Historians agree that the first recorded instance of humankind witnessing electrical phenomena occurred around 600 BC, when the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus documented that rubbing amber against fur created a static charge capable of attracting light objects like feathers or dried grass.
Benjamin Franklin is widely considered the "first electrician" due to his pioneering studies of electricity in the 1700s, including his 1752 kite experiment identifying lightning as electricity and inventing the lightning rod.
The profession transitioned from a dangerous, experimental side-gig into an official, regulated trade during the late 19th century, spurred by the rapid commercialization of electric lighting. This professionalization was cemented by the 1891 founding of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) in St. Louis, which organized "wiremen" and "linemen" to advocate for better training and safer working conditions. Around the same time, the first National Electrical Code (NEC) was published in 1897, establishing the standardized safety rules that transformed the role from informal labor into a licensed and inspected specialty. By the early 1900s, what was once a life-threatening "experiment" had become a formal career path with its own dedicated trade schools, apprenticeships, and government labor classifications.