Advice for high school apprentice? - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

Jtt123 · 12-16-2011, 05:39 PM

I am in a vocational high school for which I take electrical wiring in; since I am a junior I have about 2 and a half years of time in the program. I am in the top of my class so my opportunities have been opening up, soon I am going on an internship with a local electrical company and starting summer I plan on going on co-op until I am 18 and can apply for my local union. This summer in less than 2 months I was able to work 400 hours in telecommunications (running and pulling cable, terminating, all that good stuff). I have a passion for the electrical trade and really enjoy the work, Is there any advice any of you would give me that you think would be helpful? I know spending time in the school shop limits me to what I can learn compared to the huge amount of learning in the field, is there anything useful to learn how to work with equipment that I have never worked with before? Thank you

HARRY304E · 12-16-2011, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jtt123

I am in a vocational high school for which I take electrical wiring in; since I am a junior I have about 2 and a half years of time in the program. I am in the top of my class so my opportunities have been opening up, soon I am going on an internship with a local electrical company and starting summer I plan on going on co-op until I am 18 and can apply for my local union. This summer in less than 2 months I was able to work 400 hours in telecommunications (running and pulling cable, terminating, all that good stuff). I have a passion for the electrical trade and really enjoy the work, Is there any advice any of you would give me that you think would be helpful? I know spending time in the school shop limits me to what I can learn compared to the huge amount of learning in the field, is there anything useful to learn how to work with equipment that I have never worked with before? Thank you

Quit school and work full time...

Just kidding.

It sounds like you have a really good attitude and that is great.

In my opinion the motors and controls PLC's part of the trade will make you most valuable to many EC's

see if you can get a pipe bender and some scrap pipe and teach your self how to bend pipe.

And work as hard as you can while you are still in school that time will pass fast enough i know it seems like forever but it is really just a warm summer day away till you will be working full time and racking up the hours for your license.

Welcome to the forum you will learn a lot here and have fun doing it...

Jtt123 · 12-16-2011, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HARRY304E

Quit school and work full time...

Just kidding.

It sounds like you have a really good attitude and that is great.

In my opinion the motors and controls PLC's part of the trade will make you most valuable to many EC's

see if you can get a pipe bender and some scrap pipe and teach your self how to bend pipe.

And work as hard as you can while you are still in school that time will pass fast enough i know it seems like forever but it is really just a warm summer day away till you will be working full time and racking up the hours for your license.

Welcome to the forum you will learn a lot here and have fun doing it...

Thanks for the advice

I'm glad to hear your opinion on PLC motor control and bending because I have a pretty good amount of experience with bending from my shop and I started motor control this year and so far they are what I enjoy most, and our teacher informed me and my buddy that is also far ahead that we will eventually be starting fire alarm systems and PLC since the local company I will be interning for donated a PLC system.

Magnettica · 12-16-2011, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jtt123

is there anything useful to learn how to work with equipment that I have never worked with before? Thank you

Yes, there's lots of stuff you could be getting better at but to me it sounds like you're on your way to solid career as an electrician. You already have there advantage over the guy who hasn't realized yet that he's going to be an electrician. He's the big idiot at high school right now and one day soon you'll be his boss.

dmxtothemax · 12-16-2011, 08:42 PM

The most important thing is practicule experience,
A head full of theory is only part of it !
You need to find an electricain who you can help out,
Even if there is little or no money involved,
Its the experience that you need.
Help him out as much as you can,
Experience plus knowledge = work.

FireInTheWire · 12-16-2011, 08:43 PM

Welcome to the show! I'm happy to hear from young people who have such a great attitude. I'm a new inside apprentice and it takes hard work and a good attitude to make it! By the time you are in the union apprenticeship you'll have some great knowledge under your belt and you'll do well!

I found that for me, it is a matter of learning every day!

Also, the journeymen on the forum are really helpful if you have questions about electrical and work issues, so don't be afraid to post questions!

Keep us posted on how you're doing and good luck.

HARRY304E · 12-16-2011, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magnettica

Yes, there's lots of stuff you could be getting better at but to me it sounds like you're on your way to solid career as an electrician. You already have there advantage over the guy who hasn't realized yet that he's going to be an electrician. He's the big idiot at high school right now and one day soon you'll be his boss.

Well said.....

Semi-Ret Electrician · 12-16-2011, 09:27 PM

Welcome to the group JT. I attended a similar HS in MA. The school motto was "He who hath a trade hath an estate" I thought it was a little corny but it sure was true. Good Luck!

Jtt123 · 12-16-2011, 11:06 PM

Thanks for all your replies and advice

I look forward to keeping in touch

brian john · 12-16-2011, 11:14 PM

Do not get hooked up with any steady girl for any extended period of time, play the field.

socalelect · 12-17-2011, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian john

Do not get hooked up with any steady girl for any extended period of time, play the field.

get all of the bearded clam that you can while your young the older you get the harder it is to get !!!
i never realizzed how great high school was , to be caged up will all of those hot chicks untill i was out of school
i guess i should of hit up a college after HS

joethemechanic · 12-17-2011, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian john

Do not get hooked up with any steady girl for any extended period of time, play the field.

LMAO, good luck, they never listen

Lilith (1892) by John Collier in Southport Atkinson Art Gallery

Article 90.1 · 12-17-2011, 03:06 AM

Get as much varied experience as you can, then later on you can begin to focus. Your brain is wired for school mode now, don't stop! Get into the trade and also enroll in college the semester after you graduate high school. You will NEVER have more free time than you do now, so keep sharp and work towards a degree while building your career. Study code as much as you can.

When you get into your apprenticeship program take it seriously and do ALL of the reading. I will 100% guaranty you that you and your class mates will say, "why do we have to learn this, we are never going to use it...?" Just learn it! You will be surprised when you are out in the field and need to calculate the inductance of a loop, or some other such task that you learned in class but thought you would never need to know; at the very least you will be able to have a reasonable conversation with an EE or sales rep. or the like. Be on time to work and learn the unwritten rules of apprenticeship- like asking questions at the appropriate times, and respecting your journeyman, etc.

Good luck and have fun!

FireInTheWire · 12-17-2011, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Article 90.1

Get as much varied experience as you can, then later on you can begin to focus. Your brain is wired for school mode now, don't stop! Get into the trade and also enroll in college the semester after you graduate high school. You will NEVER have more free time than you do now, so keep sharp and work towards a degree while building your career. Study code as much as you can.

When you get into your apprenticeship program take it seriously and do ALL of the reading. I will 100% guaranty you that you and your class mates will say, "why do we have to learn this, we are never going to use it...?" Just learn it! You will be surprised when you are out in the field and need to calculate the inductance of a loop, or some other such task that you learned in class but thought you would never need to know; at the very least you will be able to have a reasonable conversation with an EE or sales rep. or the like. Be on time to work and learn the unwritten rules of apprenticeship- like asking questions at the appropriate times, and respecting your journeyman, etc.

Good luck and have fun!

This^^^!!!