Electricians on board?

Sorry, another one of these threads where I ask about a particular 'career' interest

I'm an 'electrician' right now. Meaning I wire up stuff on emergency vehicles (12V and 110V/220V). Doesn't pay much. I've been considering getting into being a 'real' electrician. I don't know much about how to get further into the field though. I enjoy the work, just not sure how to pursue it. I noticed the local electricians union does apprenticeships but IDK if that's something good to go for or something I should steer clear of. Aside from that I looked at taking a tech course at LATC but I'm not sure if that' the best choice either. Looking for a little insight from those who may be in the know. I feel kind of stuck where I'm at right now and I'm not learning anything, and it's starting to grow tiresome

SimpleGreen said:

Sorry, another one of these threads where I ask about a particular 'career' interest

I'm an 'electrician' right now. Meaning I wire up stuff on emergency vehicles (12V and 110V/220V). Doesn't pay much. I've been considering getting into being a 'real' electrician. I don't know much about how to get further into the field though. I enjoy the work, just not sure how to pursue it. I noticed the local electricians union does apprenticeships but IDK if that's something good to go for or something I should steer clear of. Aside from that I looked at taking a tech course at LATC but I'm not sure if that' the best choice either. Looking for a little insight from those who may be in the know. I feel kind of stuck where I'm at right now and I'm not learning anything, and it's starting to grow tiresome

Click to expand...

I'm not an electrician....And also I understand that the grass always looks greener from the other side. That said, I have always felt if I were to pick a trade today.....I would become an electrician. It is a great trade and a trade which is licensed. That tends to keep wages fair and prevents unskilled...unknowledgeable workers from infringing into your space. Also....Many are just scared of electricity.

Anyway.....I think to become licensed you need o start off as an apprentice. That's about as much as I can help....other than the following link -- I think they have a paid training program.
http://www.noejatc.org/

Ya thats what it looks like. I'm actually planning on driving to the Baton Rouge JATC Wednesday to talk to them and apply. Only problem is they require you to have passed Algebra I and I failed one semester of it in high school. I'm hoping I could still get a chance and there be some way to make up for that. It's not that I can't pass it, I just didn't try hard enough and didn't consider the reprocussions that may come up later

SimpleGreen said:

Ya thats what it looks like. I'm actually planning on driving to the Baton Rouge JATC Wednesday to talk to them and apply. Only problem is they require you to have passed Algebra I and I failed one semester of it in high school. I'm hoping I could still get a chance and there be some way to make up for that. It's not that I can't pass it, I just didn't try hard enough and didn't consider the reprocussions that may come up later

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Ever consider the military? The training and experience you'd get would set you if you decided to get out after a 4 year hitch..... This coming from an 8 year Electronics Tech in the Navy. Food for thought, I see you're 23.... you could RETIRE at 43 after a great electrical career in the military and have the pride to serve too!

You don't necessarily need to start off as an apprentice. I got my start with a little residential experience then walked into an industrial helper position from there. You should call up the big companies in the area and put in applications. If you get hired most of them are willing to sponsor their helpers to go to trade school at ABC in order to get Journeyman qualified. I'd call Merit, Triad, ISC, and Sun before trying anything else. This way your getting paid to be in school and you'll have a lead towards a career to begin with.

Get in-touch with the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) union and they will be able to give more information as well.

http://www.ibew.org/

Some apprenticeships are better than others...but a 4 year apprenticeship will keep you in a decent pay rate for your actual worth and most likely turn you out as a journeyman with the right stuff.

I went through a 2 year course in Commercial - Industrial Electricity at a CC, but that was back when and the state paid for it as a retraining program. Just remember this...GET the basics...some way some how. I kept on into electro mech, ( HVAC ) and there have been a lot of guys who wanted and even tried to learn but were so limited by head knowledge that they got frustrated and quit b/c of lack of basics.

Electrical can be a great door opener to other things as well, such as Instrumentation or HVAC...can't go wrong ...did I mention get the basics ??

Spent Brass said:

You don't necessarily need to start off as an apprentice. I got my start with a little residential experience then walked into an industrial helper position from there. You should call up the big companies in the area and put in applications. If you get hired most of them are willing to sponsor their helpers to go to trade school at ABC in order to get Journeyman qualified. I'd call Merit, Triad, ISC, and Sun before trying anything else. This way your getting paid to be in school and you'll have a lead towards a career to begin with.

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This is how I got started. Excel paid for my school while I worked for them and also payed for my NCCER certification for industrial electrician. Now I work for Vector Elect and Controls and make good money. I work 40 hrs a week and off every weekend. My next goal is to go back to get my Instrumentation certification. BTW I went to ABC in Baton Rouge off HIghland Rd.

Thanks guys. Great input. I'm really investigating this as what I'm doing now simply isn't going to cut the butter in the long haul. I regret not doing it sooner but its certainly not too late.

Don't forget. Volts and amps can be deadly. And 440/480 can reach out and grab someone. Some jobs do have an element of danger. But with electricity, there isn't any leeway for a mistake.

Still, can be a rewarding career.

PMd you

SimpleGreen said:

Sorry, another one of these threads where I ask about a particular 'career' interest

I'm an 'electrician' right now. Meaning I wire up stuff on emergency vehicles (12V and 110V/220V). Doesn't pay much. I've been considering getting into being a 'real' electrician. I don't know much about how to get further into the field though. I enjoy the work, just not sure how to pursue it. I noticed the local electricians union does apprenticeships but IDK if that's something good to go for or something I should steer clear of. Aside from that I looked at taking a tech course at LATC but I'm not sure if that' the best choice either. Looking for a little insight from those who may be in the know. I feel kind of stuck where I'm at right now and I'm not learning anything, and it's starting to grow tiresome

Click to expand...

Booseman said:

Get in-touch with the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) union and they will be able to give more information as well.

http://www.ibew.org/

Click to expand...

Please don't tell me the only way a person can break into this field is through a union?

You can always take the NFPA 70E certification online before applying anywhere. You watch some video and take a test. Looks good in a resume and many plants are starting to require it for work. Teaches you all about Arc Flash and electric explosive potential.



No you don't need a union especially around here. Other states and areas with less plants, maybe. But for the 6 years I did it I neve once visited a union hall and also never got laid off.

Emperor said:

Please don't tell me the only way a person can break into this field is through a union?

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No union necessary. I have never stepped foot in a union hall. LA being a right to work state killed the whole union thing down here. They are still around but not as powerful as in other state.

Emperor said:

Please don't tell me the only way a person can break into this field is through a union?

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Negative ghostrider...but when I started ( '80's ) There was not near the regulation, jerkin romex paid a nickle a foot and education was for white hats.

The very best way to technology then was the Union Apprenticeship programs. But b/c I hated the unions I didn't do that and busted ass till I went back to school

When we bitch about regulation I try to remember what Electricians used to make and what they make now. Same and worse for HVAC, Louisiana is just scratching the surface with HVAC regulation so wages and conditions are starting to improve...too late for me but good on the new guys.

jimdana1942 said:

Don't forget. Volts and amps can be deadly. And 440/480 can reach out and grab someone. Some jobs do have an element of danger. But with electricity, there isn't any leeway for a mistake.

Still, can be a rewarding career.

Click to expand...

Actually, volts alone are harmless. It's the current that hertz. Aside from me being a smartass(just wanted an opp to crack my electrical joke), Jim's very right and I'll throw out some very elementary things that a lot of people don't think about when working w/ electricity. First, there is a surefire way to NEVER get shocked, and that is to never work on energized equipment. Unfortunately it's really tough to troubleshoot something if it's off, but if you CAN de-energize(see below for more) the equipment and complete the job, do it. Every. Single. Time. I can't tell you how many jobs I've been on where I could have gotten it done in 10 minutes but the job took an hour b/c I had to run lockout/tag out on a circuit. And I'll do it EVERY time. Those extra 50 minutes are nothing compared to the eternity you'll spend embracing death if you get sloppy. I've been hit by 1 phase of 440 before through my own stupid fault and am lucky to be here. Jumped up my arm but that was it . I've worked on thousands of hot circuits in my career and been shocked twice - I always thought I was extremely careful to the point of overdoing it too. Darkness contributed to one shock, and the other was due to me not thinking about where my hands were. Take it from a guy that's been there:

NEVER put a knee on the ground while working on a circuit. You've just rendered your extremely high resistance electrical safety boots useless. They will usually protect up to 600 volts(this does not mean you should touch a 600 volt circuit jsut b/c you have your boots on, NEVER touch something you haven't verified DEAD with a meter first.)

In that same vein, NEVER let your knee, elbow, arm, or any other body part touch anything while you're working on a circuit. Same reason as above. This is what shocked me when I was working on something in the dark(Combat Info Center on a Navy ship, couldn't turn lights on).

Darkness and obscurity are your enemies. NEVER put your hand into equipment (off, or on) where you can't see what you're touching. This is what got me shock #2.

Wear electrical safety gloves when possible. Some will say ALWAYS wear them, but there are just some situations where you have to use a bare hand. Reread the above for those situations.

Lockout/Tagout programs are your friend and will help minimize your risk.

HAve a safety observer when working on electrical equipment that is CPR qualified(we all had to be in the Navy, and I believe any electrician should be too). The safety observer should be standing by with a NONMETAL tool to rip you off the circuit should something happen. Acceptable items are ropes(dry), broomsticks, etc. If you like the guy, pull him off with the rope. If you don't, beat him off the circuit w/ the broomstick.

Do NOT touch other people, or allow them to touch you, while working on equipment, and vice versa for other people working on equipment. If they get shocked, guess who's going along for the ride?

Keep your resistance high, mind alert, hands visible, and you'll do fine. Good luck.

PM sent.

Brian22 said:

Actually, volts alone are harmless. It's the current that hertz. Aside from me being a smartass(just wanted an opp to crack my electrical joke), Jim's very right and I'll throw out some very elementary things that a lot of people don't think about when working w/ electricity. First, there is a surefire way to NEVER get shocked, and that is to never work on energized equipment. Unfortunately it's really tough to troubleshoot something if it's off, but if you CAN de-energize(see below for more) the equipment and complete the job, do it. Every. Single. Time. I can't tell you how many jobs I've been on where I could have gotten it done in 10 minutes but the job took an hour b/c I had to run lockout/tag out on a circuit. And I'll do it EVERY time. Those extra 50 minutes are nothing compared to the eternity you'll spend embracing death if you get sloppy. I've been hit by 1 phase of 440 before through my own stupid fault and am lucky to be here. Jumped up my arm but that was it . I've worked on thousands of hot circuits in my career and been shocked twice - I always thought I was extremely careful to the point of overdoing it too. Darkness contributed to one shock, and the other was due to me not thinking about where my hands were. Take it from a guy that's been there:

NEVER put a knee on the ground while working on a circuit. You've just rendered your extremely high resistance electrical safety boots useless. They will usually protect up to 600 volts.

In that same vein, NEVER let your knee, elbow, arm, or any other body part touch anything while you're working on a circuit. Same reason as above. This is what shocked me when I was working on something in the dark(Combat Info Center on a Navy ship, couldn't turn lights on).

Darkness and obscurity are your enemies. NEVER put your hand into equipment (off, or on) where you can't see what you're touching. This is what got me shock #2.

Wear electrical safety gloves when possible. Some will say ALWAYS wear them, but there are just some situations where you have to use a bare hand. Reread the above for those situations.

Lockout/Tagout programs are your friend and will help minimize your risk.

HAve a safety observer when working on electrical equipment that is CPR qualified(we all had to be in the Navy, and I believe any electrician should be too). The safety observer should be standing by with a NONMETAL tool to rip you off the circuit should something happen. Acceptable items are ropes(dry), broomsticks, etc. If you like the guy, pull him off with the rope. If you don't, beat him off the circuit w/ the broomstick.

Do NOT touch other people, or allow them to touch you, while working on equipment, and vice versa for other people working on equipment. If they get shocked, guess who's going along for the ride?

Keep your resistance high, mind alert, hands visible, and you'll do fine. Good luck.

Click to expand...

Rule 1 when I take ( took ) a new helper I'd have him memorize " Don't touch the shiney **** " repeat after me.....till it was second nature

My helpers never got to work circuits. Too many times things got smoke tested b/c some green horn backfed a line. Mostly they ran conduit, carried tool bags, hung boxes, pulled wire, ect. As an add on to Brians extensive list of things not to kill yourself I developed a nervous habit of drying my hands, checking that they were clean and making sure I wasn't grounded before my Kleins touched anything. People always asked why I rubbed my thumbs and fingers lol. Also a non electrical thing to not get killed WEAR YOUR SAFETY HARNESS. I saw a fall two years ago. bad juju. Brian mentioned LOTO procedure but seriously, energized equipment kills and maims.

Don't forget the sales side of the business as well......I've made a damn fine living selling the those customers mentioned above.
Takes a little longer, but the topside earnings can be better after 20 or years.
Also, after somes years estimating can be a fine place to be as well.