advice - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

dadadan · 02-13-2008, 03:52 PM

Hey all I have been lurking on the site for awhile but this is my first post. I need some advice. I really want to become an electrician I have always been very good with my hands and mechanically inclined and love to fix and build things. I have a two very friends who are electricians in the union in nyc and have told me I would make a great electrician and told me to apply. So I went to my local in new jersey and put in my application in August (07) took the test in November (07) and passed and interviewed in December (07) and I received a letter a week after the interview saying they have not selected applicants for the apprenticeship yet then said the have decided to further review my application and that was two months ago this week. I would really like to get started learning and training in my new career but I don't know if I should continue to wait for the union or just start looking for non-union private contractor who needs helper. I'm 26 and really interested in all types of electrical work and believe it will be challenging ,satisfying and constant education/learning something I want from my job. What do you think is the best thing to do. Should I just wait it out, start as a helper with a private electrical contractor, call the union hall I applied to and ask some questions? I don't know

5volts · 02-13-2008, 07:42 PM

I would suggest for you to go to a local trade school perferibly a community colledge and see if they offer an electrical program or courses. Then you can talk to the instructors and find contractors looking for electrical helpers. Or sometimes temp agencies need electricians. This will allow you to gain experience and make some money. You may gain enough experience, and if you go to a good trade school you might be able to bypass an ibew apprentiship program and test right in to a company that hires only journeyman, whether you come from a union or not they will test you to see if you qualify, if you do you will the sign on an become a ibew journeyman union member. Provided you can prove you had sufficient schooling and enough time in the trade. However in the mean time you can continue trying to get into your local. Don't let them slow you down be aggresive and push.

bobelectric · 02-13-2008, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadadan

Hey all I have been lurking on the site for awhile but this is my first post. I need some advice. I really want to become an electrician I have always been very good with my hands and mechanically inclined and love to fix and build things. I have a two very friends who are electricians in the union in nyc and have told me I would make a great electrician and told me to apply. So I went to my local in new jersey and put in my application in August (07) took the test in November (07) and passed and interviewed in December (07) and I received a letter a week after the interview saying they have not selected applicants for the apprenticeship yet then said the have decided to further review my application and that was two months ago this week. I would really like to get started learning and training in my new career but I don't know if I should continue to wait for the union or just start looking for non-union private contractor who needs helper. I'm 26 and really interested in all types of electrical work and believe it will be challenging ,satisfying and constant education/learning something I want from my job. What do you think is the best thing to do. Should I just wait it out, start as a helper with a private electrical contractor, call the union hall I applied to and ask some questions? I don't know

Wait for a thanks but no thanks before you sign to pay a trade school.

dadadan · 02-14-2008, 02:18 PM

thanks for the advice. I have a guy willing to hire me as a helper with no schooling or benys or room to move up but I really want to get into my local cause of the schooling and what not. The last thing I want to do is pay for more school but if it comes down to it I guess I have no choice. I just don't know if I should contact my local and see when I might recieve some notice on if I am in or not but I don't know if thats being to pushy. I am trying to keep my head up and wait but its not looking to good.

dadadan · 02-17-2008, 03:56 AM

Bueller? Bueller?

Celtic · 02-17-2008, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadadan

Bueller? Bueller?

LOL

Nice bump

I would call them and ask WHEN...
when will you start working? ...
when will classes start - in August or September?

If you don't mind....which local did you apply to?

dadadan · 02-17-2008, 08:41 PM

thanks for the advice I will call them after the holiday oh I put my app in 164

Celtic · 02-17-2008, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadadan

thanks for the advice I will call them after the holiday oh I put my app in 164

Word on the street is it will be all ace-holes and elbows by spring in 164's area.
Scroll through this page:
http://newyork.construction.com/feat...8/02_cover.asp
..paying attention to the work in Hudson/Bergen/Essex counties....them continue by looking at the "Past Features".

IF for some reason you don't get in by the end of spring...call them AGAIN and ask about becoming a "summer helper".