"I am Maintenance Electrician with Chinook School Division. I help ensure the lighting and power needs of students are taken care of to create beneficial learning environment" - Chris.

A Maintenance Electrician works in a variety of settings including factories, hospitals, and other large businesses. They keep the generators, lighting, and electrical systems in working order. Electricians diagnose problems and then repair or replace defective parts.

As a Maintenance Electrician, Chris spends much of his time doing preventive maintenance. He makes periodic inspections of equipment to find defects before costly breakdowns occur. Maintenance electricians work to keep lighting and air-conditioning systems in working order. He works to ensure that the students have a positive, comfortable learning environment.

Maintenance Electricians test equipment and replace circuit breakers and switches. Sometimes they must repair wiring by splicing or by bending and cutting conduit, a type of metal tubing that protects the wire. Maintenance Electricians use wiring diagrams, blueprints, and other building specifications to plan their repair work. They use tools such as screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutters, conduit benders, knives, drills, and meters to test voltage, ohms, and amps.

A Maintenance Electrician needs to act quickly when a breakdown occurs. Chris must be able to tell management whether the problem can be corrected and whether general operations can continue. If regular activities must be stopped, the electrician will have to estimate how long a shutdown will last.