How to become an Industrial Electrician
Installs, services, maintains and repairs intricate and complex electrical and electronic circuitry in industrial settings, including oil or gas installations, mine sites and processing plants.
Main tasks
- Installs, connects and maintains electrical control systems in industrial facilities
- Diagnoses, fault finds and repairs industrial electrical systems
- Performs service and maintenance on electrical systems and equipment in industrial facilities for compliance with safety standards and regulations
- Interprets and uses technical drawings, circuit wiring and mechanical diagrams, equipment and cable/connection schedules and manuals to undertake electrical wiring work in industrial settings
- Collaborates with engineers and other professionals to plan and execute industrial electrical projects
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Certificate III in Engineering - Industrial Electrician. Trade occupations are usually entered through an apprenticeship: paid work plus this qualification, typically 3 to 4 years.
- TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Engineering - Industrial Electrician (MEM31219); Advanced Diploma of Electrical Engineering - Coal Mining (UEE62320); Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology - Electrical (UEE62122); Certificate IV in Electrical - Instrumentation (UEE40420); Certificate IV in Electrical - Renewable Energy (UEE43322); Certificate IV in Electrotechnology - Electrical Contracting (UEE42120); Certificate IV in Electrotechnology - Systems Electrician (UEE40620); Certificate IV in Hazardous areas - Electrical (UEE42622)
- Licence or registration: Registration or licensing is required.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $113,932 a year
- About 194,900 people work in this job group now, and about 218,300 are projected by 2035. (+12%)
- AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
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Questions people ask
How do I become an Industrial Electrician?
Ways in include: Certificate III in Engineering - Industrial Electrician; Advanced Diploma of Electrical Engineering - Coal Mining; Certificate III in Engineering - Industrial Electrician.
How much does an Industrial Electrician earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $113,932 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is an Industrial Electrician a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 12% by 2035, from about 194,900 to about 218,300 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become an Industrial Electrician?
Usually not. Only 3% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Engineering - Industrial Electrician; Advanced Diploma of Electrical Engineering - Coal Mining; Certificate III in Engineering - Industrial Electrician.
Will AI change the work of an Industrial Electrician?
AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04