Steelhead Fred

I'm currently in college but chomping at the butt to get out. I have enough credits for an associates degree but it will be about 2 years before I graduate with a bachelors. I'm considering taking my mixed up, random credits and graduating with an associates at the college I'm going to and then pursuing a career being an electrician. I'm in metro Detroit but I would probably end up joining the IBEW and trying to find an apprenticeship job up north. So like I said I have a few questions, I'll fire away...

1.) What's the job outlook in Northern and Upper Michigan for an IBEW residential electrician?

2.) Once I join the IBEW can I transfer around to where there is work?

3.) If you were in my shoes (5 years into college, 2 1/2 years into my Bachelor's) would you consider this a reasonable option?

4.) Do you like your job? Do you like the money you make?

Thanks for any and all responses

Fred

william1978

Welcome to the forum.

s.kelly

As someone who has been in your shoes... I would say finish you degree first. 10 years after I got my degree I joined the apprenticeship.
There is always time later, but once you have a degree, it cannot be taken from you. It is always available to open doors.

I cannot speak about work in your part of the country, but everything I hear is that things are slow all over. And to my knowledge, you would not be eligible to travel until after your apprenticeship.

Not really a bad time to be in school in my opinion!

good luck

Zog

I want to start by telling you I recently left metro Detroit, I was in Local 58 in Detroit even though I am an engineer, it did not really fit me, but I was on the books as a specialist, there were more open positions than ther were people. For electricians it was very bad, 1,400 unemploted on th books when I left 18 months ago and I hear that number has about doubled. Nothing against the unions at all but in Detroit there are way too many people for the jobs available.

Ugly, very ugly.

Yes you can, but you are at the bottom of the pile.

No, finish school and get into a specialized feild. The electrical testing industry is in major need of good testing techs and engineers with the right education, wayne state has a great program for power system testing. You finish that program and you can choose anywhere you want to work. I would be more than happy to put you in touch with the right people to hire you and you can make 2 or 3 times what you would make otherwise.

I love my job and what I make, my area of work is bullet proof. If I could do it all over agian I would be right where I am now.

ibuzzard

Sounds painful-and a little gross.Try "champing At the bit",referring to an horse ,anxious to go.If you really want it,go for it.Our work is cyclical,and tied to the ups and downs of the economy,but it's a good trade.I'd highly recommend getting into the inside wireman(commercial) program,as opposed to the residential program.Steve

LawnGuyLandSparky

Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life.
Heed the answers above, and know this - in the 80's residential "popped" and it hasn't done that again, ever, until this latest "housing boom" which turned out to be nothing but the result of a deregulated farce.

Here's the deal... yes once you have a journeyman's card - but I don't think a residential wireman ends up with that.

No.

You cannot consider what others feel about their experience and income to make your own decisions.

For instance, I know a couple of electricians who were "guided" into following their father's footsteps because of one reason or another who are downright miserable, and wish they persued their own dreams.