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Navy Rating · Engineering

EM Electrician's Mate

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

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Overview

An Electrician's Mate stands watch on generators, switchboards, control equipment, and other electrical equipment. Electrician's Mates operate, test, maintain, and rebuild power and lighting circuits, fixtures, motors, generators, regulators, controllers, switchboards, and solid state circuitry elements.

Minimum ASVAB: VE+AR+MK+MC 210 or AR+MK+EI+GS 210

ASVAB policy: Not policy-reviewed · coverage unknown · as of 2026-10-19

Program scope has not been reviewed.

Policy applicability and coverage of the program's score routes have not been reviewed. Shown-route arithmetic is not an eligibility decision.

Source: milpersman-1306-618-rating-list-2026-04 (source date 2026-04). Policy applicability has not been established.

See if you would hit this score: free ASVAB practice test

Core Skills

  • Generator and distribution switchboard operation
  • Voltage and frequency regulator maintenance
  • Short circuit and ground fault testing
  • Electrical equipment and solid state circuitry repair

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

EM maintenance of motors and generators, fault testing, and electrical equipment rebuilding directly support motor repair work.

How to prepare: Seek hands-on motor repair training focused on disassembly, reassembly, and testing against specified ratings.

What the civilian work involves
  • Inspect and test equipment to locate damage or worn parts and diagnose malfunctions, or read work orders or schematic drawings to determine required repairs.
  • Reassemble repaired electric motors to specified requirements and ratings, using hand tools and electrical meters.
  • Measure velocity, horsepower, revolutions per minute (rpm), amperage, circuitry, and voltage of units or parts to diagnose problems, using ammeters, voltmeters, wattmeters, and other testing devices.

Electricians

EM maintenance of power and lighting circuits, electrical fixtures, and distribution equipment transfers directly to electrical maintenance work.

How to prepare: Ask an apprenticeship sponsor to assess your documented military electrical experience for possible shortened training based on experience and testing. Most states require electricians to pass a test and be licensed, with independent work subject to state or local requirements.

What the civilian work involves
  • Prepare sketches or follow blueprints to determine the location of wiring or equipment and to ensure conformance to building and safety codes.
  • Use 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.
  • Assemble, install, test, or maintain electrical or electronic wiring, equipment, appliances, apparatus, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.

Power Plant Operators

EM operation and control of generators, switchboards, and engineering plant electrical equipment overlap with power generation control and monitoring.

How to prepare: Seek operator training on the target plant's generating equipment and control procedures, focusing on equipment beyond your military electrical duties.

What the civilian work involves
  • Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
  • Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
  • Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Computerized maintenance management system CMMS

Notes & Sources

Evidence for this guidance (5 documents)
  1. NAVPERS 18068F Vol I (NEOCS, Jan 2026 edition): ELECTRICIAN’S MATE (EM)

    [1] Rating chapter "SCOPE OF RATING"; cached text line 30147; NAVPERS 18068F Vol I, 2026-01 edition

    Supports: Generator and distribution switchboard operation, Voltage and frequency regulator maintenance, Short circuit and ground fault testing, Electrical equipment and solid state circuitry repair, Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (O*NET 49-2092.00), Electricians (O*NET 47-2111.00), Power Plant Operators (O*NET 51-8013.00)

  2. O*NET: Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (O*NET 49-2092.00)

  3. O*NET: Electricians

    [3] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Electricians (O*NET 47-2111.00)

  4. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Electricians

    [4] How to Become an Electrician; Training; Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations; page dated 2026-08-27, retrieved 2026-09-23

    Supports: Electricians (O*NET 47-2111.00)

  5. O*NET: Power Plant Operators

    [5] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Power Plant Operators (O*NET 51-8013.00)

Defense contractor jobs for EM

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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