Go into my office and pick a list of jobs that need to be done. This might include checking lifts to make sure they are working properly, getting people out of lifts that are stuck, or fixing broken parts of lifts.

Who is your boss?
An electrician is often his or her own boss, because we go and fix things ourselves. Sometimes electricians work as part of companies though too.

What tools do you use to fix things?
Tape measurer, voltmeter, electric screwdriver, lots of normal screwdrivers, wire strippers… lots of other handy tools. It all gets kept in my tool belt to keep my hands free for when I’m working, especially at the top of ladders.

Are there lots of electricians?
Yes!

What is the best thing about your job?
When people are stuck in a lift I go and let them out! People are always happy to be let out!

How do you get to the wires that are hidden?
The wires get put into walls before the buildings are built. So often, electricians have to work together with builders to organise when the wiring will be done.

What do you do to keep safe?
I wear a hard helmet to keep my head safe. I have steel caps in case something hard falls onto my feet. I have a reflective orange vest to make sure I can be seen at building sights. I wear safety glasses all the time because they are my reading glasses too. Safety gloves and a facemask are always in my toolkit. I have a cell phone in case I need to call emergency services.