Electrician Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Electrician jobs in Tucson span commercial contractors, hospitals, the 162nd Wing and the Sierrita copper mine near Green Valley, where line electricians post at $33 to $45 an hour. Arizona licenses electrical contractors, not individual electricians. Current openings are below, followed by who is hiring and the apprenticeship path.
Current Electrician Openings in Tucson, AZ
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Electrician Work in Tucson
Tucson electricians work in four settings. Commercial and industrial contractors wire new buildings and tenant improvements across the metro. Large campuses keep their own in-house electricians: Tucson Medical Center in midtown, Carondelet St. Mary's on the west side and the Air National Guard base by Tucson International Airport. Tucson Electric Power hires substation and shop electricians and line workers for its distribution system, and Freeport-McMoRan's Sierrita operation south of town off I-19 runs high and low voltage lines, substations and plant equipment.
What makes the trade different here is the training route. Since 1945 the Tucson Electrical JATC, run by IBEW Local 570 and the Southern Arizona Chapter of NECA, has trained Tucson's union electricians, and it charges no tuition. Because Arizona issues no state journeyman card, employers judge you by your apprenticeship, your hours and your experience.
Top Tucson Employers Hiring Electricians
These Tucson-area employers have posted electrician roles on their own careers sites:
- Wilson Electric - a commercial electrical contractor with a Tucson office on East Beverly Drive, hiring apprentice electricians and electrical journeymen.
- Freeport-McMoRan - the Sierrita copper operation near Green Valley, hiring line electricians for transmission lines, substations and metering.
- Tucson Electric Power - the local utility, whose craft and trade careers include substation and shop electricians and line workers.
- Tucson Medical Center - the midtown hospital on Grant Road, hiring facility electricians with journey-level training.
- Carondelet Health Network - St. Mary's Hospital on the west side, hiring licensed journey electricians for hospital maintenance.
- Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs - state electrician jobs supporting the 162nd Wing at Morris Air National Guard Base.
Electrician Salaries in Tucson
- Apprentice: roughly $17 to $24 an hour, rising each year of the program.
- Journeyman or facility electrician: roughly $26 to $36 an hour.
- Industrial, mine or line electrician: roughly $33 to $45 an hour.
Posted Tucson pay backs these bands: Freeport lists $33 to $45 an hour for line electricians at Sierrita, the state lists $19 to $25 for its Tucson electrician job, and JATC apprentices start at 55% of the journeyman wireman rate. Union status, industrial or utility work, shift and overtime move pay the most. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.
How to Become an Electrician in Tucson
The Tucson Electrical JATC apprenticeship takes four years: 8,000 hours of paid on-the-job training and 720 classroom hours, two nights a week. You need to be 18, have a high school diploma or GED and one passing algebra course, and books run about $950 a year. Applications are taken in person on the second Thursday of each month. The Arizona Builders Alliance also runs a four-year NCCER electrical apprenticeship. Pima Community College's Downtown Campus offers a one-year Electrician certificate and a four-month PimaFastTrack Electrician program. Arizona has no individual electrician license; the Arizona Registrar of Contractors licenses electrical contractors under classes such as C-11 and R-11.
What the Job Involves
Electricians install and repair conduit, wiring, panels, lighting and controls, following the National Electrical Code and project drawings. A day can mean bending and pulling wire on a new build, tracing a fault in a hospital's distribution system, or replacing a transformer on a utility pole. Expect ladders, lifts, tight spaces and outdoor work in the heat.
Skills Employers Look For
- Working knowledge of the National Electrical Code
- Blueprint and schematic reading
- Conduit bending and wire pulling
- Troubleshooting with meters and test equipment
- Electrical safety, lockout/tagout and OSHA training
- Comfort with heights and outdoor heat
- A valid driver's license
Career Path and Advancement
In Tucson the path runs apprentice, journeyman, foreman and general foreman, with many electricians moving into in-house roles at hospitals, the mines or the utility for steadier hours. Specialties such as controls, high voltage and line work pay more, and an electrician with enough experience can become the qualifying party on a Registrar of Contractors license and run a shop.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for electricians:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be an electrician in Tucson?
Not as an individual. Arizona issues no state journeyman or apprentice electrician license; the Arizona Registrar of Contractors licenses electrical contracting businesses instead. Some employers, such as hospitals, still ask for a journey electrician license or completed apprenticeship.
How long is the electrician apprenticeship in Tucson?
Four years. The Tucson Electrical JATC requires 8,000 hours of paid on-the-job training and 720 classroom hours, with classes two nights a week. There is no tuition, only about $950 a year for books.
How much do electricians make in Tucson?
Apprentices typically start around $17 to $24 an hour, journeymen earn about $26 to $36, and industrial, mine and line electricians reach roughly $33 to $45. Freeport-McMoRan posts $33 to $45 an hour for line electricians at Sierrita.
How do you apply to the IBEW apprenticeship in Tucson?
Apply in person at the Tucson Electrical JATC on the second Thursday of each month. You need to be 18, bring a high school diploma or GED with transcripts showing a passing algebra course, and pay a $20 application fee.
Which Tucson employers hire the most electricians?
Electrical contractors such as Wilson Electric hire the most apprentices and journeymen. Tucson Electric Power, Freeport-McMoRan's Sierrita mine and the major hospitals hire in-house electricians for maintenance and line work.
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