Th e industry needs to promote itself

Luke Wichard, My Trusted Electrician

Could do better

Th e electrical industry needs to do more to attract, retain and develop staff if it is to address the talent shortage many fi rms are currently experiencing, says Ken Kerr

There is huge demand for skilled electricians but often not enough people to meet this. The main reason behind the shortage of electricians is the decline in the number of electrical apprentices entering this fi eld – meaning there are not enough new recruits lined up to replace retiring electricians.

Companies in the industry need to do more to promote the benefi ts of becoming an electrician, starting by going into secondary schools and speaking to 13-to-14-year-olds to off er work experience. This is the best way to promote the reality of working in the industry and make sure it’s an attractive alternative to a university degree when school fi nishes. Subjects chosen during the fi nal school years can then be geared towards starting a career in the trade. With an electrical trade you can start earning a wage straight away, while gaining valuable industry knowledge and hands-on experience.

In the UK, fewer than 1% of electricians are female. It’s a dismal fi gure, and it’s not just the electrical industry that has this issue. The inclusion of women can bring a change of culture and a more professional work environment, leading to better productivity as people are happier at work. There are also practical situations that arise on a regular basis where having more women would be useful – for example a national health club provider with female changing rooms that requires maintenance during operating hours.

All this raises the question: just who is responsible for continual personal development? It’s sorely lacking in the industry, making many active electricians feel neglected. An interesting observation from our data is that only 12 out of 1,000 electricians who signed up with us during 2019 have a valid fi rst aid certifi cate. Who is responsible for this? The individual? The contractor? The agency? The answer is we’re all responsible for promoting good practice and investing in people, whether it’s people taking their fi rst steps in the industry or those looking to develop their career.

Ken Kerr is technical manager at Sparky Hire

IN FOCUS / LUKE WICHARD

How did you get into the industry? I’ve always loved electrics. I went to college, did an apprenticeship for four years, and then joined another company. I started doing private work and decided to give it a go on my own back in 2010.

What work do you take on? I started off doing lighting design, but it was a bit big to do as a one-man band. Now I mainly do domestic and small commercial work.

Whereabouts do you cover? I’m based in Carshalton and cover that and surrounding areas.

As ‘My Trusted Electrician’, you make YouTube videos about your work. How has that helped? I use it almost as a testimonial – you can’t fake a video of yourself doing a job.

Does anyone help you? It’s just me, and my wife does one day a week. I’m thinking about taking on a large contract which might mean I need an engineer.

What’s the hardest bit about working for yourself? Wearing all the hats!

What are your plans for the next couple of years? I’d like to move into commercial, go back to lighting design and get involved in smart homes.

Will you be going away this summer? This year I’m dedicating to work.

What do you get up to outside work? Mainly YouTube. People don’t realise how long it takes to create a 20-minute video.

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