From ustaad to entrepreneur: how verified electricians are growing their income
Three electricians on what changed when their skills came with a verified profile, a rating and a steady stream of nearby jobs.
Most skilled electricians in Pakistan learned the trade the traditional way — years as a shagird under an ustaad, then building a name one mohalla at a time. The skill was always there. What was missing was a way for strangers to trust it.
Referrals are powerful, but they plateau. An electrician who is fully booked in one neighbourhood can be invisible two kilometres away. Busy weeks are followed by empty ones, and income swings with them.
A verified profile carries the signals a new client looks for: CNIC-checked identity, ratings from past jobs, response time and badges for completed training. For the worker, it means a stranger can hire them with the same confidence as a neighbour would.
Before, I waited for the phone to ring. Now I open the app in the morning and choose which jobs fit my route.
Illustrative figures for demo purposes.
Steady work changes what is possible. Several workers we spoke to now take on a shagird of their own, buy better tools, or add a second trade — solar installation is a popular one.
- Complete your profile with clear photos of past work.
- Respond quickly — response time is one of the first things clients see.
- Ask happy clients for a rating before you leave the job.
- Add a training badge to stand out for specialised jobs.
