Just need to keep learning and show interest in being an asset to the company.

I was a first year and ended up having a 10th year working under me, he was not motivated and not willing to work extra hours and as a result I ended up being placed above him.
My 2nd and 3rd year I was temporary boss when my boss was away in charge of a crew of 4 - 6 people on a big industrial project.

It all comes down to experience and your interest and/or love for your trade. If you willing to go that extra mile, then most times your boss or company will appreciate it and give you more responsibility according to your skill levels.

 

Ideally 5th year apprentices and down have no business running work or acting as foreman, but that doesn't mean they aren't capable to by any means. If you're good and it's a medium to small size company you could make foreman in your first or second year out.

 

Wait..........let me get this straight. You WANT to become the foreman:blink:?

 

My thoughts exactly. Be careful what you wish for. It isn't all it's made out to be.

 

So few that aspire to foreman see their motivation prostituted to some company coffer...<sigh>....i think i need a tissue! .......~CS~

 

I never wanted to be a foreman, and I didn't ask the Hall to send me out as one, but I was asked to be a foreman on more than a few jobs that I was already working on.
I never thought that the extra money was worth the headaches that came with it.

 

My thoughts exactly. Be careful what you wish for. It isn't all it's made out to be.

It's not too bad. Just have to be prepared for what's coming. You'll be blamed for everything, have your hands tied on your help you get, and receive no credit for brining in profit. Your guys will fight you on every decision, your estimator (bosses) will blame you if it don't make money, and if it does he'll take the credit.
That being said I enjoy the challenge of running work. Coordinating between trades, being 3 or more steps ahead of the guys under me, and solving problems before we get to them are all rewarding. If you get a good set of guys being a foreman is pretty easy, get junk and it can be miserable.

 

In my area, I make about an extra 60 bucks a week to run a crew of 4 to 6 men. You are expected to be the answer man for everything ,be it in your control or not. Also if the job is not going as well as your boss thinks it should, and it never seems to, answering to him. You will learn that the owner will Never admit to actually making money on a job, although usually his house, vehicles, and vacation destinations tell a different story. When you do make foreman, remember how well you treat your men will determine how hard they will work for you.

 

I get an extra 3.50$/hour as a foreman, and it's not worth it lol but I do enjoy the challenge

 

It can be a challenge and like previously stated....the better your crew, the easier the job. FWIW...our guys get 15% above JM rate.

It's not too bad. The way I viewed it was I could be miserable every day working for an incompetent prick or I could be the incompetent prick and make a little more money.

Well.......I have the incompetent prick part down pat. :laughing:

 

It's not too bad. Just have to be prepared for what's coming. You'll be blamed for everything, have your hands tied on your help you get, and receive no credit for brining in profit. Your guys will fight you on every decision, your estimator (bosses) will blame you if it don't make money, and if it does he'll take the credit. That being said I enjoy the challenge of running work. Coordinating between trades, being 3 or more steps ahead of the guys under me, and solving problems before we get to them are all rewarding. If you get a good set of guys being a foreman is pretty easy, get junk and it can be miserable.

It's not too bad. The way I viewed it was I could be miserable every day working for an incompetent prick or I could be the incompetent prick and make a little more money.

 

Most important....You are liable for all your men, regardless how stupid they are.

Someone gets hurt, you can be fined and could even do jail time!

No amount of $ is worth that in my opinion

 

Most important....You are liable for all your men, regardless how stupid they are.

Someone gets hurt, you can be fined and could even do jail time!

No amount of $ is worth that in my opinion

...hardly, its the employer thats on the hook

 

You're an apprentice. Focus on getting your journeyman license and nothing else until you get that. One step at a time.

 

Most important....You are liable for all your men, regardless how stupid they are. Someone gets hurt, you can be fined and could even do jail time! No amount of $ is worth that in my opinion

I don't think there's any truth to that at all. Any of it

 

I don't care what any of the guys living in their fairy tale world on here say, with lots of companies you could find yourself acting as a foreman by your third year or even earlier. I've personally been running work since I was about that level, just kinda' fell into it. I've since continued to climb my own small corporate ladder. I'm a company man and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's a lot of responsibility and takes a lot of dedication. It's hard to see it as an outsider looking in. One day you'll find out for yourself.

 

In Canada.....eddy current is 100% correct. After a major mining disaster happened here in NS called the Westray Mining disaster, Bill C-45 was passed into legislation throughout the entire country. FWIW......you can read about it here. It also spells numerous accounts where the individual as well as the employer was charged. http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/legisl/billc45.html From the website: Bill C-45 added Section 217.1 to the Criminal Code which reads: "217.1 Every one who undertakes, or has the authority, to direct how another person does work or performs a task is under a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm to that person, or any other person, arising from that work or task." Bill C-45 also added Sections 22.1 and 22.2 to the Criminal Code imposing criminal liability on organizations and its representatives for negligence (22.1) and other offences (22.2). This was passed into law on March 31/2004

Didn't see he was in Canada. I honestly didn't think that was possible anywhere.

 

It's actually possible almost anywhere. The intent of that Canadian law, as well as current US Federal law(s), is aimed at gross negligence and/or dereliction of duty. There have been numerous instances of criminal prosecution in the US for willfully sending workers into a known unsafe situation. These conditions occur mostly in the deep mining industry, but can carry over to other industries as well.

However, you can rest assured that if your worker climbs a cracking tower and does a swan dive off of it, you won’t be personally prosecuted. You are required to supply him/her with current and correct safety information and all the current and correct gear to complete a given task. But if he/she willfully disregards the training, it is NOT on your personal shoulders.

The job of bossing does take a different type of personality… and some creative strategies at times. In addition to knowing your job inside and out, you must be part politician, father, brother, referee, doctor, and psychologist (notice I left out friend, for a very good reason). It is certainly not for the faint of heart, nor is it for folks who just don’t givaratsazz.

I have been a foreman almost constantly since 1984, both in heavy construction and industrial maintenance. I have moved into higher management in recent years. While I can recite plenty of head bangers, I can also recite as many victories and proud moments, and I have enjoyed many “perks” as a boss. To go back I would do nothing differently than I have done.

Learn your trade first, as someone has already mentioned. Boss time will eventually come around if you have what it takes, and your bosses will probably see when it’s time for you to push a crew even before you do. Don’t expect easy street, but don’t expect the world to cave in you either.

Mark

 

Of course you will need to know how the work is completed. Taking some courses in project management will help (and learning a scheduling program will also be an asset). You should have good computer skills.

One of the best books you can read and put to use in the project management role is

you should be able to check it out at the local library.

 

You have to know your spit. Although a lot don't. This is a big issue out their. So if you come to a point 8-10 years from now where your comfortable and you feel like you got a good grasp of what's going on, then you'll be noticed and asked or you get hired as a foreman somewhere.