On becoming an electrician

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BrutulTM

BrutulTM

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My brother flunked out of junior college (out of immaturity, not stupidity) and then went to tech school. Travelled some doing his apprenticeship and then finished it wiring houses for a non union shop. A few years in he joined IBEW and started doing industrial work instead of wiring houses which I think he really preferred.

They warned him when he joined the union to have savings because there would definitely be times when he was out of work but in 10 years he never got close to being laid off. If you aren't a fuck up, not an addict, and can show up to work regularly that's really all it takes to stay employed and make a solid middle class income.
 
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whoo

whoo

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BrutulTM said:
My brother flunked out of junior college (out of immaturity, not stupidity) and then went to tech school. Travelled some doing his apprenticeship and then finished it wiring houses for a non union shop. A few years in he joined IBEW and started doing industrial work instead of wiring houses which I think he really preferred.

They warned him when he joined the union to have savings because there would definitely be times when he was out of work but in 10 years he never got close to being laid off. If you aren't a fuck up, not an addict, and can show up to work regularly that's really all it takes to stay employed and make a solid middle class income.
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Thank you for the response and story about your brother!
 
Chanur

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Being an electrician is a useful skill that could get him decent paying work in other fields if he doesn't like it as well. Such as power generation.
 
LiquidDeath

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BrutulTM said:
My brother flunked out of junior college (out of immaturity, not stupidity) and then went to tech school. Travelled some doing his apprenticeship and then finished it wiring houses for a non union shop. A few years in he joined IBEW and started doing industrial work instead of wiring houses which I think he really preferred.

They warned him when he joined the union to have savings because there would definitely be times when he was out of work but in 10 years he never got close to being laid off. If you aren't a fuck up, not an addict, and can show up to work regularly that's really all it takes to stay employed and make a solid middle class income.
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My father was an electrician for 40 years and was IBEW for the entire time.

There were plenty of times in the late 80's and early 90's that he was on the book due to a lack of work, but starting around '96 that all changed. He wasn't laid off a single time that I can recall from mid 90's until he retired a few years ago.

There is such a lack of available electricians and so much work for corporations like AT&T that I can't imagine there will be many out of work electricians in the country's future unless something drastically changes.
 
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whoo

whoo

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LiquidDeath said:
My father was an electrician for 40 years and was IBEW for the entire time.

There were plenty of times in the late 80's and early 90's that he was on the book due to a lack of work, but starting around '96 that all changed. He wasn't laid off a single time that I can recall from mid 90's until he retired a few years ago.

There is such a lack of available electricians and so much work for corporations like AT&T that I can't imagine there will be many out of work electricians in the country's future unless something drastically changes.
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Thank you for replying and for your experience!
 
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M

MajorZero

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Greetings to you, boy. I want to wish your relative in finding a good place to study on a topic related to electricity.
 
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Lanx

Lanx

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Bandwagon said:
The best tip I could give would be to go find someone looking for a wire monkey or a basement bitch,
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i would make a joke about this but i'm scared of my crawl space and come out looking like a sweaty terrorist
08e994b54e3d5b8acf781659da7d2b3f.png

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i have since ordered khaki colors so i don't scare my new neighbors
 
Janx

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Lanx said:
i would make a joke about this but i'm scared of my crawl space and come out looking like a sweaty terrorist
08e994b54e3d5b8acf781659da7d2b3f.png

23e74a9fb8c0699d681510fbd3f4e9c8.png


i have since ordered khaki colors so i don't scare my new neighbors
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Throw on a Naruto head band and people will avoid you like the plague assuming you're a weeb.
 
Mick

Mick

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I am an electrician by trade. There is currently an extremely high demand for electricians right now all over the country and companies pay out the nose for them compared to when I started out. My current company pays JW's $113 to $143/hr for nonresidential electricians depending on which IBEW local you come out of. This hourly wage does includes the benefit package.
 
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whoo

whoo

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Mick said:
I am an electrician by trade. There is currently an extremely high demand for electricians right now all over the country and companies pay out the nose for them compared to when I started out. My current company pays JW's $113 to $143/hr for nonresidential electricians depending on which IBEW local you come out of. This hourly wage does includes the benefit package.
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Thanks for this feedback. He's interviewed for the IBEW apprenticeship program and we'll find out soon if he's accepted.

What's the best way to prep for commercial work while he's apprenticing?
 
Kais

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Commercial work is more about sizing and bending conduit than running wire.... but Commercial can lead to Controls which is a crazy interesting field that demands you have no life. Good controls techs are impossible to find because it's like 70% or more travel. For Controls work look at Mechatronics classes and learning the basics of PLCs and Drives is a fantastic skillset in commercial. Don't get stuck in maintenance, you'll' suffer behind some asshole that has no interest in anything other than what's currently installed, and be expected to do alot of shit that isn't electrical. Also the pay sucks in maintenance.
 
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Mick

Mick

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Typically you select the specialty that you want to go into with the union when you apply.
  • Residential Wireman—Installing electrical systems into residential areas, a 3-year program
  • VDV Installer Technician—Installing circuits and equipment for low-voltage systems, a 3-year program
  • Outside Lineman—Installing distribution and transmission lines, a 3-1/2 year program
  • Inside Wireman—Working in commercial and industrial settings, a 5-year program
The apprenticeship program will teach him everything he will need to know. There is really no prep work. He will end up working full time for a and going to night school for the duration of his program.
 
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Erronius

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If I was a younger man, I'd jump on traveling and doing new work.

Not so much now.
 
Cukernaut

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Mick said:
I am an electrician by trade. There is currently an extremely high demand for electricians right now all over the country and companies pay out the nose for them compared to when I started out. My current company pays JW's $113 to $143/hr for nonresidential electricians depending on which IBEW local you come out of. This hourly wage does includes the benefit package.
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Damn dude what state are you in?

to op-
depending on your state iec school or jatc / ibew. I would recommend getting on as an apprentice at an industrial group even if they need to travel a bunch.
 
Mick

Mick

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I no longer do field work and work doing estimating in the office, but the company I work for does only projects in Silicon Valley only and those IBEW locals I think are the highest paying in the country.
 
Hatorade

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Bump, going in at 41. Already getting looks from those taking applications in person, but I don't give a fuck gonna be the best apprentice any journeyman could want and crush it for the next 4-5 years until I get journeyman myself. If anyone knows anyone in Houston area hiring helpers hit me up.
 
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Sanrith Descartes

Sanrith Descartes

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Hatorade said:
Bump, going in at 41. Already getting looks from those taking applications in person, but I don't give a fuck gonna be the best apprentice any journeyman could want and crush it for the next 4-5 years until I get journeyman myself. If anyone knows anyone in Houston area hiring helpers hit me up.
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Not sure what your background is, but if you don't have an electrician type of background, while you are putting in apps, get a copy of a book on electricity (example, something like this from Fowler).

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At ATT we did low voltage work but still had all of our techs learn the basics of electricity if they wanted to get a higher rated job. Some might say it's a waste, but understanding the theory of how electricity works and why is useful.
 
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