We love talking shop. In our line of work, there’s always much to discuss in terms of what we do and how we do it. It’s a trade that needs to evolve with the modern world—what was standard practice and technically advanced not that long ago is basically obsolete for electricians today. If you think of how much the world has changed to becoming digitized and electricity-dependent, then you get a better idea of how electricians are expected to stay current (ha!).
One of the most interesting ways that the role of electricians has changed over the past couple of decades is our involvement in the design process. In the past, each trade oversaw its own realm. HVAC technicians did their job, as did plumbers, and so on.
These days, however, everything is interconnected and linked, and all rely on the electrical work to function. Information sharing between systems has shifted an electrician’s role from being a separate buyer and installer to being a specifier and designer for a project.
It’s an exciting time to be an electrician! And all the changes mean that there are increasingly more ways for an electrician to specialize in the field.
Electricians are called upon to design, install, maintain and troubleshoot electrical wiring systems. As tradespeople, they are separated into two general categories: inside wiremen or outside linemen (or wirepeople and linepeople… it’s worth noting that there are more female electricians than ever before!).
Outside linemen are the people you see climbing up telephone poles and enduring the weather in order to troubleshoot or install the electrical wiring that reaches your home. They are heavily trained in safety measures and need to be physically fit in order to do their jobs. They are sometimes sent into the bush to work on power lines that connect remote power stations, and they work with transformers and transmission lines. It can be physically demanding and exciting work.
Inside wiremen work are electricians that work on the electrical systems in buildings. In a new build, they might help design and install the electrical wiring, or will replace old systems during renovations or building updates.
Further from here, electricians can start to specialize into subcategories. An electrician can either choose to specialize in a certain industry like marine, air, research, renewables, etc. Or they can specialize in the type of service they offer, like troubleshooting, construction (laying wiring for new buildings), or maintenance.
At BPM Electric, we genuinely love what we do, and we are always looking for ways to improve, branch out, and offer more services. We offer both home and commercial electrical services. How do these differ?
Home services include:
- Lighting installation
- Electrical panel repairs, installs or maintenance
- Electrical sub panel install, repairs or maintenance
- Home wiring or rewiring
Commercial services include:
- Code updates
- Electrical system upgrades
- Lighting maintenance and design
- Troubleshooting
- Landscape and security lighting
- Energy-saving solutions
We have a wide customer base over the Lower Mainland and we try to cover all the bases.
We’ve been in this business for 30 years and have seen a lot of changes. Things have become more sophisticated, energy efficient, interdependent, and exciting! There is always something new to learn and we love seeing the enthusiasm and knowledge new apprentices bring into the fold. Every day brings something new and it’s thrilling to be part of this noble and important trade. In fact, it’s downright electrifying!
