[LearningtheRopes]

Was interested in taking a course or two in the future and was wondering if anyone had any positive experience in either of these areas. There seems to be a lot of different organizations that offer courses but don't know if they are good or complete garbage. If anyone has any info (links, etc) it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[macmikeman]

It all boils down to this: Either you wear the tools , or you take the courses , learn the lingo, hopefully learn the gannt math behind it (few actually do and still call themselves "project managers" while totally clueless as to what it really means to manage a project.) and mix in to the corporate crowd where it is easy to be a numbnuts ahd get away with it.

So choose- Electrician or Numbnuts.

 

[wcord]

Check your local community college for PM courses.
Here in MB, Red River College, you can do the entire program by Distance ED
http://me.rrc.mb.ca/Catalogue/ProgramInfo.aspx?ProgCode=PROMP-CT&RegionCode=WPG
I would assume that Ontario colleges should have similar opportunities.

 

[FrunkSlammer]

If you could actually find a very current and relevant home automation course, that could be very influential and useful. Most of them are just regurgitating the old crap and taking your money.

Can't comment on the project management, but it sounds useful.

Don't listen to macmikeman, any courses you do in addition to becoming an electrician are relevant and useful to broadening your horizons. Learning more does not make you a numb nuts, it's the opposite.

 

[wcord]

It all boils down to this: Either you wear the tools , or you take the courses , learn the lingo, hopefully learn the gannt math behind it (few actually do and still call themselves "project managers" while totally clueless as to what it really means to manage a project.) and mix in to the corporate crowd where it is easy to be a numbnuts ahd get away with it.

So choose- Electrician or Numbnuts.

If you are willing to stay a small shop doing residential or small tenant improvements, or even just a few projects at the same time, than PM isn't worth the effort.
But, if you are doing commercial of medium and up size, PM is an excellent tool.
Gannt charts are just one of the tools that are useful. And that's all PM is, a tool. It's not a magic solution.
When you have multiple projects on the go at the same time, the charts are very useful to allocate your resources.
You don't need to take a PM course to learn how to make/read scheduling charts because Microsoft Project will do the same thing. But understanding the premise behind Project Management will help you on larger projects.
Project Management isn't just Gannt charts. It's communication, QA/QC, risk analysis/management, procurement.

 

[macmikeman]

Thank you and Frunk for the corrections. I stand corrected. I also have a degree in that same subject for what it is worth. And it landed my a nice office job in a nice big fat numbnuts organization doing management speak all day and attending important meetings,for a fat salary. But I didn't like it there.

So anyway, yesterday I got two roll up commercial doors wired up, and installed three photo cells on existing wall pack fixtures , and went to a Kaiser High baseball game.

 

[FrunkSlammer]

There you go, get a degree in project management and you can...

Whoops, meant this one:

 

[LearningtheRopes]

I'm on the tools now but am just entertaining the idea of a course like project management. More interested in the home automation course(s)

 

[ablyss]

Lutron home automation seems to be the best of the lot but that doesn't mean it's the best for job placement. If you don't care about the quality of the product then there are half a dozen or more products you could be certified but they are all crap except Lutron .

 

[wcord]

Thank you and Frunk for the corrections. I stand corrected. I also have a degree in that same subject for what it is worth. And it landed my a nice office job in a nice big fat numbnuts organization doing management speak all day and attending important meetings,for a fat salary. But I didn't like it there.

So anyway, yesterday I got two roll up commercial doors wired up, and installed three photo cells on existing wall pack fixtures , and went to a Kaiser High baseball game.

That's the point.
Maybe the OP wants to work for a larger organization, maybe not. Maybe he wants to run large projects for his own company. There in lies the diversity of the Trade. Small to large, with different requirements .
Mac, can you truthfully say that you use absolutely none of the knowledge that you gained from your PM degree (technically speaking it's a certification with PMI, giving one, the designation of PMP) ? Education is a tool, which we use to make the various parts of our jobs go easier.
BTW, truly sorry to hear you had to work on a Saturday. All I did was sleep in and then go to the Art Gallery and enjoy an afternoon of interesting exhibits.

 

[LearningtheRopes]

If you could actually find a very current and relevant home automation course, that could be very influential and useful. Most of them are just regurgitating the old crap and taking your money.

Can't comment on the project management, but it sounds useful.

Don't listen to macmikeman, any courses you do in addition to becoming an electrician are relevant and useful to broadening your horizons. Learning more does not make you a numb nuts, it's the opposite.

Appreciate the advice. Yes, all I'm trying to do is become as educated as possible. And I see somewhat of a developing future in home automation so I'm trying to add that knowledge to my repertoire.

But yes, it's hard to tell which courses are influential and useful because as you said there are a lot that aren't up to date and are simply set up as a money grab.

 

[Going_Commando]

If you could actually find a very current and relevant home automation course, that could be very influential and useful. Most of them are just regurgitating the old crap and taking your money.

Can't comment on the project management, but it sounds useful.

Don't listen to macmikeman, any courses you do in addition to becoming an electrician are relevant and useful to broadening your horizons. Learning more does not make you a numb nuts, it's the opposite.

I'd love to take a class on home automation, but there are basically none that sound worth it. I guess I'm just going to have to spend the company's money and buy some stuff and play around with it. Thankfully, to an extent, I have that ability.

 

[LearningtheRopes]

Lutron home automation seems to be the best of the lot but that doesn't mean it's the best for job placement. If you don't care about the quality of the product then there are half a dozen or more products you could be certified but they are all crap except Lutron .

Hey thanks for the info. But do most courses require a placement? I was hoping to learn this on the side and continuing working as an electrician.

 

[macmikeman]

That's the point.
Maybe the OP wants to work for a larger organization, maybe not. Maybe he wants to run large projects for his own company. There in lies the diversity of the Trade. Small to large, with different requirements .
Mac, can you truthfully say that you use absolutely none of the knowledge that you gained from your PM degree (technically speaking it's a certification with PMI, giving one, the designation of PMP) ? Education is a tool, which we use to make the various parts of our jobs go easier.
BTW, truly sorry to hear you had to work on a Saturday. All I did was sleep in and then go to the Art Gallery and enjoy an afternoon of interesting exhibits.

FWIW I generally take two days off in the middle of the week because the crowd is much smaller in the surf breaks during the week. Same on the golf course , but I have more or less given up on those infernal golf clubs...

 

[FrunkSlammer]

The home automation revolution is happening now. Technological advancement and costs have finally come together and home automation is going mainstream.

I don't think there really are any good courses on home automation out there. There's just training courses from companies on using their products. Guys are out there doing the work on the cutting edge of home automation. Give it 5 years and there will be books, courses, videos, magazines.. the whole nine yards on the subject. A lot of people are going to make some decent money on this, and a few people are going to make a SHÍTLOAD of money on this!

Toronto is probably a pretty good market to capitalize on the business.

 

[LearningtheRopes]

Thank you and Frunk for the corrections. I stand corrected. I also have a degree in that same subject for what it is worth. And it landed my a nice office job in a nice big fat numbnuts organization doing management speak all day and attending important meetings,for a fat salary. But I didn't like it there.

So anyway, yesterday I got two roll up commercial doors wired up, and installed three photo cells on existing wall pack fixtures , and went to a Kaiser High baseball game.

Thanks for the advice! And I now understand what you're saying. I'm not currently trying to land an office job, etc as you explained but I am attempting to learn how to juggle multiple project, big and small, as well as risk management etc. And I thought a pm course would be a great place to start. Would you disagree?

 

[macmikeman]

Thanks for the advice! And I now understand what you're saying. I'm not currently trying to land an office job, etc as you explained but I am attempting to learn how to juggle multiple project, big and small, as well as risk management etc. And I thought a pm course would be a great place to start. Would you disagree?

It would be a great thing to do. I'm just a moody old man at times and that was my mood at that particular point in time. Education is wonderful stuff, get all you can. Just stay away from political science classes, they are corrupted.

 

[Switched]

The home automation revolution is happening now. Technological advancement and costs have finally come together and home automation is going mainstream.

I don't think there really are any good courses on home automation out there. There's just training courses from companies on using their products. Guys are out there doing the work on the cutting edge of home automation. Give it 5 years and there will be books, courses, videos, magazines.. the whole nine yards on the subject. A lot of people are going to make some decent money on this, and a few people are going to make a SHÍTLOAD of money on this!

Toronto is probably a pretty good market to capitalize on the business.

I think that revolution is really taking place now as well. The problem is that each and every product will require you to take a course from the manufacture directly. So I just don't truly see the need for a course from anyone other than them.

With the rise in WiFi, IR, and radio controlled systems, there will be a nice market for someone to install them. But unlike the Lutron systems, they will really be geared to HO programming them with a phone/table based app. I would think.

 

[LearningtheRopes]

The home automation revolution is happening now. Technological advancement and costs have finally come together and home automation is going mainstream.

I don't think there really are any good courses on home automation out there. There's just training courses from companies on using their products. Guys are out there doing the work on the cutting edge of home automation. Give it 5 years and there will be books, courses, videos, magazines.. the whole nine yards on the subject. A lot of people are going to make some decent money on this, and a few people are going to make a SHÍTLOAD of money on this!

Toronto is probably a pretty good market to capitalize on the business.

Exactly. My place of employment does some electrical work for some high end residential contracting company's and they're customizing these places like crazy. It's definitely becoming more popular but it still a bit expensive . But you know how technology works. There will be a time when it becomes affordable. So far I've heard Creston and Lutron offer good courses.

 

[FrunkSlammer]

It's hard to say how it will play out, but right now establishing yourself into the market and being the go-to guy/company will be seriously profitable, because there is going to be a lot of demand and a lot of problems! :laughing: