tony8404

Hello everyone, I am in a dilema right now. I am currently attending a trade school for a program electrical construction maintenance. I was thinking of looking into Itt Tech or Devry but Devry is too far, i could not make the travel from work to school.

ITT Tech on the other hand has a freaking list of horror stories.

So with that said i was thinking of continuing my diploma program that finishes in august. I do not know how to go from there though but that is some time away.

I have recently as a matter of fact this morning had a call from a cable company not comcast. i would be either an installer or a disconnect, I tried to ask some details and they were not helpful. But the salary is good 40k.

i have to have my own truck or van, i prefer it that way anyway. but i asked about the hours and days i would be working, lol they had no clue.

Just said it would be in the interview. I was given an address to meet a guy the hirer for the interview not a problem i thought i would just miss a day of work and be done with it with a new career. I live for moments like this...

But with a family with two small kids i have to think differently now. As i had said the salary is what i am looking for but yet i do not wanna affect my family. They did not also mention the days i would work. So i was gonna call a headquarters tomorrow and see what i can find out. but if anyone is in the field on this type of work could you please give me some honest insight?

mollydog

you prob will work "p rate" they pay you say 10 bucks for each cable outlet and more for a street or lateral connection but be carefull leaving any good STABLE job in this economy especially if they dont have much work which is the case right now for a lot of cable contractors. also be carefull they dont talk you into being a sub contractor because then you have to pay your own taxes and loose the security of unemployment benefits

brian john

Using your own truck SUCKS and IMO is not right on any level for more than short term.

With a family I would take any job you can get your hands on. With the cable company you will learn little or nothing and use little the trade school taught you, unless you get inside in operations. With schooling you MIGHT be able to get up the ladder faster into inside work or management?

volty

If you don't currently need this offered job, be very cautious. If you're aiming for somthing in electrical construction maintenance this won't bring you much closer. The 40k / year won't likely 20 / hour.

rlc3854

My son did this type of work for a cable contractor of the local area cable company (comcast, cox,charter,ect.). You will be told you can make all kinds of money, the faster you work the more you make. Problems, no mileage, customers have been promised deals that aren't on your work order, you are a subcontractor responsible for all taxes/records/vehicle insurance must be commerical, meetings at company is not paid, must have a cell phone and fax, if customer is not home or a fictious address no pay. Getting the picture yet?

tony8404

Wow, thank you everyone for the responses... you have just saved someone alot of hurt and fustration.... I almost made the worst mistake i could have made. I do have a really stable job right now, but when i am done with school i will worry about switching jobs. for now though i am glad i posted a thread on this topic... i knew it was too good to be true lol, thank god for the lotto cause i will be playing tonight.

Ohmslawman

I did that work before and hated it.You get paid per job one job might take 2 hours like to do an overhead cable into a house.Another job might just be disconnecting a cable.Used own truck and with gas prices it would not be worth it.

Jeffro

I went to trade school for Electrical construction and maintenance also and finished in Feb of 09' I have been trying to get into a full time electrical position but havn't been able to find anyone hiring.This is tough for me cause I don't want to lose what I've learned although I pick up side jobs here and there its not enough for me. I am determined to find something in the Chicago area even though it seems to be union controlled. Just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope something comes my way. Probably going to take up electrical class's at a near by junior college to stay up on things.I'm luckey to have a job but my real desire is to be a full time electrician.I enjoy the work and challenge .I feel bad for the students who are enrolling and being told there's a whole lot of work out there for the trades and when they graduate there isn't crap and the job placement they say they have is a scam to get your money.