There are many reasons a person with electrical qualifications may be looking for work. One of the options for electricians considering a career change is employment in the electrical supply industry (ESI). For many, electrical agency work is a way to get their foot in the door and build a rewarding career. Here’s everything you need to know.
Electrical agency work – what is it?
Electrical agency work involves short- or long-term placements with employers, often referred to as electrical labour hire. The difference is that the electrical labour hire company employs you, rather than the host employer you perform duties for daily.
Let’s say you’re a qualified electrician and you register for opportunities with an electrical labour hire agency. When a host employer asks the agency to provide them with a qualified electrician, the agency may contact you for an interview or, in some cases, direct placement into the role. For all intents and purposes, you work for the host employer on a daily basis. However, you are technically employed by the labour hire agency, as they pay your wages and handle all other employment-related administration.
Contracts might be for 4 weeks, 4 months, or longer. Many people build rewarding careers through electrical agency work, and below are some of the reasons why.
A variety of career experiences
Electrical labour hire work is a great way to experience new environments. Because you may work on a series of short-term contracts, there is plenty of variety. You’ll work for different host employers and likely perform a range of different duties. If you like to keep things fresh, labour hire is a great way to stay enthusiastic about work.
Great for building your professional network
Networking is crucial when it comes to finding electrician jobs. The more people you know, the more chances you have to hear about job opportunities. When you work for an electrical agency, you’ll meet a lot of new peers and other industry professionals. Put your best foot forward, and a short-term placement might turn into something much longer.
Fewer hassles with wages and benefits
If you’ve ever subcontracted or worked for yourself as an electrician, you know how frustrating it can be to chase invoices from multiple clients. With electrical labour hire, there’s no need to worry about that. The agency employs you, and they manage all of your wages and HR concerns.
Access the hidden job market
The hidden job market is loosely defined as the jobs that are filled without being advertised. While electrical recruitment agencies advertise labour hire vacancies when they need to, often they have a pool of talented individuals to call on, saving the need to advertise. Elsewhere in the job market, positions are filled internally or through word of mouth, essentially being hidden from the public. If you’re on the books with an agency, you’ve already got access to positions that the general public doesn’t.
Want to try your hand at electrical agency work?
If you’re keen on exploring a career in electrical labour hire, Supply Workforce is here to help. We work closely with the electrical supply industry (ESI), placing skilled candidates in available positions. If you’d like to find out more about electrical agency work in Sydney, NSW, contact our team for more information today.