Where do I get started in finding information about becoming an electrician? Apprenticeships, etc. I'd like to do it part time on the weekends and at nights if possible.
Interested in becoming an electrician
- Thread starter jmcoreymv
- Start date
I was thinking I could focus on residential and nights and weekends are when most people are home from work.
Most apprenticeships are as follows:
you work days 40 hours a week with a journeyman electrician learning on the job activities
attend school 2 or 3 nights per week for like 5 years
you start at an okay wage with regular raises for cost of living and advances in your skill set
after you finish school, you test out and get to be a journeyman
you work days 40 hours a week with a journeyman electrician learning on the job activities
attend school 2 or 3 nights per week for like 5 years
you start at an okay wage with regular raises for cost of living and advances in your skill set
after you finish school, you test out and get to be a journeyman
As a rule, it's best to intern when the people you learn from are actually working. Not weekends and evenings.
notposting
Diamond Member
- Jul 22, 2005
- 3,498
- 33
- 91
http://www.ocett.org/page.php?7
thats for the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 441 and the OC-NECA (Orange County chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association) JATC (Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee).
Pretty good pay scale out there, here's their description:
here's the info on their VDV program:
I just started this summer in Local 58 (Detroit, MI) in the VDV apprentice program. Inside Wireman is what you're going for...some have Residential programs also, but less money there.
On the electrician side...well, everything I have heard says the first year of apprenticeship for electricians is probably the hardest year they have, and for the VDV guys you are mostly just a cable pulling bitch for the first few years...when it get's time to terminate and program systems you get moved to the next big cable pulling assignment.
thats for the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 441 and the OC-NECA (Orange County chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association) JATC (Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee).
Pretty good pay scale out there, here's their description:
here's the info on their VDV program:
I just started this summer in Local 58 (Detroit, MI) in the VDV apprentice program. Inside Wireman is what you're going for...some have Residential programs also, but less money there.
On the electrician side...well, everything I have heard says the first year of apprenticeship for electricians is probably the hardest year they have, and for the VDV guys you are mostly just a cable pulling bitch for the first few years...when it get's time to terminate and program systems you get moved to the next big cable pulling assignment.
ponyo
Lifer
- Feb 14, 2002
- 19,688
- 2,811
- 126
That's way more than most college grads starting out. :thumbsup: Plus no student loans to pay back and you make money as you learn. Double bonus.
I hear advertising for local plumber union everyday on the radio looking for new apprentices. That's another great field to get into.
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
- 5
- 0
It is, I think too many people focus on college degrees (worthless ones) when the time could be spent better applied to a legitimate skill that can give them a career with actual money as opposed to, say, working at a coffee shop after they get their degree.
notposting
Diamond Member
- Jul 22, 2005
- 3,498
- 33
- 91
Thought about plumbing too, but on the electrical side you deal with bullshit, on the plumbing side it's just shit.
My sister-in-law got a worthless Bachelor's of Philosophy majoring in old dead languages from an unaccredited and now closed college. Minor in theology I think. Now doing some kind of part time teaching and coffee serving
JEDI
Lifer
- Sep 25, 2001
- 29,391
- 2,738
- 126
2 choices:
union or non-union
union:
http://www.njatc.org/
basic training program is the same for all 50 states if the state follows the National Electrical Code. apprenticeship admission requirements differ depending on the state/electrical local union.
pros + cons:
union-
1 day every 2 weeks you goto free DAY school (8hrs). and get paid the same wage as working 8hrs! fail 3 tests in a year, and you're kicked out of the apprenticeship. (passing is 75!)
random drug tests for apprentices! you will be tested at least twice a year, on avg.
no vacation/sick days. you get paid for every hr you work. the union hall is your employer. union electrical companies call the hall. the hall sends the people. if your name is next on the list, then you get sent to that company. (in the union's eyes, all union electricians are equal in skill since they all went thru the same training program.) you can refuse if the company is over 50miles from your house. else you HAVE to go, or goto the bottom of the list. (aka no pay for weeks till your name is called again)
everyone gets paid the samein their local, regardless of yrs of experience or skill. (again, since you passed the 5yr apprenticeship, everyone is the same in their eyes.)
all benefits are paid for by the union. you dont put in a cent for medical or retirement. (you get ~20% of your pay FREE in retirement funds.) so if union electrician makes $70k/yr, then you get $14k more in retirement. all the $70k (minus taxes) is your takehome. (apprentices get free 10% retirement.) there is no option to put in more $.
you are not allowed to work non-union jobs, obviously (even side jobs.) get caught and you get kicked out of the apprenticeship.
the union has your back in most cases, if you dont violate union rules.
non-union:
work during the day, then night school.
you gota find your own jobs/companies, just like most people.
you get sick + vacation time (just like most other skilled full time people in the US).
you have to kick in some $ for benefits. (ie: 401k matching.)
thus take home pay = salary - taxes - health insurace premium - $ put into 401k. (ie: like most people)
freedom to work where ever you want.
if you're skilled enuf, higher pay than a union electrician. (ie: you get paid market value) but a starting electrician will probably get paid less than union.
there is NO WAY to be a nite/weekend union apprentice. doubtful you can be one for non-union
My brother is an electrician, and he makes good money. He also enjoys his work, so it's hard to ask for more.
As others have pointed out, you can't just casually do weekend/night work and call yourself an electrician. He's spent years as an apprentice, years in school, etc. just to get to where he is. With a contractor's license though, he pulls a t least ~$50/hr or more on night/weekend work.
As others have pointed out, you can't just casually do weekend/night work and call yourself an electrician. He's spent years as an apprentice, years in school, etc. just to get to where he is. With a contractor's license though, he pulls a t least ~$50/hr or more on night/weekend work.
I'm not looking for benefits of any sort, and I doubt I'd want to be in a union. Looks like this might not be the path for me. I just wanted to do it to make some extra money on the side. I've already had a little bit of experience doing electrical work, and I have an MSEE, but I'd like to supplement my desk job with something that requires some manual labor.
While an MSEE is great, doing residential/commercial electric work is an entirely different beast.
If you want to do work like this, you should first find out what year of the NEC your town uses and where local code differs from the NEC.
Then, get yourself a copy of the NEC, a copy of Ugly's, and possibly the NFPA materials that accompany the NEC (stores will often sell this as a package).
After you've brushed up a bit, start doing some stuff around your house. Whether it's tiny projects like changing receptacles, or projects like installing recessed lighting in an area that only has minimal ceiling lighting.
This is going to give you a basic foundation of knowledge.
Then, try to get with a contractor. You're not going to become a full-fledged electrician working only part-time. But a contractor may have use for you. You'll probably shadow someone for a couple of months before they're willing to send you out alone on any real projects.
For some good information, visit the forums over at MikeHolt.com.
There is a lot of information to be learned. The one thing a lot of people fear is someone parading around doing electrical work with just enough knowledge to be dangerous. I get those types all the time at my job (I work at Home Depot in the Electrical department). I have people who call themselves electricians coming in and asking me questions like "What's the difference between Romex and UF?" Those are people that shouldn't be working on someone's house.
Thanks for the info. I definitely agree that I lack most of the practical knowledge required, but I may try to shadow a contractor like you suggested. I was reading up on the requirements to take the licensing exam in CA, and you need four years of practical experience, but it looks like that I can get 3 years of credit towards that since I have a four year degree in a related area.
Plumbing is a lot more involve than most people think.Originally posted by: notposting
Thought about plumbing too, but on the electrical side you deal with bullshit, on the plumbing side it's just shit.
My sister-in-law got a worthless Bachelor's of Philosophy majoring in old dead languages from an unaccredited and now closed college. Minor in theology I think. Now doing some kind of part time teaching and coffee serving
1. Plumbing (general plumbing)
a. Service type job is the shit that people sees every day (rotor rooter, fixture/piping blockage remove/repair).
b. Installer, residential/commercial/industrial install DWV & fixtures.
c. Mechanical (heating), gas installer residential/light commercial/light industrial, and specialties such as geo-thermal & solar.
d. HVAC & refrigeration some what a part of plumbing & is cover under the plumbing Union.
2. Gasfitter (plumbing) -- industrial/commercial.
3. Steamfitter/pipefitter (plumbing) -- industrial (mills, gas/oil pipeline, ship building).
4. Sprinkler installer (plumbing)-- residential/commercial/industrial fire sprinkler installer.
The above is a generalize list of plumbing, and there are many specialties and refine areas that one could explore once in the trade.
IMHO, "Control" is the trade that is becoming very important and is very much in demand at the moment & into the future.
People that have computer background will be an asset as a control technician.
<-- 1.5 year left to get my plumbing/gas cert, then off to refrigeration. I'm planing to start a heatpump/geo-thermal company once I get the refrigeration ticket. And, am also planing to get the control ticket once the company is off the ground.
There are a lot more to electrical than what people sees in the residential environment. Industrial electrical is another ball of wax that tend to demand a higher wage than residential/commercial.
I wish I would have gone into being an electrician or a plumber instead of getting a BS in MIS and doing crap computer work for the last 7 years. Unfortunately there is no way I could go into an apprenticeship how at my age (32), but more importantly with the financial responsibilities I have (house, two cars, other stupid crap), and we're trying to have a baby. I could have made more money and been happier being an electrician instead of being a worthless desktop support monkey (great use of my BS degree). Oh well.
I'm an apprentice right now, i have a blog about it, kinda, http://cjweber.com/blog/ IBEW local 354, union is almost exclusively industrial/commercial, not enough money in residential. there is linemen and wiremen, linemen get paid more, but are always out doors, drive a lot, and work on the poles. if you have any questions id be glad to answer. i started my apprenticeship in june and will get my first raise in January.
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
- 19
- 81
There are a lot of jobs out there that pay more than fresh grads of college. However; most of those cap out at that wage where a college person can keep going (depends on what you pick as a career of course).
Also electrician is not a job for everyone. There are a lot of job related functions that some people just can't handle. Also 5 years of a pretty crappy wage is tough too. I was making $12.50/hr over 10 years ago prior to entering college. I doubt $14.59/hr is even close just based on housing costs today.
Working for a homebuilder/mortgage company I know quite a few successful electricians. You have to be union though, apparently there just is no way around it.
I was in the same boat as you at your age, but at 34 I abandon my computer job & BS degree to enter the plumbing apprenticeship.
I'm much happier now because the work require me to be moving around instead of my old lifeless desk job & the BS meetings.
Not everyone is going to be happy as a trade or IT worker, and some are happy at doing both type of jobs. For me mechanical plumbing/refrigeration seem to be a much better fit than security/database admin, because my current job require eyes hand coordination along with problem solving.
The only negative part of my current job is that I don't get to work with control much because I'm only an apprentice, however there are time I get to have some input due to my computer knowledge.
[add]
Another negative or positive to some people is that a mechanical/refrigeration guy require much more tools than another trades worker (except mechanic), and haul them around from site to site can be a pain in the arse.
ponyo
Lifer
- Feb 14, 2002
- 19,688
- 2,811
- 126
Other jobs don't have earnings cap? Please. I see more glass ceilings in corporate than trades. It's not uncommon for tradesmen to venture out on their own after couple of years. Then their earnings potential is up to them. How often do you see workers in corporate America starting their own business?
It's true not everyone is cut out to be electrician or tradesmen. Just like not everyone is cut out to be doctors, etc. But nice thing about these particular trades is that license is required by the state which places barrier of entry against average joe or illegals. Just like white collar professional organizations like medicine, law, etc.
$14/ hr is nothing to sneeze at. That's almost 30k a year. Not bad getting paid to work and learn at the same time. So how much did your college pay you during your study? I bet you're still paying for your student loans. :laugh:
None of the tradesmen I know are union and all make six figures. All own their own business.
not to mention you get a 2k+ raise every year for 5 years then a huge pay increase after that....
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 21K
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
-
Facebook
Twitter