State of Service: Insights about Indian Electricians

Electricity is the lifeblood of all the infrastructure in India, without it millions of homes, businesses, and industries would be severely affected across the country. With this high usage of electricity think of all the maintenance, repair, and installation the electrical equipment would need. All of this screams Electrician!

The Current Scenario

Market and Growth

It is hard to get accurate numbers when the majority of the electricians in India are off the radar. This is not because they want to be secretive, it is because they lack certifications, a result of them learning the skills of their trade by working under other electricians.

The market is huge, and the growth is steady. With increasing urbanization, income, access to new tech, and the allure of smart homes there is no drought of demand for Electricians in the market.

Electricians are required in both government and private sectors, the place where they can work is decided by their certifications. A significant chunk of the industry is composed of unorganized electricians. This is almost entirely a male-dominated industry.

Skill Issues

As mentioned earlier, a majority of the existing electricians have no formal training or certifications. Because of this, some lack relevant skills, but the major concern is quality and safety. Without formal training, the concept of personal safety is almost entirely ignored, and then there’s the issue of client safety, because of bad practices the electricians could cause a safety hazard not only for themselves but also for people in their surroundings.

Disconnect with Technology

Missing out on formal training has severely limited electricians from effectively utilizing all the modern technology. They still use outdated equipment and methods even when there are better ways to do what they are doing, just because they are unaware of them. This causes them to miss out cashing on technology like Smart Homes. Because of this the unorganized sector is mostly alien to all the latest technology, which allows new-age entrepreneurs to sneak in and capitalize on the lack of competition.

The Way Forward

Skilling and Certification

Upskilling and obtaining relevant certifications will open doors to new opportunities. There are various training programs made available by the government to help with skill development. While there are plenty of degrees that can be pursued to become a specialized electrician, an ITI course is sufficient to become a basic electrician. But to obtain certification they must complete an apprenticeship and apply for a license from their state government.

Public Awareness

People in general are becoming more aware, thanks to the huge amount of information available to them through the internet. There will come days when they won’t accept uncertified electricians, if the present electricians don’t adapt to the market by then, their market will shrink by a huge margin. To save money, more and more homeowners might start trying DIY fixes for minor issues.

Adopting Technology

This goes without saying, before big players capture the entire market, electricians can spend some time learning about technology like IoT, and other smart home technologies. The demand for them will slowly increase, and being equipped with knowledge about them will certainly put the electrician in an advantageous position. But that is not the end of it, with time, newer technology will keep popping up, and the electrician should be able to decide what to bet on and learn to adapt rapidly.

Between the government trying to achieve 100% household electrification and the rising demand for smart home technology, electricians are in a pretty sweet spot, provided they skill up and stay relevant to the age.