journeyperson electrician

wireman

administrative assistant

low voltage technician

electrician

IBEW

The mornings would consist of reviewing and lining up the work orders that needed inspected and completed for the day. I would look up any blueprints needed associated with the jobs and tasks for the day. I would lay out the work packages for the other crew members of my testing crew, as well as, for myself. I would then meet with the testing crew, giving them instructions on the tasks for the day. We would then go to work. I would go out and test any cables, and inspect the work orders for the day, taking the more complex work orders. If there was changes needing to made I would contact the field foreman and crew for a meeting and instruct them on the changes needing made in order for that device, run, or cable needed to pass inspection. Throughout the day I would make sure that my crew had enough inspections, work, and material to keep them busy, as well as answer any questions they might have. I would line up and get them any tools, material, or permits they needed to complete their jobs. Once the inspections were complete, I would log them into the computer, fill out the level 3/4 testing forms, and turn them into the general contractor for the authentication process, which would then sell them off to BP as completed work. The best part about my job was the responsibility I had. I love a good challenge and enjoy being a crew leader and being in  a management type position. I have excellent communication skills so communicating with my crew, the field foreman, workers, and other trade management was very easy for me and operations ran very smoothly. On the job I learned how to facilitate work and workers and how make sure jobs were complete in a timely manner and according to schedule. This was a great experience for me and my skills thus far, I really shined and I enjoyed this job greatly.

This place was a bit odd in that it tries to hard to feel like a family, but unfortunately like any other regular family there was often a lot of drama and overly emotional moments from management, often completely shirking any sort of professional manner at all. There were a couple of instances where I was shouted at, occasionally heard shouting at others in ways that were stunningly unprofessional. Additionally there was a tremendous amount of backstabbing and gossip. Certain employees (ones that had been there for a long while) have stormed out and quit on the spot. Thankfully myself and my department were almost completely insulated from these things, so most of it was observed and not experienced.

Additionally there's a cult-like love for the Rapport organization in senior management and during my time there if you were chosen to go, you had no choice to do so or your job was threatened (as mine was). Saying anything negative about it was also a big no-no.

More importantly the pay is very, very low comparative to other businesses, employee turn around was often very high, and stress levels were at a constantly high level. For my department, there was very little will to invest at all in anything IT related (with some honest concessions about that point as the economy was doing very poorly at the time), the network and server infrastructure was laughable at best, and we were always understaffed.

That's not to say it was all bad. They had an excellent 401K program, there was a union contracted 6% annual minimum raise (though the low pay countered that), most of my coworkers were excellent people, my direct manager and the one above him were both stand up guys, and the company would occasionally do things to try and raise morale. I've also made some life long friends from working there and I have no grudge or animosity for anyone who's still there. In fact, I still bank there.

I worked as an Inside wireman (commercial electrician) for 18 months after a career in telecom.  I am a skilled craftsman, have built homes and remodeled all of my life.  I'm conscientious, hard working and do excellent work with my hands. 

Entering the world of electrical work seemed like a natural thing to me at first. I've done residential electrical work for 35 years and am highly skilled at it.  I enjoyed this type of work  Working commercial electrical seemed like something that would come naturally to me and did.  I liked most of the work itself and was very good at it. I enjoyed learning a new trade.  I'm good at anything I take on like this.

Now for the negative. I worked with some of the worst people I've ever met in my life on the job.  Coming from high tech for most of my life this moved me into low brow.  Most of the supervisors I worked with were highly abusive and demeaning.  They seemed like former abused children to me and as a result abusive children still in big peoples clothing. 

Working construction you will work for the most part with a specific group of society....mostly lower crust.  Most of these folks have serious issues and you're surrounded by that.  A lot of the people who will supervise you are ill qualified to manage anyone including themselves.  There is serious abuse, demeaning attitudes and a complete lack of encouragement of any kind.   

I ignorantly used to think if you didn't want a college education , then the trades offered a great alternative for good skills and good pay. I could not have been more wrong.  I would go to great means to steer anyone clear of this type of job as a career and encourage them to stay in school.  I still enjoy doing all electrical work without the lack of abuse, rush work and constant negative environment in this type of field.

A normal workday would start with the assignment of tasks for each tradesperson from the foreman for the crew. The workers, sometimes in pairs, will then gather the tools and material for the project at hand, review the blueprints (if necessary), and begin the assignment as described. There normally would be a coffee break in mid morning, that lasts approximately 15 minutes. There is also a non- payed lunch break, usually at noon, that lasts thirty minutes or a little longer. The workday then ends eight and one- half hours after start time, but tool pick- up starts about 20 minutes before that.

During my time in IBEW local 150, I learned enough about all aspects of the electrical industry to know that no one has ever learned enough, but I have been given the tools I need to find answers to any given problems that might arise. I have made enough contacts in the industry to be able to contact someone that can assist me should I have any quanderies.

Management usually consists of your peers, made up of those who have either been with the company in a position of supervision or have been installed there for their knowledge of the project at hand.

Co- workers are generally knowledgeable tradespersons, all with the same initial training as the others. Some of the co- workers might be apprentices, going through said training, with the help of their Journeyman Wireman. The JW in this case is responsible for the work, and the development of the apprentice.

The hardest part of the job, and the most enjoyable part, is when circumstances call for a significant amount of Knowledge and brain- power. It is then that a tradesperson can exercise his/ her training and skill to the fullest, and most satisfying, extent.

As an apprentice your duties will vary quite a bit. Typically you will gather materials and tools necessary to complete your job. You will work under the supervision of a journeyman electrician. You will learn on the job about codes and practices, conduit and cable raceway fabrication and installation, how make proper splices, how to wire up devices and lighting systems. What you do and learn will vary depending on the work environment. Things are done differently in a residential, commercial, and industrial setting. Also you attend class once a week to learn the theory of electrical work and other standards. Work place culture will vary depending on the contractor you work for. Some contractors are very fast paced and demanding others have a more relaxed work environment. The most enjoyable part of the job is you are learning a valuable hands on skill that can be used anywhere with great career prospects. The hardest part of the job is having to deal with lay offs when a project is complete or work dries up and the lack of paid time off. As an apprentice you don't make a lot starting out, but as you progress in the program and gain experience you receive pay raises until you top out. My local offers health and vision insurance, pensions, and once you are a 2nd year apprentice you begin accruing a vacation fund. There is no paid vacation and there is no paid time off. In construction you either work and get paid or you don't work and collect nothing other than unemployment if laid off. In my local books and work boots are paid for, however this varies by local.

Best training available for the prospective electrical construction journeyman worker. It includes on the job training with a productive future. This is where hard work really pays off with the prospect of working under union conditions anywhere in the united states. And, expect always to be welcomed back to your home local. This is the best way to learn the aspects of the industral and commerical electrical construction industry. I was able to experience working on skyscrapers from the ground up in downtown Atlanta and New york city, nuclear power plants, a Coca cola plant. I enjoyed the company of many diverse work force personal that include all the union workforce skills such as pipefitters, carpenters, tinsmiths, millrites, ect, that it took to acomplish the task at hand. I am proud to be a union electrican and would suggest this path to any young adventurest. I can think of nowhere else besides the military that would give you the benifits of this experience.

Appreciate the training. 
8 hour pay for 8 hour dayThe 5-year Inside Construction apprenticeship provides a variety of hands-on exposure and technical classroom instruction to prepare for a wide array of electrical work in the construction field. Inside Construction Wiremen begin earning $17.42 per hour when entering the apprenticeship program and work their way to $29.05 per hour along with a strong benefits package over the course of their education. Upon graduation, hourly wages begin at $38.73 per hour with more for foreman and supervisor positions. In addition to on-the-job experiences, apprentices are required to do homework lessons online, and attend classes at the Electrical Industry Training Center one day every other week for related hands-on training.

Each school day is eight 8 hours. Apprentices must have internet access and a computer available in order to complete the homework lessons prior to class. Internet/Computer access can be provided at the training center for those who do not have it elsewhere. Click here for minimum computer specifications. The apprentice will be employed by a signatory contractor doing electrical construction work. Transportation to the training center for classes and to the job site for work is the responsibility of the apprentice. The apprentice will be paid a percentage of the journeyman wage rate and will receive periodic wage increases as they meet the program requirements.

At first hearing about this job I was scared to go into a job so manly. I have grown up with four brothers so that made it a little easier but the hardest part was definitely the labor. A typical day at work involved taking coffee orders, getting delivery, grabbing material for that day's work and ofcourse doing labor for each goal that needed to be achieved for that day. During this job I learned a lot from each of the men that I worked with, especially the phrase "Work smart." This phrase kept coming back during my short time there. Working smart includes planning ahead as well as making sure everything is done right and not assuming how to complete a task when unsure of how the task is done. While running pipe work, wires, getting deliveries, bending pipe, pulling cables through these pipes and much more if something is done wrong at the start then it hinders the tasks that need to be completed at the end of the process. It's always best to know then to guess. The most enjoyable part of the job was definitely coming in to work each day to see the progress. Each day provided a new task and at the beginning of the next day it was great to see the progress each working day brought. It was also great to see that although there are hundreds of men each doing a different job, in the end everyone was contributing to the bigger picture. So it was great to experience how the details inbetween are done to get the bigger picture.

Running electrical conduits from the electrical branch circuit panel to the electrical equipment for which it feeds is not a simple process. There are many things that must be taken in consideration. First and far most is the building specifications and prints must be closely examined. The specifications will tell me weather the conduit is to be (electrical metallic tubing, rigid, or if it matters, or is it up to the customer.) The prints tells me what size the conduit should be, the size the wire should be, and weather the equipment is 3 phase or single phase. I must consider  these things before every starting on running the conduit. This can all be challenging, however, I love a challenge. When running the conduit, craftmanship is very important to me. I like to make all off my bends match. I like for my conduit to be level and all of the couplings,fittings, and connectors to be in the same spot and matching, weather that are exposed for people to see or covered by an acoustic ceiling.

Your reputation is everything. If you start out good the word will get out and that will be the foundation of who you are for the rest of your career and vise versa. 

So being a good apprentice can help you when it comes time for you  to become a journeymen. People will remember you and how you performed. 

As an apprentice you are required to go to school every two weeks. Lesson plans are condensed. Most of what your going to learn is on the job experience.

You can take as much time as you want off (because there is no vacation pay) but taking time off nominates yourself to be one of the first apprentices to get laid off. So in other words work all the hours including over-time. 

Over-time is not mandatory however if you don't do it you will stick out like a sore thumb because everyone else will be. 

If you just show up on time and work you really have nothing to worry about.

You are going to be compensated greatly eventually (about your 2nd year and up). You make more money than most 4 year college degree graduates. 

The benefits are amazing. Retirement and all that will set you up for the rest of your life. 

Overall Its not a bad gig to try and see if you like it. Expect to lift heavy wire and objects, dig holes, be outdoors & indoors (no matter the weather conditions), and expect to travel. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Journeyperson electrician 1 salary reported	$45.54 per hour
Wireman 3 salaries reported	$33.65 per hour
Administrative assistant 3 salaries reported	$50,417 per year
Low voltage technician 4 salaries reported	$21.88 per hour
Electrician 1 salary reported	$24.02 per hour

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