A journey in a male-dominated field
When you hear the term “chargeman”, what comes to mind?
Basically, a chargeman is responsible for inspecting and maintaining electrical and solar systems. This includes inspecting, repairing, and ensuring compliance with safety regulations; handling the installation and maintenance of electrical equipment; troubleshooting issues; and supervising teams when needed.
Based on these responsibilities, it is evident that this is a demanding job often performed by men.
However, Khalida Razalie, an instructor for the Single-Phase Electrical Installation and Maintenance course at Sarawak Skills, has demonstrated that this demanding career path is open to women with a strong interest in technical disciplines and a readiness to embrace its challenges.
Here is a snippet from our conversation with Khalida:
Q: Can you describe what your work as a chargeman entails?
A: A chargeman is responsible for maintaining and operating electrical installation systems, adhering to safety protocols to comply with the Electricity Supply Act 1990 and the Electricity Regulations 1994.
To ensure that electrical equipment and components — such as main and mini switchboards — are always in excellent working order and safe, a chargeman must be able to recognise, examine, and test them in buildings.
Additionally, a chargeman cannot work on, oversee, or be licensed to perform any work on an electrical installation without first obtaining a certificate of competency.
What inspired you to pursue this career path?
Men are known to dominate the chargeman profession, and few women are brave enough to embark on this endeavour due to the challenges of passing both academic and practical exams.
Compared to Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak has a much smaller percentage of chargemen — just 21.33 per cent — with less than 5 per cent being women.
I must admit that my intense passion for electricity has fuelled my drive to work in this field and demonstrate that women can compete on equal footing with men.
What impression does your role as a chargeman make on people around you?
I can tell that my career choice has astonished many people around me. They were pleased that I could compete with men, though it was also met with surprise.
For instance, I continued with the L1 chargeman class even while I was six months pregnant and sat for the exam just one month after giving birth. I passed and earned the certificate of competency.
I want to emphasise that, regardless of the obstacles, we can achieve our goals as long as we are determined.
What is the typical salary range for a chargeman?
Based on experience and expertise, a chargeman working with low voltage can expect to earn between RM3,500 and RM5,400 per month. Those working with high voltage (11kV and 33kV overhead) may earn between RM8,000 and RM12,000 per month.
What advice would you give to young women interested in pursuing this field?
Never give up on a task easily, even if it presents physical difficulties. Keep praying and working hard; insyaAllah, everything will work out fine. Remember that a chargeman’s salary and benefits are often competitive.
