Career Options
ElectricianAs a third-generation electrician, Sean Smith grew up with a respect for the trade. He values apprenticeship training that allows those entering a trade to learn their skills by working alongside experienced journeymen and a union that helps keep him safe on the job. LINDA WHITE |
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 [ 2005-12-14 ] |
"It's a great responsibility to train someone else for this trade. It's your mentoring system, really. The union is really a community. It hosts various functions a year, so families of all the electricians can get together. That's one thing that is extra important to me," says Smith, the father of a young son.
"It's not just about coming to work everyday. You're never alone. Help is always right around the corner," says Smith, a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 353 Ontario.
He spent his summers working in the trade while attending university. "My dad, uncles and grandfather all worked in the trade. The union extended opportunities for students to work in the summer as long as no electricians were out of work. I got a flavour for the kind of work involved before I started my apprenticeship and decided it was the path I would follow."
Smith worked part time in the trade while completing a university degree in theology, earning hours toward his journeyperson certification as a construction and maintenance electrician.
"I completed my apprenticeship with McDowell Electric and was all over the place," he says. "I worked at the CN Tower and SkyDome and on other industrial and commercial projects."
He appreciates the opportunities working as an electrician offers. "It's a very versatile field. There's a lot of math, theory and physics. There are lots of opportunities for people with different strengths to excel."
An employee of McDowell Electric, Smith is working at Schenectady Canada's chemical plant in Scarborough. "My tasks could be as simple as changing a light bulb or as involved as the installation of parallel heating cable with automated temperature control," he explains.
"Often, my task is to troubleshoot equipment such as motor control and power factor correction circuits to find out why the motor or capacitor is not functioning properly. That can be like trying to find loose change in your couch after your kids have overturned the cushions. That can be a little more complex."
Working with explosive materials underscores the importance of safety. "The union offers extensive safety training on things like how to use a safety harness properly and how to maintain it. Because I work at a chemical plant, I have extra personal protective equipment," Smith says.
"My employer also has regular safety meetings and we follow a lot of safety precautions.
"It's important to realize what the dangers are -- not just to walk away from training aware of those dangers, but to create a plan of attack. In this trade, there's not a lot of room for error. We're dealing with higher voltages and higher currents," Smith says. "It's about minimizing the danger, not only for yourself, but for your customer and the community."
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PROFILE
Name: Sean Smith
Occupation: Electrician
Training: Apprenticeship with McDowell Electric
QUICK FACTS
Sean Smith's responsibilities include preparing, installing, maintaining, testing, troubleshooting and repairing industrial equipment and associated electrical and electronic controls.
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