Increased automation may also mean that some employment will shift to electronic and instrumentation technical fields. Industrial electricians have the same formal trades training and qualifications as other electricians. The same union represents all types of electricians and will assist qualified union tradespeople in finding employment. Note that some employment in industrial plants is non-union. Electricians who work in mills require some skills that are not commonly used by other electricians.
Industrial electricians can transfer some of their skills to other electrician positions.
Workers can advance to supervisory positions or can become self-employed or operate their own businesses.