Post: #1

as the name of the thread goes, is anybody here an electrician? I am curious to ask some questions because I'm toying with the idea of going into the trades and dropping off of college. i am hating college right now because of the stupid liberal mentality of the professors and the people around me, add to the little jobs I can get without being in a STEM field.

Post: #2

What do you love doing?

Post: #3

I'm actually in classes for electro-mechanics (an associates degree) and have to take a lot of the Electricity fundamentals. It's interesting, and very hands on.
I've spoken with some of the electricians and automated-manufacturing engineers and here's the gist:

Starting at a small company, you'll be looking at 15-20 bucks an hour crawling through attics, inbetween walls and such. It's long hours, but they've described it as a job you can kind of lose yourself in.
After getting journeyman, there may be options of joining a union and reaping the benefits from there, but I've heard the most money is in provate contracting after you've gained some experience, but in that area, you'll be in competition with degree toting electrical engineers.
For example: A master plumber I know takes contract work for the simple design of plumbing systems. There was a new addition to Lambeau Field he over saw, and got a whooping 200k for the gig, but he's got over 20years in the field.

In essence, do some research, talk to someone at a tech college about what the classes are like and what not. I have fun in electro-mech,
but realistically, I'll never make more than 75k unless I get into research and development.

Post: #4

(02-18-2014 04:51 PM)Mentavious Wrote:  What do you love doing?

well, I am not really sure to answer that. I just want to see if the electrician trade is for me, to see what it takes to be one, etc and if I dig it. My father was a roofer and I know roofing isn't for me. I am curious to see other trades because I know I can't handle working in stupid corporate jobs that a "college degree" will give. I can't stand HR bitches constantly micromanaging me for every shit I say and do.

Post: #5

Working on cars is more fun and easier to make money. You could become a specialist like doing convertible top$ or Transmissions which will be huge money in the near future compared to what they used to be.

Post: #6

(02-18-2014 05:51 PM)baristabanger Wrote:  In essence, do some research, talk to someone at a tech college about what the classes are like and what not. I have fun in electro-mech,
but realistically, I'll never make more than 75k unless I get into research and development.

it's what I am thinking of doing. I was in engineering classes but I just couldn't do it. calculus was slaughtering me and really, if you're a male and going to college, one should only hit the STEM fields to avoid the usual work drama that bitches bring in. I know for a fact that I can't stand bitches constantly trying to give me drama. I am not the type who likes to start drama at work. I just go there to get the job done and move on the next assignment. bitches just can't do that because they don't have the wiring of a man for working.

Post: #7

(02-18-2014 06:04 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  Working on cars is more fun and easier to make money. You could become a specialist like doing convertible top$ or Transmissions which will be huge money in the near future compared to what they used to be.

I am not the type who can work with cars. I grew up knowing stuff about construction (thanks to my father who was a roofer and told me some of the gigs of the job and taking me to the sites to make me lose my fear of heights since I was a kid) and sort of thing, not with cars.

Post: #8

Good friend of mine is an electrician. Depending on what state you're in, the supply of electricians is controlled by the union/guild. You can't get certified unless it's through them, and you can't get work unless you're certified. So you'll start as an apprentice through them, doing crap jobs like installing wiring up 20 new houses in a cookie-cutter subdivision. Then you put in your time, take the tests, and you can eventually become the real deal.

Then you can stay on with a company, or go out on your own. Going out on your own means you'll need to set aside time to do stuff like billing, job scheduling, and new business generation.

Electricians make decent money, but it's also limited. So basically the "band" of income is fairly thin (between high and low earners), partly because the market itself is controlled via the union. Compare that to a lawyer, where you can make from $150-800/hour easily, depending on your specialty.

Note I'm not suggesting you be a lawyer - just using an example.

Also don't quit school if it's just over calculus. It's tough, but you can get through it and you'll find you don't use much of it in real life except in a few select areas. Computation-wise, it's all done by computers anyway.

Post: #9

First year electrician here. And ironically enough, also a former owner of a car business.
Have you seen the oilsands thread? A lot of good info in there.

Post: #10

(02-18-2014 11:46 PM)paninaro Wrote:  Also don't quit school if it's just over calculus. It's tough, but you can get through it and you'll find you don't use much of it in real life except in a few select areas. Computation-wise, it's all done by computers anyway.

It's not just the calculus. I don't like the college environment (the ultra liberals doing their indoctrination crap) and my peers (feminists all around me and manginas). Plus, if I knew back in 2012 (when I was still in high school) what I know now, I would have not gone to college and rather hit the trades. I don't like that you have to be a debt slave to pay for college and the other stuff I said.

Post: #11

(02-19-2014 12:11 AM)Hunter Phoenix Wrote:  First year electrician here. And ironically enough, also a former owner of a car business.
Have you seen the oilsands thread? A lot of good info in there.

Yeah, I know, the oil sands thread is what has made me consider working in the trades (either to North Dakota or to AB). It's just I want to know about electricians to get into the field to begin with. Then going to either place.

Post: #12

I started off as an electrician in Australia. Apprentice money was:
1st year: $9 per hour
2nd year :$10 per hour
3rd year: $14 per hour
4th year: $18 per hour

Once qualified the minimum wage is $30 per hour.
I was a lot more interested in Automation. So I studied some course and now work as an automation technician.

If you want real good money it depends on the industry and the country. Australia pays really well for most trades.
Anything in oil, gas and mines pays really well.
Working in an industry with a heavy kick ass union is the way to go. Thats the jobs i search for. for example working as an elevator technician in Norway pays a fuckload because of the ancient union.

Post: #13

(02-19-2014 12:55 AM)Hispanic_Reasoning Wrote:  It's not just the calculus. I don't like the college environment (the ultra liberals doing their indoctrination crap) and my peers (feminists all around me and manginas). Plus, if I knew back in 2012 (when I was still in high school) what I know now, I would have not gone to college and rather hit the trades. I don't like that you have to be a debt slave to pay for college and the other stuff I said.

I'm in the same boat as you, I'm thinking of dropping out or doing a job that requires no college whatsoever. I feel like I'm wasting my money while I can be in the real world developing a skill in a more practical field. Don't get me wrong I enjoy learning but college is not what I thought it would be and culture/society had us pretty much brainwashed to be stuck at a cubicle and be miserable.

Post: #14

(02-19-2014 12:55 AM)Hispanic_Reasoning Wrote:  It's not just the calculus. I don't like the college environment (the ultra liberals doing their indoctrination crap) and my peers (feminists all around me and manginas). Plus, if I knew back in 2012 (when I was still in high school) what I know now, I would have not gone to college and rather hit the trades. I don't like that you have to be a debt slave to pay for college and the other stuff I said.

Fair enough, but consider whether that's a good reason to leave. Every day, I'm in places where people spout crap and are full of feminists (supermarket, shopping malls) but I don't run away.

If your professors are crap and giving you a bad education, that's a good reason to leave. I never found my professors, especially in technical topics, to get involved in any politics or indoctrination at all. There simply wasn't time to, even if they wanted to. A lot of them were brilliant, and I learned a lot from them.

As for debt, debt isn't bad if you can manage it -- for many it's about the same as a car payment. If you think you'll be making $100k+/year from a college degree, then you can easily pay off the debt early and be free of it.

Post: #15

Yup, I feel exactly the same dude. Like I said before, I use to be in engineering and I wasn't cut for it. A lot of people who try engineering drop out because it's hardcore hard. People who achieve success in engineering, have my million respects because that stuff is so darn hard and challenging. And you probably know that the only majors that are worth going for are STEM and medical fields. All the others, well, it's just shit unless you get super lucky like my friend who got a job as a linguistics researcher in SE Asia.

And a bit of personal stuff on why I want to leave: I go to a CC right now. I commute back and forth and stuff like that. Finding jobs is hard as fuck as well (even if you have good job gaming skills), and this is for shitty min. wage jobs, not real jobs. Real jobs are another story here in California (and I live in the best part of California; Bay Area). Add to that, I can't really game for shit because I have so little money to spend going out and even if I game, logistics are so god dam shitty here in the Bay Area (adding to the fact that I can't bring a chick to my place since I ALWAYS have 1 of my parents in my place). And this not only adds to the restlessness that I can't travel even to Mexico because I don't have dough.

So yeah, I am just thinking of packing and saying Sarinayah to California and head to ND. I was going to leave California eventually anyway. This State has gone to the shits in all areas (economics, dating scene, safety, etc.). Think of this place as the Spain/Portugual/Italy/Greece of USA.

Post: #16

First year electrician here in Alberta about to go to school to become a second year. Have worked since last February in oil and gas equipment manufacturing and commercial construction.

Graduated from university after studying business and history (I didn't have the quant skills for STEM). Worked for a year in b2b sales after university and disliked it a lot. Hoping to make the jump to the oil sands in September.

Apprentice first year rate at my company is $19.5/hour, plus 10% vacation pay, and retirement savings shit added. Journeyman rate is $39.00/hr.

So far there has been good and bad. You learn some useful skills, make decent money, and have a bit of a brotherhood thing going on with your coworker buddies. You can go get shitfaced on a wednesday night, be hungover as hell the next day and your journeyman won't think less of you. But the main thing is, if you go this route, you don't want to make this a long-term career. We work with some 55-60 year old guys and they are all beat up. You decide this route, you do it for a few years, try to bank and then move onto something else.

After working both white collar and blue collar, both parties envy each other. Blue collar guys are tired of getting dirty, staring at dudes all day, frustrated with repetitive tedious tasks, and feel they have little prestige. White collar guys are tired of overbearing bosses, performance targets, work that isn't tangible, and taking work home at the end of the day.

My foreman has told me may times, "get the fuck out of the trade...do you want to be me in 15 years.....staring at dudes, no paid days off, crazy stress, working in varying climate conditions? This is as good as it gets....go do HR or banking, or get an office job."

If you can get into an environment where trades money is very lucrative, ND, Canadian Oil Sands, then do it (that's what I'm shooting for). But if you're planning on living in the city with a player lifestyle, I would go a different route.

Post: #17

(02-20-2014 02:44 AM)NFallin Wrote:  My foreman has told me may times, "get the fuck out of the trade...do you want to be me in 15 years.....staring at dudes, no paid days off, crazy stress, working in varying climate conditions? This is as good as it gets....go do HR or banking, or get an office job."

If you can get into an environment where trades money is very lucrative, ND, Canadian Oil Sands, then do it (that's what I'm shooting for). But if you're planning on living in the city with a player lifestyle, I would go a different route.

I only want to work in it for a few years to bank and invest in real estate or start my own gig, or work in another branch of oil&gas. I hear on what you said and Scotian said the same thing. The trades are meant to be worked while young then getting into a desk job when you're on the older side. For me, I want to have some bank, since I'm still young (I'm 20 years old).

Post: #18

(02-18-2014 05:51 PM)baristabanger Wrote:  In essence, do some research, talk to someone at a tech college about what the classes are like and what not. I have fun in electro-mech,
but realistically, I'll never make more than 75k unless I get into research and development.

http://www.oilcareers.com/content/jobsea...ct=1111534

This job is paying $30-$35 hr. On 12 hr shifts, that is $2940-$3430 weekly. If you worked a 28/28 rotation, that is $76440 to $89180 annual, to work 6 months out of the year. There is so much work right now, you'll probably come back from the rig and have work in the yard, or go to training, so those numbers can be much higher.

The ways to make top cash is to:

1. Military- They have top electrical/electronic schools, and the defense industry was paying guys $150K overseas for around a decade. Now a lot of oil/gas companies are seeking vets. Consider a reserve position.

2. Certifications- Sometimes more important than a degree. Stay current, and always volunteer to take classes. Lot off offshore dudes just want to come back and drink, or go fucking off and pass up training. The more you have the better you'll look on paper. Companies now are looking for multiple disciplined personnel.

3. 12 hr shifts- You literally are working over 2x what the average 40 hr a week Joe is doing. You're experience will stack fast. Dudes that aren't breaking $75K are complacent and not putting in the effort. Do it while you're young, and with enough experience, you'll be switching into an office job, working 40-50 hrs a week.

4. Diversify- Don't just work on what you learned in college. Get your hands on as much as possible. When you have downtime, go pester the welders, mechanics, I&E guys, and HSE rat bastards. The more you cross the better our resume will look. I went from electronics to just about everything else, and its kept me gainfully employed at $200K jobs.

5. Networking- It's where the money is. All about who you know, not what. Most of my job offers now come from referrals. Online your resume is just one in an ocean of others. Go out and impress, and it will pay dividends.

Post: #19

(02-20-2014 02:44 AM)NFallin Wrote:  So far there has been good and bad. You learn some useful skills, make decent money, and have a bit of a brotherhood thing going on with your coworker buddies. You can go get shitfaced on a wednesday night, be hungover as hell the next day and your journeyman won't think less of you. But the main thing is, if you go this route, you don't want to make this a long-term career. We work with some 55-60 year old guys and they are all beat up. You decide this route, you do it for a few years, try to bank and then move onto something else.

Getting worn out is due to several factors. We as tradesman aren't known for living a healthy lifestyle. Dudes go on a job and engorge on burgers and fries cause its free. Then come home and drink themselves silly. That doesn't help after busting knuckles for 12 hours. Which is what an electrician is doing onshore typically. Climbing up in attics and crawlspaces will wear you down.

Now, the smart electrician goes to where all the equipment is actually operating. Some of the most bored motherfuckers I know work as gennie mechanics offshore. You are responsible for 2 gensets's, and most of the time all you do is take the one running offline and service it. This took us like 2 hours to work through, including changing the fluids. That might be all you do for 28 days. Nothing wrong with being the Maytag man.

Over time you'll get in and find out the jobs or companies where you'll be less busy. Doing shit all day gives you time to take some online courses or play Starcraft II. That's what I did to pass away the day. I've seen dudes in certain trades like HSE actively pursuing an online degree, and knocking out 12+ semester hrs.

Post: #20

(02-20-2014 08:44 AM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

(02-20-2014 02:44 AM)NFallin Wrote:  So far there has been good and bad. You learn some useful skills, make decent money, and have a bit of a brotherhood thing going on with your coworker buddies. You can go get shitfaced on a wednesday night, be hungover as hell the next day and your journeyman won't think less of you. But the main thing is, if you go this route, you don't want to make this a long-term career. We work with some 55-60 year old guys and they are all beat up. You decide this route, you do it for a few years, try to bank and then move onto something else.

Getting worn out is due to several factors. We as tradesman aren't known for living a healthy lifestyle. Dudes go on a job and engorge on burgers and fries cause its free. Then come home and drink themselves silly. That doesn't help after busting knuckles for 12 hours. Which is what an electrician is doing onshore typically. Climbing up in attics and crawlspaces will wear you down.

Now, the smart electrician goes to where all the equipment is actually operating. Some of the most bored motherfuckers I know work as gennie mechanics offshore. You are responsible for 2 gensets's, and most of the time all you do is take the one running offline and service it. This took us like 2 hours to work through, including changing the fluids. That might be all you do for 28 days. Nothing wrong with being the Maytag man.

Over time you'll get in and find out the jobs or companies where you'll be less busy. Doing shit all day gives you time to take some online courses or play Starcraft II. That's what I did to pass away the day. I've seen dudes in certain trades like HSE actively pursuing an online degree, and knocking out 12+ semester hrs.

Or, become a physical therapist. Once you get past your bachelor's degree into master's, you'll ALWAYS be employed making top dollar by mapping out therapy regiments. By top dollar, and depending where, one can make 35/hr and beyond. You don't get your hands dirty, and get to go home at 5 every day. This job has an excellent work/LIFE balance.

Don't kill yourself - not worth it.

Post: #21

(02-18-2014 06:04 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  Working on cars is more fun and easier to make money. You could become a specialist like doing convertible top$ or Transmissions which will be huge money in the near future compared to what they used to be.

Looking forward to the coming 10 speed autos and DCT's becoming more common?

Shits getting insane.

Post: #22

One of the major positives about the trade, for me;

You can work hard and save for a good 7-8 years, and then have the money to go into something else. You'll always have that skill to put food on the table - you're broke as shit with no place to sleep you can pick up a quick electrical job and charge $100 for an hours work.

Post: #23

It's never too late to change careers but I really wish I would have got into the trades when I was younger. Kids are pumped up with this you have to go to college to have a good life non-sense but the truth of the matter is most of my friends paid a bunch of money for school and are now in jobs making 35k a year. My friends who got into the trades were making like $35 an hour and racking up overtime while we were paying money for school. Even after a number of years of being out of college I still see the guys in the trades doing bettter.

Electrician is a great gig, maybe try to be summer help. Most of my buddies dads were electricians so during high school and colleg they'd get jobs as summer helpers making almost $20 an hour then journeymen and all that get more.

There's kind of a running joke in Chicago if you get into the union about you go in at 9 and go home at 12 and spend most of the time sleeping in the trucks, there really is some truth to that.

Post: #24

i dropped out of school and im heading for the trades.