Adam – Electrician

AWIC interviewed different local professionals for an inside look into their work. You can learn more about Electricians (except industrial and power system) (NOC 7241) through a detailed Career Profile.

Adam Chillman is an Construction and Maintenance Electrician with Guzzo Electrical Contracting in Sault Ste. Marie.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I am either heading to our shop to pick up materials to start a new job, or headed straight to the job site to continue working on ongoing projects. Whether it be wiring a new house, a renovation, or an upgrade to existing services.

What was the education and training needed for your job? Any additional training for your current position?

I attended trade school for my apprenticeship 3 different times for basic, intermediate and advanced courses. Each time was 8 to 10 weeks of in school learning. The training was hands on in the field for a total of 9000 apprenticeship hours, approximately 5 years. Additional training includes, WHMIS, working from heights, equipment operator courses for aerial lifts.

Why and when did you choose this career? What have you learned since you started?

I didn’t get into the electrical trade until I was almost 30 years old. I have always done a lot of physically demanding jobs. It has always fascinated me how electricity works, and I have always loved math and physics in school, so I decided to make a late career change into something I could do until I retire. I have learned so much in this trade, also in other trades just by being around them so much. The learning never stops though it’s pretty much daily that you learn something new.

What skills do you have that make you great at your job?

I am a problem solver, I can usually always think of the most logical way to do certain jobs that may be a problem for others. I am super hard working, have a great memory, I enjoy what I do so I am always trying to do the best job possible.

What is the biggest thing you have learned on the job?

The biggest thing I have learned is mostly the thousands of codes we need to know to make sure our job is done right and safe. Also customer satisfaction is very important in our trade.

What is the best part of your job?

The best part is that there is always something different to do. I am not stuck at the same place every day. One day I could be outside changing a mast and meter base for a new service, or wiring a new garage, hooking up a hot tub, lights outside of a hotel building. Its not too often I am at the same job for over a week, the change keeps me interested every day.

What is something challenging about your job?

The most challenging part would be knowing the thousands of code rules and applying them daily to your work to make sure it is done right and safe for the customer.

What advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing the career?

Go for it!! It’s never too late, or early to start. If you like working with your hands, problem solving, constantly learning new things, then this is the career for you!

How would you say COVID-19 has affected your day-today-work? (Job duties, commute, check-in process, etc.)

Our day today is pretty much the same besides wearing masks inside peoples houses. At times it is harder to get specific materials needed for certain jobs.

What has it been like to be an essential worker during a world-wide pandemic?

It was nice knowing that no matter what we where still needed to perform our jobs as electricians.

Have you experienced loss or personal struggles since the beginning of the pandemic? How have you and your co-workers coped with working through the shut-down?

I choose to take the first shut down off work because of uncertainties of what was going to happen. It was hard keeping up with earning half of what I was used to but we got through it. I remained working steady through the other shut downs.

Could you share how being an essential worker during the pandemic has made this more personally fulfilling career?

Well with nobody being able to travel it seemed a lot of people where doing more renovations and building than usual so it was nice being able to accommodate their needs and making their own places somewhere to would love to spend more time.