1st year apprentice - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

CFine · 10-06-2009, 05:15 PM

ok I'm a first year apprentice and i'll be 2nd year coming February. I interviewed at a new job and got the job 3 months ago(give or take a week). Well the journeymen i'm working with today asked me what i do know. this is what i do,
1. Conduit bending, 90's Kicks, Kick 90's, offsets, Kicks, box offsets
2. Joints and pig tails
3. Job Safty(osha 10)
4. Basic Print reading
5. Tracing conduit and Running conduit
6. Pulling, labeling wire.
7. i understand basic terminology

I'm the First to show up to the job and the Last to leave. i clean up 30 min before we leave. so anyone have suggetions or am i just dealing with a bad mood journeymen here. to Sum him up he doesn't teach or try to show me anything he expects me to automatically know it. i learn by you show me once maybe twice then i got it down good. Sorry i'm just really frustrated with this guy. i'm not a mind reader so i can't figure out what he wants 9/10 of the time.

NolaTigaBait · 10-06-2009, 05:20 PM

Guy probably hates his life and job. You sound like you know you stuff to me.

480sparky · 10-06-2009, 05:20 PM

Ask the boss for another job to work on.

Frasbee · 10-06-2009, 05:23 PM

You sound like me about a year ago.

I'm guessing you're open shop?

Tell us more about your typical work day with this guy so we give proper advice.

Like, do you ask questions often, and what's his reaction, (irritated/patient?).

Are you two always paired together? Is he managing any other apprentices?

Does he give you a task and leave you alone while he works?

Does he review you work and critique it without offering solutions?

CFine · 10-06-2009, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frasbee

You sound like me about a year ago.

I'm guessing you're open shop?

Tell us more about your typical work day with this guy so we give proper advice.

Like, do you ask questions often, and what's his reaction, (irritated/patient?).

Are you two always paired together? Is he managing any other apprentices?

Does he give you a task and leave you alone while he works?

Does he review you work and critique it without offering solutions?

I'm guessing you're open shop?
Yes open shop

Tell us more about your typical work day with this guy so we give proper advice.

Like, do you ask questions often, and what's his reaction, (irritated/patient?). patient unless i ask him a job of how he wants a particular job to be done then he get irritated. I've had to ask this cause before i'd just do the job get it done and then he's be pissy saying it didn't want it that way he wanted it a diff way so i'd spend time tearing it down wasting material and and redoing the whole thing.

Are you two always paired together? Is he managing any other apprentices? always paired up since i started their and he's not managing any other apprentices right now, but he get along very well with this other 3rd year. whos' going to school, i told him out right i don't have the time to start school till my 2nd year when due to my new born. so he wasn't happy with that.

Does he give you a task and leave you alone while he works? he leaves me to work yes, but he just crosses his arms and walks around( no i'm not being sarcastic or joking, i'm dead serious) i've seen him pull his tools out a total of 5 times in the last 6 weeks of this job.

Does he review you work and critique it without offering solutions?
yes he reviews my work, and if he's not his way he claims it as dog **** and then makes me tears it down and redo it which is why i have to ask how he wants it done. If i run into a problem he walks over their does the work for himself leaving me in the dark completely(i learn from how he's doing it but still no explanation)

user5941 · 10-06-2009, 05:35 PM

You have seven months in the trade that is not alot of time my first thought is are you trying to hard.Maybe you should change your mindset from that of "I am almost a second year apprentice" to one of "I am just barely Into my first year".Conflicts are rarely one sided and your only ability to resolve this one lies within you.

CFine · 10-06-2009, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rewire

You have seven months in the trade that is not alot of time my first thought is are you trying to hard.Maybe you should change your mindset from that of "I am almost a second year apprentice" to one of "I am just barely Into my first year".Conflicts are rarely one sided and your only ability to resolve this one lies within you.

thats how i was looking at it rewire till he pretty much called me a lair today to my face when i asked him what he ment by a switch leg from a light box to a light box(used to running a switch lege from a switch box to a light box). i was confused and i asked him what he meant so i could run the right wire. this is why i'm so frustrated cause i know the basic's. i don't like the guy but i don't let that get in the way of work i do my job and whats asked and i move on with my day. he's new to running a job so i just don't worry. but when ya call a 1st year apprentice a lair to his face it makes me wounder whats wrong with the guy, and when he calls the shop asking about my experience it makes me wounder too. I do my work and what i'm told, i do it safely, and in a timely manner.

Frasbee · 10-06-2009, 06:31 PM

Ah, so he's running the job?

Sounds like he's feeling overwhelmed and he's using his ego and position to compensate. As a journeyman, he should either be closely supervising a person in your position, or working along side you. Especially if he's having you demo work repeatedly, clearly having you try to teach yourself isn't productive. He should be finding a solution to this problem.

CFine · 10-06-2009, 06:51 PM

yea, i don't mind fixing work i screw up on, i'll admit i'm not perfect. but yes he needs to find a solution, i'm not a mind reader.

Shado · 10-07-2009, 03:41 AM

CFine...you are going to run into these type JM throughout your career.
If he is a green JM, as said, he could be feeling overwhelmed. Just because he is a JM doesn't mean he knows how to teach someone, or how to supervise, run a crew, etc....he is under the same pressure to get the job done as you are.

How is he during breaks or lunch? Relaxed? This is the right time to speak out about your concerns. Let him know you don't want to tick him off and that you are trying to do the right thing. Don't get argumentive though.

Him having you replace work done will catch up eventually, as the job will be falling behind getting done and the boss will be wanting answers. This could work for or against you. Keep your ducks in a row and be ready to answer if questions arise. Start keeping a daily log. Fill it in at the end of the day, with issues, how solved if they were, etc...Don't point fingers, just facts.

shakey pete · 10-07-2009, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFine

yea, i don't mind fixing work i screw up on, i'll admit i'm not perfect. but yes he needs to find a solution, i'm not a mind reader.

what's up cfine, i've been following your journey with your journeyman and i have a few suggestions which may ease the tension between you and your journeyman.

1 take time to listen to his needs- he is human just like you
2 ask relevant questions which will give him an opportunity to express his needs to you
3 take things slowly- rushing can sometimes scare people off
4 offer him comfort when his temper flares rather than back off
5 be specific with your requests- communication is the key when it comes to harmoniuos well being
6 take him out to the pub

where he might open up about his feelings in a relaxed enviroment rather than at work where he is under the pump
7 a quite weekend away might be worth looking into

failing that, simply work with someone else.. that might get his attention

good luck bro

hot joint · 10-07-2009, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFine

yea, i don't mind fixing work i screw up on, i'll admit i'm not perfect. but yes he needs to find a solution, i'm not a mind reader.

Dear Cfine

I have been looking at the responses to you re problem, it appears that most of your collegues are correct, but I would show caution to the extent shakey pete has suggested. You know son in Scotland we appreciate a kid that tries, we know half of you are complete idiots but we in Scotland reward and appreciate the effort not the victory. Your tradesman may have some of his reputation riding on you so please be mindfull of this, but guess what? We master craftsmen love to be asked questions, why don't you say things like..."hey i was thinking of doing this with my pipe work what do you think"?... then appreciate his experience and thank him. Son this world will keep going around but nothing will explain how to solve a problem more than yur tradesman. We love to teach we just need to know what it is you need.

if you intend to travel and broaden your skills there are many places in Europe that will give you this, but please never go to Australia to learn anything. You'll only come back with an attitude and liver problems.

Good luck in the future.

CFine · 10-07-2009, 02:20 PM

yea today was alot better. but yea i do got a duel citizenship american and UK. lol might have to come to the UK and work their :p i like people their alot better anyways. lol.

nitro71 · 10-07-2009, 03:21 PM

Honestly all you can do is just agree with him and do your best. You are going to run into a lot of knuckle heads in the trade. If you have any oppurtunity with whomever assigns people to work together try and get a new journeyman or jobsite. I'd advise you to say f$#k that guy as you drive home every day and forget about it. Don't let work affect your home life.

mattsilkwood · 10-07-2009, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitro71

Don't let work affect your home life.

That's a fact.