So today I was surfing craigslist for summer jobs when I come across an ad for an experienced Journeyman electrician, and since I've thought about becoming an electrician before, I clicked on it. They were offering $35 bucks an hour starting wage. That's pretty decent pay. So I'm wondering if there's any electricians on here that could tell me what the job is like, how long it takes to become a Journeyman, shit like that. Probably a long shot but maybe there's at least one on here. Peace, and thanks if you answer.
i have no idea but i know for sure you will be drug tested....one of my friends dad's almost set me up with a job learning to be an electrician but he knew i smoked and didnt want to risk looking bad b/c of it. which sucks cause i would stop if i knew it would get me a nice job.
I have a friend who is, and another who works with them. I'm going to have to disagree with Unreal and say you won't be drug tested 100% for sure. It all depends on the type of company and where they put you - ie some sites require testing others don't.
You're in luck i worked for an electrician for about two years while i was in college and during summer break as an apprentice journeymen are very experienced and highly skilled electicians and electrical work is by far the most complicated of any of the building trades to becomes a journeyman takes years usually lots of guys start off as apprentices for a couple years there's a shitload to learn lots of tools to aquire its a long process next they'll often head for some sort of electricians or builders licence (usually requires a course, test, and some money) finally, most journeymen electricians work in the electricians union unions are all different (and will operate differently at the local level) but their basic function in the electrical field is to make sure that working electrcians who pay their dues are covered by health insurance if they get laid off if you're going into electrical work get used to getting "laid off" thats why they call it "Journeyman" you will work for different contractors/ builders/ companies and then get bounced back into unemployment your union will find you some3thing else (or you can find it yourself if you know contractors in the industry) and it's on to the next one some stuff to think about: electrical work is brutal physical work you'll spend many hours a day bent over at the back and waist kneeling on hard surfaces generallly beating the shit out of yourself i knew guys in a local union who claimed that the average life expecency for an electrician after he lefft the union into retirement was seven years needless to say it is a hard life and isnt for everybody finally you're going to have trouble finding consistent work electrical work is generally the most expensive of the trades people will forgoe electrical work over almost all else its impossible to find work in the trades/building / consstruction now lots of the men i worked with would regularly go on unemployment while they were in between jobs or else they would lose their houses I worked for a "Master" electrician. the master and journeyman were billed out for 75 dollars each. i was billed as an apprentice and was billed out at 45 dollars an hour when i finished. The "Master" was a contractor. we worked primarily on old work residential construction (people's houses) but we would also work in commercial settings, as well as new work commercial and residential settings (building houses / commercial structures) i worked 40 hours a week because the "Master" was fifty and lazy and couldnt handle it they would regularly applaud me for being a college student and encourage me to stick with it becaues they knew i wasnt meant for a lifetime in that field and that it's not the best direction to head right now think long and hard about the persuit of journeyman electican status because by the time you get therre (making 35 bucks an hour, often taxfree) you're basically roped in to the life. hope that helped cuz i gotta get to work thank god its not electrical work anymore because its too fuckin hot!
oh and almost all the guys i knew at work smoked and were drug tested regularly by the union it is easy to get around. hell, my boss used to run up a huge tab buying fronted weed from me dude owed me fifteen hundred bucks for trees once i was like..... ?? do you mulch your lawn with the stuff? he's no longer in business as an electrician (25 years down the drain) so go figure
well i said that b/c the place i almost got a job drug tested....and all the vans i have seen for electric companies in florida say "drug free work place" or something similar.
Yeah, I wasn't bustin' your chops or anything man Totally does vary from place to place and from site to site
Not sure about the States, but I am a former electrician living in Australia. Excellent trade to pursue - as others have said, it is an intellectually stimulating trade, with many branches available (industrial, domestic, commercial, data etc.). It has a good balance between manual labour and problem solving. There are opportunities to further your qualifications, or specialize in a specific electrical service. It is very easy to travel to other cities/states to work if you are qualified in a trade - tradesmen are always in demand! Don't underestimate how interesting industrial electrical work can be (complex switchboards, programmable machinery). Hope this helps.
Yeah after reading what you guys wrote, especially BigTrees, I'm not so sure. I really don't intend to do it my whole life, as in, I don't want to be fifty and still an electrician, I really was just thinking about it for a couple years to make money for university. Also the thing about not finding consistent work is troubling. Making good bank doesn't mean shit if I'm not making it consistently. I don't want to be constantly trying to find work like my dad, who's a carpenter/finisher. He can almost always find work but it consumes a lot of his time, not to mention actually working. I don't want my entire life to revolve around work ya know?