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Junior Estimator Vs. Electritian

2K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  Bootss 
#1 ·
Electrical company offered me employment and have me two options to either gain my experience as an apprentice electrician or a junior estimator. Company is not union. I'm fairly new to the trade any advice will help. What position would be more beneficial?
 
#4 ·
As a former office B i t c h, I'd say learn the office bidding.

Not many people will be offered what you have been offered! Beleive me!

Getting an estimator job in the future will be a laterial thing, being an
electrician is just that.

The biggest problem is you will not know the other side, onve you've made your descision.
 
#5 ·
Take the electrician's job. Before you start, come to an agreement with your employer that allows you to pursue your electrical license. Once you are able to achieve that goal, nobody can take it away from you. Unless you do something illegal or unethical. You don't have to go out on your own if that's not your thing but at least you're positioned right for YOUR future. If the employer is smart he'll encourage you to pursue your goal.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Become an electrician first. That ticket can lead to a lot of other things later - estimating, project management, manufacturer's rep, etc. if you don't want to stay on the tools.

There is a big difference between having a license you can hang on the wall and just having a job. If you take the estimating job and ever decide to work for someone else, you might have a hard time finding another job as an estimator without the field experience.
 
#7 ·
I've been in this trade for 21 years...15 in the field and the last 6 years estimating. I can tell you, without a shadow of a doubt, I could not do my job now nearly as well, without my years of experience in the field. It has kept me in touch with the realities of the way things often go on a job.

People who start off in estimating positions, without doing time with their tools strapped on their ass, will often have unrealistic ideas, about the way things are in the field. This is just my .02 and, comes from first-hand experience.
 
#8 ·
Jersey Shore said:
Take the electrician's job. Before you start, come to an agreement with your employer that allows you to pursue your electrical license. Once you are able to achieve that goal, nobody can take it away from you. Unless you do something illegal or unethical. You don't have to go out on your own if that's not your thing but at least you're positioned right for YOUR future. If the employer is smart he'll encourage you to pursue your goal.
That's not always a good thing. Sure, get your license if you want, but some people will think twice about hiring you for fear that you could steal some clients and go out on your own.

Even if you were the most ethical person in the world, many potential employers may still be concerned that you won't be a long haul employee. Its called "being over-qualified". Sure, get your license, but keep it to yourself
 
#9 ·
That's a fear that a lot of shops have. It's ridiculous. There's so much more to running a business than just having your license. If you're worried about your people eating your lunch you are missing the bigger picture. Ill take the guy that wants a license over the guy just looking for 40 hrs work any day.
 
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