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Electrician (Chargeman)

Stable

Skilled Trades

Installs and maintains electrical systems. Suruhanjaya Tenaga certification tiers (PW1–PW4, chargeman) map directly to pay rises.

Electrical Engineering

Picture the job

Where you'd usually workA construction site

  • Outdoors most days, in all weather
  • On your feet for most of the day
  • Dealing with customers or the public
  • A noisy workplace

An illustration of a typical workplace, not a photo. The work-style notes come from US O*NET data, so read them as a guide.

In Malaysia

How people get into it here
SPM → Electrical Technology Certificate at ILP/ADTEC (SKM) or a community college → Wiring work with an electrical contractor registered with Suruhanjaya Tenaga → Suruhanjaya Tenaga wireman competency (PW2 single phase, later PW4) → Electrician

Sources:st.gov.myilpkuantan.gov.myambilan.mypolycc.edu.my

Pay in the private market

Monthly pay from fresh grad to mid-career, from the salary guide cited on this page.

Entry

Private
RM2,200 – RM3,200

Mid-career

Private
RM4,000 – RM7,000

Government pay isn't shown: we haven't yet sourced the SSPA civil-service salary tables, and we won't estimate them.

Job demand outlook

Stable

Steady, reliable demand: a consistent number of openings.

Your readiness

How your current SPM subjects line up with this career.

Add your SPM grades to see how ready you are for this career.

Add my grades

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationPost-secondary certificate
The full route to this careerThe steps from school, UPU programmes and sourced costs, read against your answers.

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

TVET

Hands-on trades with strong employability: ILP, ADTEC, kolej vokasional, GiatMARA.

1–3 years
Compare routes against your results and interests

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

Quick answers

How do you become an Electrician (Chargeman) in Malaysia?

SPM → Electrical Technology Certificate at ILP/ADTEC (SKM) or a community college → Wiring work with an electrical contractor registered with Suruhanjaya Tenaga → Suruhanjaya Tenaga wireman competency (PW2 single phase, later PW4) → Electrician. Registration with Energy Commission (Suruhanjaya Tenaga) is required to practise.

What should I study to become an Electrician (Chargeman)?

Related fields of study: Electrical Engineering. SPM subjects that help most: Civil Engineering Studies, Engineering Drawing, Design & Technology (RBT) and Business.

How much does an Electrician (Chargeman) earn in Malaysia?

Published figures put starting pay at RM2,200 – RM3,200 a month, and RM4,000 – RM7,000 with experience (source: MyFutureJobs, Jan 2026).

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Prepare sketches or follow blueprints to determine the location of wiring or equipment and to ensure conformance to building and safety codes.
  2. 2Place conduit, pipes, or tubing, inside designated partitions, walls, or other concealed areas, and pull insulated wires or cables through the conduit to complete circuits between boxes.
  3. 3Work from ladders, scaffolds, or roofs to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
  4. 4Use a variety of tools or equipment, such as power construction equipment, measuring devices, power tools, and testing equipment, such as oscilloscopes, ammeters, or test lamps.
  5. 5Assemble, install, test, or maintain electrical or electronic wiring, equipment, appliances, apparatus, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
  6. 6Connect wires to circuit breakers, transformers, or other components.
  7. 7Maintain current electrician's license or identification card to meet governmental regulations.
  8. 8Plan layout and installation of electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures, based on job specifications and local codes.
  9. 9Test electrical systems or continuity of circuits in electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures, using testing devices, such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or oscilloscopes, to ensure compatibility and safety of system.
  10. 10Direct or train workers to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
  11. 11Diagnose malfunctioning systems, apparatus, or components, using test equipment and hand tools to locate the cause of a breakdown and correct the problem.
  12. 12Inspect electrical systems, equipment, or components to identify hazards, defects, or the need for adjustment or repair, and to ensure compliance with codes.
  13. 13Install ground leads and connect power cables to equipment, such as motors.
  14. 14Advise management on whether continued operation of equipment could be hazardous.
  15. 15Repair or replace wiring, equipment, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
  16. 16Construct or fabricate parts, using hand tools, according to specifications.
  17. 17Provide assistance during emergencies by operating floodlights or generators, placing flares, or driving needed vehicles.
  18. 18Provide preliminary sketches or cost estimates for materials or services.
  19. 19Perform business management duties, such as maintaining records or files, preparing reports, or ordering supplies or equipment.
  20. 20Fasten small metal or plastic boxes to walls to house electrical switches or outlets.
  21. 21Perform physically demanding tasks, such as digging trenches to lay conduit or moving or lifting heavy objects.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Wirer
  • Gaffer
  • Lineman
  • Wireman
  • Test Man
  • Mine Wirer
  • Ship Wirer
  • Sign Wirer
  • Electrician
  • House Wirer

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Civil Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Engineering DrawingDraws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Building and Construction73%

    Civil Engineering StudiesEngineering DrawingDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Administration and Management72%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Mechanical68%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Mathematics68%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Design66%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

  • Customer and Personal Service63%

Skills to build

Hands-on focusSafety disciplineReliability

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Outdoors, in all weatherEvery day
  • Noisy environmentEvery day
  • Time spent sittingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points, not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

5%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023, already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List, evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Matched to a related occupation on the list, not this exact job title.

Electrical Mechanics and Fitters · Shortage indicators met: 5/12

What beginner adverts asked for

We read 8 internship and fresh-graduate adverts in related fields (August 2026). A small sample from one job site, not every vacancy.

7 of 8 were internships

Allowance or pay, when stated

RM950 – RM1,075

4 of 8 adverts printed an amount: usually between RM950 and RM1,075 a month. Many print none.

Languages named

Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin

An empty line means the adverts did not say, not that employers have no requirement. Check each employer's own advert before you plan around it.

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Electricians

Source: MyFutureJobs · as of Jan 2026

Check the salary figures yourself:MyFutureJobs

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org