Career Path, skill route

Repair: 11 skills, step by step

Find the cause of a fault through observation and measurement concepts.

New to the trade? Start with Common Foundation.

Region: Texas, United States
Language: English
Units: US customary (imperial)

Other regions, languages and units

Texas is the first full career path. These are next. Until then, read the guide for your region.

New South Wales, Australia: career path coming. Read the guide
Ontario, Canada: career path coming. Read the guide
England, United Kingdom: career path coming. Read the guide
California, United States: career path coming. Read the guide
Language: Traditional Chinese, coming
Units: show Metric or Dual units

Skills in order

Open any skill to see what it needs first, what it opens up and what to read. Skills in the same step can be learned in any order.

Step 1

Recognising building MEP systemsCoreField process
The big picture of building power, pumps, HVAC, fire systems and elevators (lifts).
Needs first: Three lifesaving conductors: hot (live), neutral and ground (earth) (Common Foundation)
Helps to know first: Recognising the electrical panel (Construction)
Opens up: MEP coordination drawings, Sensory checks for pump and motor abnormalities, Preventive maintenance and inspection rounds, Data centre and smart building integration
Read:
- Electrician Career Paths in the AI Era: 5 Routes and a 0 to 12 Month Roadmap Section: Route 3: Facilities engineer
- Field-Proven Tips for Successful MEP Integration, From Planning to Inspection Section: 2. Trade clashes: electrical, HVAC, and fire protection fighting for space
Practice this skill
4 practice questions on this skill
Why breakers trip: overload, short circuit, ground faultCoreFault finding
Tell overload, short circuit and ground fault apart from when and how a breaker trips.
Learn the concept here. Practice hands-on only under a qualified electrician.
Needs first: Electricity in plain words 2: complete circuits, short circuits and fire risk (Common Foundation)
Helps to know first: Branch circuits and dedicated circuits (Construction), Residual-current (GFCI/RCD) protection, grounding and bonding (Construction)
Opens up: Observing and reporting trips and outages, Troubleshooting decision trees and measurement concepts
Read:
- Same Breaker Keeps Tripping? 7 Real Reasons (Wattage, Inrush, Loose Connections)
- Short Circuit vs Overload vs Ground Fault: 3 Fast Ways to Tell Why a Breaker Trips
Practice this skill
Free question 1: A feeder disconnect rated 1,200 amperes is installed on a solidly grounded 480Y/277-volt system. There is no ground-fault protection of equipment on the supply side of this feeder, and the feeder does not serve a continuous industrial process or a fire pump. What does the NEC generally require at this feeder disconnect?
Ground-fault protection of equipment
A GFCI device for personnel protection
An arc-fault circuit interrupter
No additional protection, because only service disconnects need ground-fault protection
Show the answer
Answer: A. Ground-fault protection of equipment
Feeder disconnects rated 1,000 amperes or more on solidly grounded wye systems of more than 150 volts to ground need ground-fault protection of equipment unless it is already provided on the supply side or an exception applies; a 480Y/277-volt system (277 volts to ground) is inside the covered voltage range. GFCI and AFCI devices protect people and branch circuits, not large feeders.
Reference: NEC 215.10; NEC 230.95 (NEC 2026)
4 practice questions on this skill
Power quality symptoms: flicker, sag, swell, surgeCoreFault finding
Recognise sags, swells and surges from flickering lights and rebooting equipment.
Learn the concept here. Practice hands-on only under a qualified electrician.
Needs first: DC, AC and waveforms (Common Foundation)
Helps to know first: Surge protective device placement concepts (Construction)
Read:
- Voltage Sag vs Swell vs Surge: 7 Signs Your Lights Flicker or Router Reboots
Overheating and loose connection warning signsCoreFault finding
Read burn marks, heat and looseness as signs of high contact resistance.
Learn the concept here. Practice hands-on only under a qualified electrician.
Needs first: Power, energy and the electricity bill (W, kWh) (Common Foundation)
Helps to know first: Outlets, switches and lighting concepts (Construction)
Read:
- Loose Electrical Outlet? Here's How to Repair It Safely
- Outlet Amperage Rating: 7 Signs of Overheating, Burn Marks, and Loose Connections
Practice this skill
1 practice question on this skill
De-energised work and isolation concepts for maintenanceCoreCode and safety
Why maintenance starts with isolation, lock-out/tag-out and verifying absence of voltage, and who may do it.
Licensed work. This site explains the concept only. Doing the work needs the right license and supervision.
Needs first: Lifesaving practice: voltage-testing concepts and spotting site hazards (Common Foundation)
Helps to know first: Lock-out/tag-out and machine safety (Equipment)
Read:
- How to Use a Voltage Tester Safely: 3-Step Guide Before You Touch Any Wires
Practice this skill
Free question 1: A three-phase motor disconnect is being selected. Which design meets the NEC operating requirements for a motor disconnecting means?
It opens all ungrounded supply conductors at once, and no pole can be operated independently
It opens one ungrounded conductor, since that stops the motor
It uses three single-pole switches, one for each phase
It opens only the grounded conductor
Show the answer
Answer: A. It opens all ungrounded supply conductors at once, and no pole can be operated independently
The motor disconnecting means must open all ungrounded supply conductors and be designed so that no pole can be operated independently. Opening one phase can single-phase the motor and leaves parts energized.
Reference: NEC 430.103 (NEC 2026)
Free question 2: Where must the PV system disconnecting means for a rooftop solar system on a house be installed?
At a readily accessible location
On the roof, next to the modules only
Inside the attic, near the inverter
Anywhere, if a label identifies it
Show the answer
Answer: A. At a readily accessible location
The PV system disconnecting means must be installed at a readily accessible location so it can be operated without ladders or removing obstacles. Labels are required too, but they do not replace the location rule.
Reference: NEC 690.13 and 705.20 (2026 harmonized disconnect rules) (NEC 2026)
3 practice questions on this skill

Step 2

Observing and reporting trips and outagesCoreFault finding
Separate utility outages from internal trips, reason through partial power loss, and report clearly.
Learn the concept here. Practice hands-on only under a qualified electrician.
Needs first: Why breakers trip: overload, short circuit, ground fault, Lifesaving practice: voltage-testing concepts and spotting site hazards (Common Foundation)
Opens up: Shift handover and work-order records, Preventive maintenance and inspection rounds, Outage preparedness and backup power
Read:
- What to Do When Your Breaker Keeps Tripping at Home
Practice this skill
2 practice questions on this skill
Troubleshooting decision trees and measurement conceptsCoreTools and measurement
Pick the right test tool and order of checks by symptom, and what a multimeter tells you.
Learn the concept here. Practice hands-on only under a qualified electrician.
Needs first: Lifesaving instrument: reading a digital multimeter panel (Common Foundation), Lifesaving practice: voltage-testing concepts and spotting site hazards (Common Foundation)
Helps to know first: Why breakers trip: overload, short circuit, ground fault
Read:
- How to Use a Multimeter: 7 Steps to Measure Voltage and Current Safely
Sensory checks for pump and motor abnormalitiesCoreFault finding
Use sound, heat, vibration and smell to spot pump and motor problems and report them.
Learn the concept here. Practice hands-on only under a qualified electrician.
Needs first: Motor principles and types (Equipment)
Helps to know first: Recognising building MEP systems
Read:
- What Is an Electric Motor? How Electricity Turns Into Motion Section: Chapter 8, Common motor problems and basic troubleshooting ideas
Practice this skill
1 practice question on this skill

Step 3

Shift handover and work-order recordsCoreField process
Write findings, abnormalities and actions into traceable work orders and handovers.
Needs first: Observing and reporting trips and outages, Lifesaving practice: voltage-testing concepts and spotting site hazards (Common Foundation)
English reading for this skill is coming.
Preventive maintenance and inspection roundsCoreField process
How preventive maintenance schedules and inspection rounds are planned, and which items get logged on a cycle.
Learn the concept here. Practice hands-on only under a qualified electrician.
Needs first: Observing and reporting trips and outages
Helps to know first: Recognising building MEP systems
English reading for this skill is coming.
Outage preparedness and backup powerSide skillField processTexas exam
Plan UPS, power banks, generator sizing and storm outage preparation.
Learn the concept here. Practice hands-on only under a qualified electrician.
Needs first: Power, energy and the electricity bill (W, kWh) (Common Foundation)
Helps to know first: Observing and reporting trips and outages
Texas Journeyman exam areas: Motors and Generators (NEC Knowledge); Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions (NEC Knowledge); Motors and Generators (Calculations)
Read:
Practice this skill
Free question 1: A new 7.5 kW portable generator has 125-volt, 20-ampere receptacle outlets. What protection does the NEC require for these receptacles?
None, because the generator frame is bonded to the neutral
Listed GFCI protection, integral to the generator or to the receptacle
AFCI protection only
A surge protective device
Show the answer
Answer: B. Listed GFCI protection, integral to the generator or to the receptacle
Portable generators rated 15 kW or smaller must provide listed GFCI protection for their 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacle outlets (the Code also covers 125/250-volt outlets), either built into the generator or into the receptacle.
Reference: NEC 445.20 (NEC 2026)
4 practice questions on this skill

Where this path leads

Jobs this route feeds into, from the U.S. Department of Labor O*NET and the European ESCO classification. Job titles and duties vary by employer and region.

Electricians Skilled tradeO*NET OnLine
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers Skilled tradeO*NET OnLine
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment TechnicianO*NET OnLine
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay TechnicianO*NET OnLine
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Skilled tradeO*NET OnLine
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Skilled tradeO*NET OnLine
Wind Turbine Service Technicians SpecialistO*NET OnLine
Wind turbine technician Specialist
Wind turbine technicians maintain and repair wind turbines by performing diagnostic inspections, analysing faults, and performing repair duties. They ensure the wind turbines operate in compliance with regulations, and assist the wind engineers in the construction of wind turbines
ESCO
Automotive electrician Specialist
Automotive electricians install, maintain and repair electrical and electronic systems in motor vehicles such as air conditioning systems, lamps, radios, heating systems, batteries, electrical wiring and alternators. They use diagnostic testing equipment to inspect vehicles and find faults
ESCO
Electrical mechanic Skilled trade
Electrical mechanics install, repair and maintain mechanical and electrical components of machinery, tools and equipment. They test electrical parts to ensure efficiency and make improvements accordingly.
ESCO
Lift engineer Specialist
Lift engineers set lifts into a prepared framed hoistway. They install support assembly, set up the lift pump or motor, piston or cable, and mechanism. Lift engineers connect the necessary electronic elements to complete the installation and connection of the lift cabin
ESCO

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Skill routes: 1 + 6

The branches. Everyone starts with Common Foundation. The six routes run side by side, so you can grow in more than one. Inside a route, skills stack: later steps need the earlier ones.

Back to the Texas license ladder

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