Electrical Distribution Trades Worker

An Electrical Distribution Trades Worker installs, maintains, and repairs electrical distribution infrastructure including overhead lines, underground cables, switchgear, and substations that supply power to premises and networks. They work on-site and in the field to ensure safe and reliable delivery of electricity, following Australian Standards and Safe Work Australia regulations. The role involves diagnosing electrical faults, performing scheduled maintenance, and responding to outages across residential, commercial, and industrial settings.

Install overhead and underground power distribution cables using standard cable pulling and termination equipment. Terminate and test high and low voltage cables to distribution boards and switchgear in compliance with AS/NZS 3000. Inspect and maintain distribution transformers, switchboards, and metering equipment for performance and safety. Use multimeters, insulation testers, and earth continuity testers to verify circuit integrity and identify electrical faults. Replace damaged poles, cross-arms, and insulators in overhead line networks. Respond to power outages by locating and isolating faulted sections using network management systems and field testing. Commission new distribution circuits by conducting load testing and synchronising with existing networks. Climb poles and work at height using approved fall arrest equipment and following Safe Work Australia fall prevention guidelines.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll be on-call for emergency outages at any time, including nights and weekends. The work is physically demanding: climbing poles in all weather, heavy lifting, and working at heights. You need a Certificate III or IV first, which takes time and money. Once qualified, pay plateaus quickly; there's no big jump to supervisory roles unless you leave the hands-on work.

These roles concentrate in capital cities and regional centres where electricity networks are established. Practically speaking: most jobs are with state-based electricity distributors and private contractors servicing those networks. Work is site-based and not remote.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 3422, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Active Listening
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Calculate needs for construction supplies
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Digital Literacy
• Process Documentation
• Stakeholder Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Electrical Distribution Trades Worker move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026