Electrical Industry Innovations and Career Insights: From Classroom to Smart Home Automation
Last Updated: 2026-05-30T03:01:02.795-04:00
Chariho Career and Technical Center's Electrical Technology class visited ProSystems Integration, an automation company in Westerly, to learn about career opportunities in industrial automation. The students, led by instructor Ryan Northup, were given a tour of the facility by owner John Brunelle and his son Jesse, an engineer at the company and a Chariho alumnus. They observed various machines and systems, including equipment for making medical tubing and control systems for major companies like Hershey Chocolate. Jesse Brunelle, who organized the visit, emphasized the importance of exposing students to the industrial side of the electrical field, which he felt was underrepresented in their curriculum. He highlighted the vast career opportunities in automation, driven by rapidly changing technology. Northup noted that such real-world experiences are invaluable for students, providing practical applications for their classroom learning and inspiring them to explore different career paths within the electrical industry.
Level Automation, a Swedish company specializing in electrical and automation cabinets, has successfully migrated from the Simatic S7-1200 to the new Simatic S7-1200 G2 control system. The transition, which owner Martin Ozols described as "ridiculously easy," took only two minutes thanks to a new migration tool in the TIA Portal. This upgrade is particularly significant as the new system is certified according to the IEC 62443 cybersecurity standard, aligning with the increased requirements of the NIS2 Directive. This makes Level Automation's products "NIS2 ready," a crucial feature for their clients in the water and wastewater industry, as well as other sectors. The new generation of control systems is also more compact, powerful, and in some cases, more cost-effective. Following this successful PLC migration, Level Automation plans to upgrade its HMI panels to Simatic WinCC Unified.
Post Electric, a licensed electrical contractor in Southwest Missouri, is expanding its services to include home automation and smart technology integration. This move comes in response to increased demand from homeowners for modern electrical systems that can support connected home technologies. The company has invested in advanced diagnostic equipment and training to handle a range of services, including whole-home electrical assessments, panel upgrades, and the installation of smart devices. Master Electrician Ryan noted that the expansion is particularly relevant for owners of older homes, whose electrical systems often cannot handle the demands of modern appliances and technologies like EV charging stations. The expanded services are available immediately in several cities, including Monett, Springfield, and Ozark.
A recent report from the construction scheduling platform Planera indicates that while many manual labor jobs are at high risk of automation, electricians are among the least likely to be replaced by AI. With an automation risk of just 14%, the demand for electricians is projected to grow, with over 80,000 new positions expected nationally through 2026. This is driven by the need to upgrade aging infrastructure, build out EV charging networks, and support the transition to renewable energy. The report highlights the irony that the very AI data centers fueling automation fears require electricians for their construction and maintenance, making the profession exceptionally future-proof. The study, which analyzed over 55 manual professions, found that emergency services, social services, and healthcare have the lowest average automation risks, while agriculture, production, and utilities have the highest.
In an interview, Manfred Lehmann, Strategic Product Manager at WAGO, discussed the company's entry into the smart home market with its new Matter-enabled product line, WAGO Home Automation. The German electrical engineering manufacturer aims to empower electricians to integrate professional building installations with the growing ecosystem of consumer smart home devices. WAGO's new modules, which are VDE certified, are available in both Thread and Wi-Fi versions to ensure broad compatibility. A key feature of their system is a pair of apps—one for electricians and one for end-users—that streamline the setup and commissioning process. Lehmann emphasized that while Matter simplifies many aspects of installation, a basic understanding of IP networks is still necessary for electricians. He also revealed that WAGO is developing a dedicated team to expand its smart home offerings, with a logical next step being products for the electrical cabinet.
Visit BotAdmins for done for you business solutions.