Highway Electrical Maintenance and Installation Operative
Careers Explorer:
Installing and servicing electrical support structures, equipment and systems on roads and motorways.
Overview
As a Highway Electrical Maintenance and Installation Operative, you’ll install and service electrical support structures, equipment and systems on our roads and motorways.
You’re a multi-skilled professional who is able to carry out both the installation of equipment, such as street lighting columns and traffic signal poles, and the maintenance of that equipment, including correcting faults when equipment is non-operational and changing lamps upon or close to failure.
There are many sub-sectors within highways electrics, including street lighting, traffic signals, safety cameras and highway communications, and each uses different equipment and processes, so you’ll choose one of these depending on the specialism of your employer.
Top 5 Tasks
- Install equipment (e.g. street lighting columns, traffic signal poles)
- Maintain that equipment (e.g. correcting faults)
- Carry out first line emergency attendance and emergency work
- Maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, managers and members of the public whilst carrying out the works
- Work in small teams or on your own.
Salary
Typically, an electrician starting out will earn around £20,000 and those at a more experienced or senior level will earn much more, approximately £42,000. Salaries typically range depending on location, employer and overtime.
Am I Suited?
- Problem solver
- Hands-on
- Self-motivator
- Science geek
- Technically-minded
The UK has a road network totalling about 262,300 miles (422,100 km) of paved roads.
Qualifications
There are no specific entry requirements, but GCSEs at 4 (C) or above are useful to have, with a science subject.
You can take a Level 2 and 3 Diploma in Electrical Installation, which may help you to find a trainee position with a company.
