General How to become an electrician
- Thread starter MountainMedic
- Start date
In for later
I'm not watching 20 minutes of that horse s***.@sparkuri
thoughts?
I don't know anything about a 2 year degree cause I wasn't a residential p****.
I don't really understand your post but I respect that it comes from the heart
I crossed the wires changing a simple outlet so can't speak electric...
I also am not watching the 20 min video
How did you learn?
I learned everything I need to know from this fine gentleman:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vctWOH_PQG0
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vctWOH_PQG0
Generally speaking a journeyman electrician has to complete a 4 year trade school if not 5 through the union
A 2 year degree or certificate is generally for a residential electrician or a low voltage electrician.
I am an all hands-on deck fully charged super big Dick electrician.
I've been looking into this as a potential transition. The pay rates in Pittsburgh for a journeyman are crazy high. What's your general workload like? What kind of projects?
Well I'm retired, so side gigs would be small.
But when I was full tilt, let's just say a gym membership wasn't needed, as an apprentice.
As a construction electrician on commercial/ industrial jobs you are the gopher, the human backhoe, or whatever they need(or want)you to be.
In a training program, unless you get lucky, you may end up working for several different companies doing all kinds of things.
I would not recommend starting after 40 unless one is fit with no injuries, no kids, no tie downs or vices.
The workload was heavy, but I enjoyed it.
If it's a smart, well organized company, or union, there is far less physical demand, but more focus on the technicals & attention to detail in the beginning.
I enjoyed the work itself.
The NEC/NFPA become the new Bible, the code.
I did wastewater treatments plants, numerous schools, hospitals & clinics, the ever-so common mixed use deathtraps, offices & other commercial & industrial projects ground up.
I also did many apartments, & custom homes.
Generally I did not do cookie-cutter houses, but after you do the rest you can do anything this side of a lineman.
Pulling wire, bending & fastening pipe, creating structures, field fabrication, building rebar cages for pole bases or other electrical apparatus, I could go on forever.
I couldn't recommend any trade higher.
Next I might go plumber or carpenter, but nothing is more needed & changing constantly in tradework as an electrician, there is elbow room for art in what you do, and you take all of it with you wherever you go.
I honestly wish I was still doing it, but injuries caught up.
Also with electrical & plumbing, you have a tendency to acquire copper...a good thing to organize, stockpile/have on-hand.
Much of the industry has gone to BIM integration, but when I started it was either blueprints or "code it up" for tenant improvements, or service work.
Other than doing early gruntwork or dealing with other pretentious electricians, who are by far the most egotistical & arrogant of all the trades, the most challenging & rewarding part for me was conduit work.
Thanks man. That's exactly what I was looking for. I'm 39 with no wife/kids and have a longstanding fascination with electricity but not much experience or academic knowledge. My other option is freelance IT which I'm gonna market for a few months first to see if I can get any traction. You ever travel for work? I was told by a local to check out IBEW and their job boards had stuff listed across the country.
Tech sucks so so so bad
It would be highly targeted. Seems like web hosts ask $100/month to "manage" their services, but don't offer much beyond basic troubleshooting. I'm going to market the same to all the local ma and pa business in the area. No printer troubleshooting for me. I applied to a shitload of tech jobs and didn't get a single interview.
Took me 7-8 months to find a gig. The layoff cycles in tech are just too much. If this place doesn't pan out I'd try going with a consultant group.
I'd definitely go IBEW, I was in a lical in Washington State but transferred to Colorado Springs IBEW in 2006.
Yes I did travel for work, those were good experiences getting per diem & hotels.
It was rough for me personally as a single parent of 2 girls, but for a single guy it'd be great.
If I was starting again, I would structure my success based on a 10-20 year life plan.
Where do I want to live peaceably?
Do I want to trust medical facilities in the region, and MRNA food?
Do I want to put myself in politically unstable areas, or subject myself to deep-rooted local powers-that-be who control job success?
Is my region less subject to global economic instability?
DOES MY STATE HAVE A SOLID HISTORY OF INTERSTATE LICENSE RECIPROCITY?
^^^This is yuge.
As an example I'll use Pennsylvania.
Corrupt as hell, arresting Amish & a swing state primarily controlled by subverted population centers.
^^^ This is fukt.
^^^This is better
^^^ Even better
I'm naturally strategic, so I'm looking at waterways, railroads, PIPELINES,...you name it.
So if you want to travel, and WHERE, blueprint your strategy for success.
Illegal immigration & social IQ are also major considerations as politics & law weigh in.
Washington State when I started had reciprocity with 16 states.
Now, ONLY Oregon.
This is because China controls the ports therefore politics. Ultimately the WEF/UN globalist. They got the ball rolling in 1984 with mail-in ballots so they own the coast.
So they imprison the people of the trade to the state they are in until they are afraid & conditioned, handing the next generation off to the invaders.
So, lots to consider.
Storms for example, bring you constant rebuild work.
WEF-slated sustainable cities bring LEED-oriented codes.
There are many sub-specialites eg fire alarm, high voltage data, industrial galore whether nuclear power plants or explosion-proof facilities lie gas stations/oil industry,, sewage treatment or woodworking shops.
Because of this it is the most interesting trade to me and you will never ever stop learning.
This is great info. Ultimately I'm looking to stay local to Pittsburgh where all my family is spread out so reciprocity doesn't matter that much. From what I read apprentices here make base salary north of $50k.
Yes I would talk to the IBEW headmaster In Pittsburgh area.
Tell him your long-term goals are to be able to travel interstate with your license and what steps you have to take to do that over the course of your training program.
If you plant in the back of his mind that you may have to go elsewhere If he can't help you Achieve your long-term goals, ( Even though they may not be) He will be more apt to help.
You could just make up some s*** and say you want to be a master electrician within 10 years and have a business operating in the Denver area in 11-13 years.
These are old man you'll be talking to and they appreciate a man with a plan.
Btw, My plans were to go to Idaho or Montana, Now neither are options with that particular license.
And never in a 100 years would I ever think that I would move to where I just moved to.
The winds change.
I'm also curious about the low-voltage work where I have a lot more experience, or possibly their media representation since I have an A.S. in audio "engineering." Appreciate the info and advice.
IBEW Local Union 5, Pittsburgh: Audio Visual Broadcasting
IBEW Local 5 craftsmen are skilled in every aspect of the IBEW electrical industry; located at 5 Hot Metal St. Pittsburgh, PA 15203; phone: 412.432.1400
www.ibew5.org
