Electrician

[teggypimp95]

Hey Guys,

Any beyonders here an electrician or in the process of becoming one?

I currently work for oil and gas, and even though the money is ok, i am bored as hell and just not happy with what i am doing.


I was curious of what beyonders thought of this trade and could give me any usful information before i make the big switch.

Also, if you know of any companies that may be looking for first year guys please let me know. I am interested in industrial or commerical. Thanks.

[kylemitz]

hey, im a first year apprentice working for western electric. right now they are hiring quite a few people, so i would suggest applying asap. you start at 14/hour for a three month probation, then your upgraded to first year wages which is 17.50/hour

[sillysod]

Electrical is a pretty good gig.

I would recommend getting your j-man ticket through a local company and even start doing dreaded residential electrical.

Move up if you can and try to get a job with a commercial or industrial company and maybe even look at the IBEW for a few years.


If you are good with computer (and if you are online here you probably are comfortable enough) I would strongly look at getting into PLC's. They are not difficult for electricians with computer skills to learn to program.

There is a huge shortage of PLC programmers and it is becoming harder and harder to find them. They command huge $$$ and you can contract out for even more. You can work from home a lot and with your field experience you will have a huge edge on any programmer only guys.

A PLC programmer that can commission systems and trouble shoot both hardware and software is as high as you can get in the electrical trade.

You will take PLC's in your 3rd year so I would strongly suggest that you take a good, hard look at it when you study it.

[f150mikey060]

I worked for concept for 6 months, I didn't like the people i worked with...and didn't really like the work. i was doing a lot of shittier work like running conduit, pulling wire and the last few months i started wiring lights, i wired almost every interior/exterior light in the swiss chalet on 130th. that was long and repetitive. anyhow only did it as a summer job, but i was doing the same work as an apprentice would. near the end i started working with security cameras(we did all the cameras on western high school) and that wasn't bad but i still didn't enjoy it. i suppose it just wasn't for me

i too was at 14/hr

now i work in oil and gas and stated out making double what i made there..plus i love my job

[Dumbass17]

my roomies bf is gonna be 3rd year ian few months and coming out making 38/hour or some shit..crazy

[danno]

in calgary j man are making 35.50/ hour + vacation pay. anyone who says else is not being honest. apprentices should be making 50% of that if your not you are getting ripped off, as the apprenticeship board states that.


as of right now commercial or industrial is the busy areas, residential has been sending guys to commercial. at the company i work for this is the case at least.

i don't see much hiring going on right now, but i heard we are supposed to be doing some soon. pm me and i'll give you further info.

[Perfect Dark]

First years at my company are making 21.42/hour...it is shift work though, 10 Days on 4 days off. Apprentices also get topped up for school (you end up making 90% of what you would have working). There are raises coming, just not sure when.

Shoot me a PM if you are interested. Oh, lots of room for advancement if you aren't a knuckle dragger :D

[HuMz]

Currently in school for my 3rd year right now. I'm still not sure I wanna continue with the trade all that long but there's nothing wrong with getting a ticket to start regardless of what you do after.

The work isn't bad but if your just starting you gotta realize your at the bottom of the totem pole so your going to be doing alot of bitch work during your first year.

And it's good your interested in Commercial because there's a ton of work and alot of major projects still in the ground. If its industrial you wanna do your best bet would be signing up with the IBEW and heading up north. (Your better off getting your ticket before going because you won't learn fuck all up there).

If your seriously interested in giving it a try then spend a day dropping off resumes at contractors around the city, explaining your situation and tell them you wanna give it a try. You won't actually be indentured into the trade for 3 months so that's a good time frame to make a decision as to whether or not you wanna continue with it.

[HuMz]

Originally posted by Dumbass17
my roomies bf is gonna be 3rd year ian few months and coming out making 38/hour or some shit..crazy

Not a chance, 70% of that.

[Sophal]

Originally posted by Dumbass17
my roomies bf is gonna be 3rd year ian few months and coming out making 38/hour or some shit..crazy



Originally posted by HuMz


Not a chance, 70% of that.

That more than a Journeyman Power Lineman at my company. I highly doubt that.

[danno]

it's honestly a pretty good job, i work 7 till 3 home every night, school costs nothing, i got paid to go to school, i take vacation time when ever i want. the actually work isn't hard i'm a journey man and i get my apprentice to do the stuff i don't want to do. i make 80k per year all this by the age of 25.

if you don't like sitting in a office this is a good job for you, other than the danger factor it's pretty good

[HuMz]

Originally posted by Sophal





That more than a Journeyman Power Lineman at my company. I highly doubt that.

70% of $38 is $26.6 which is within range of what 3rd years are making right now, not $38 like the reference above was made.

[redrocket]

he could be up in fort mac making 38 as a third year....

[Dumbass17]

SORRY


he's taking his last session of school..he will be 4th year in a few months

my bad

[adam c]

Originally posted by Dumbass17
SORRY


he's taking his last session of school..he will be 4th year in a few months

my bad

sounds like my buddy you're talking about

[HuMz]

Originally posted by redrocket
he could be up in fort mac making 38 as a third year....

Highly unlikely, Journeyman rate with Clac was 34$ and the IBEW just had a raise up to $38.18 and in 99% of cases it is all structured in that 1st years get 50%, 2nd get 60%, 3rd get 70%, and 4th years get 80% of the Journeyman Wage regardless of which company you work for in this province.

There might be the odd case where you have the hours so your employer will pay you what your hours of worth (ie. your a 2nd year but they pay you 3rd year wage because your behind on horus but even then thats rare).

So any apprentice that claims hes making more a hour then the average journeyman (ie $38 an hour) is probably just talking shit unless his dad owns the company.

[HuMz]

Originally posted by Dumbass17
SORRY


he's taking his last session of school..he will be 4th year in a few months

my bad

If hes taking his last session of school then he will be a journeyman in a few months not a 4th year which would make more sense with the $38 an hour figure you mentioned above.

[rinny]

I would strongly consider PLC's once you get into electrical. Take a class or three at SAIT and learn some shit, you can easily get into a job doing both office programming and field commissioning so you get the best of both worlds. Some of the stuff can be really cool and years of experience brings you the ability to contract yourself out. Plenty of jobs having to do with Automation/PLCs/SCADA that a guy can get into.


Originally posted by sillysod
Electrical is a pretty good gig.

I would recommend getting your j-man ticket through a local company and even start doing dreaded residential electrical.

Move up if you can and try to get a job with a commercial or industrial company and maybe even look at the IBEW for a few years.


If you are good with computer (and if you are online here you probably are comfortable enough) I would strongly look at getting into PLC's. They are not difficult for electricians with computer skills to learn to program.

There is a huge shortage of PLC programmers and it is becoming harder and harder to find them. They command huge $$$ and you can contract out for even more. You can work from home a lot and with your field experience you will have a huge edge on any programmer only guys.

A PLC programmer that can commission systems and trouble shoot both hardware and software is as high as you can get in the electrical trade.

You will take PLC's in your 3rd year so I would strongly suggest that you take a good, hard look at it when you study it.