Check out the updated version of this video here: 3 Things You NEED To Know BEFORE Becoming An Electrician Apprentice ruclips.net/video/qo2Bb8bNBao/видео.html
I’m a self employed residential electrician with no employees. Very little headache. I only accept profitable jobs and low stress jobs. I make great money while going on vacation whenever I want. I’m living the dream! No complaints for me!
@@robbie__lifts I worked for a small electric company and did the apprenticeship program. I got a lot of experience in residential service work and I enjoyed it. After about 7 years, I decided to take the leap and work on my own and get my state license. I charged the same as the big companies, but I have very little overhead. So I get to keep most of what I make.
Electrician here in California, 5am start time, get off at 1pm, pretty much perfect weather 10 months out of the year. The worst part is the commute by far. California traffic is the worst.
Man this the dream, I’m tryna get out a warehouse and learn this trade so I can become a electrician and move to California for the good weather. I live in Texas
@@Ribsandwich9797 cost of living is absurd, to live comfortably you have to commute at least an hour each way to afford rent that is reasonable, homeless and crime is out of control, police are to backed up to help anyone unless it’s a violent offense and even then they won’t come for a long time.!so to answer your question, no it sucks, you get paid good but it evens out with rent and daily expenses, California turned to shit
I think the hardest part of becoming electrician is showing up to school after work for 5 years dog tired and feeling like you're not going to make it .
and being forced to learn worthless bullshit like fire alarm and PLCs. Half of the terms are absolute bullshit, then you get to work with idiots who can't even run pipe just because they scraped by with 75% on the code test. It's a joke.
As somebody who has had their journeyman card for about four years now, I actually kind of miss those days only because your brain is actively involved and you’re probably in a lot of ways a better worker during those times than any other time. Being “the student” has weird benefits that seem to only become apparent after you’re kind of expected to be a teacher who always has to relearn things in the trade.
Uncomfortable work trucks, heat, freezing cold, dangerous work conditions, unreasonable expectations, working late, stress, being an apprentice and being demoralized, getting injured, working around or with people that constantly make your job harder… I’ve been through all of that. With that being said it’s still a good job and made me a better person. Definitely not for everyone and it will take a toll on your body and mind.
Awe, does your p hurt? Poor baby! Ima male RN who wishes he had gone into electrical work, any job that has the three Ds.. Dirty, Dangerous, Difficult. The three D’s keep lazy people, Marxists, anti-Whites, and women from your work. Do you have any idea how bad it sucks to work with women? Even women hate to work with women. And you are bitching about dirty dangerous and difficult? I like it, I love it, give me more of it, as it keeps soy riddled Betas away.
@@Charlie_mf_c this is fine when it’s men. Women do this in hospital, there’s an expression, nursing eats their young. These women are so awful. Nothing close to getting shit from a male boss.
I joined a construction company where we are the only 3 people. We are one crew, and we go from a slab to framing to sheathing to electrical to plumbing to insulation to roofing. Then comes the finish work from carpet to tile and interior trim. Can't forget the cabinetry. I joined this crew with zero experience and never once led them to believe I know more than I do. We bust each other's balls, but never have I felt anything other than support. I had one of them say, "If we didn't want you here, you wouldn't be." When I've felt doubt about myself, I hear,"You've been with us for less than 2 years. We change jobs every other week. How could you learn everything when we change work so frequently? " If people are there to shit on you for not knowing something, they aren't worth learning from.
@@purplerider2362how old are you? and any injured knees or bones that hurt? i’m curious cuz i don’t want to choose a career where i can’t do anything when im older
I do strictly residential work, and my three biggest gripes are: 1) Lack of help (pulling wires, lugging tools/materials where needed, etc.) 2) Parts shortages 3) Cluttered workspaces (especially basements and garages)
@@senorjalapeno3937 I've never worked commercial before. I don't know the first thing about it. And I would have no clue how much to charge. Like I said, I don't have any help.
@Joe Sysol not really. You're life is on the line at any point in life. When you wake up to go to work, when you clock in for work. Even when you sit down to take a shit.
I do it all: residential, industrial, and construction. Yes, depending on many factors, there are a lot of difficult things about the job, but I love my work. I choose my clients, my rules, and my time. It took a lot of effort to achieve this, but self-love made me atypical for most clients. First and foremost is me, then the rest of the world. Electricity is one of the most powerful forces in the entire universe, and I love to dance with it.
For those just starting out, take note 👆🏼 If you work hard, have a good attitude, are willing to learn and grow, and can prove responsibility, and GOOD company will reward you for it. If you reflect these traits and are working for a company that doesn't value you, then leave. Find one with good management and code of ethics. I worked with some real shit people before this discovery. The last company I worked for gave me tons of different opportunities and rewarded my work ethic. You'll always hear guys bitching about this and that- don't get sucked into that energy. Also don't let anyone treat you like shit just because you're an apprentice. If you're a good worker then that's what you should be judged by, not lack of experience. Sure, you might have to do some of the more "dirty work"- I usually didn't mind that so much. But to truly disrespect me? Well we can exchange some words after work, or put me with a crew with a better attitude :)
hey im a recent graduate who is thinking of undertaking an apprenticeship. I would love to talk to you about the industry and your career if you would be down?
@@safiul1930if you have a job that isn't paying well or lacks stability then I say go for it. It's definitely one of the more stable jobs you could get. But are you saying a 2 year college degree? No need for that unless you actually want to become an engineer. If you just want to be an electrician then join a company with good benefits as they will pay for your schooling to become a journeyman.
The issue is that Electrical work or trade work in general is not a get rich quick scheme. People talk about it like everyone needs to drop out of school and join the trades. Im in it 7 years and have been a journeyman for two years. I was a very proactive apprentice and forced myself to learn a lot. While i worked in commercial, light industrial, and new construction I worked residential for a friend on the weekends. I eventually helped him full time run a business. I realized that even though I learned a lot and know how to do a lot, the things i can't stand are irreconcilable. The job is also not aligneed with my goals and aspirations outside of work. I have yet to meet anyone similar to me in the trade. Yeah ive learned an important skill, but that means nothing if its a something that I loathe doing. I don't want to shit on my profession but give warning that you should do what you want to do. Dont let anyone push or con you into doing something that you don't. The only people that should become electricians are the people who always wanted to become electricians. If theres a shortage, then the industry should change to make it more bearable. The same goes vis versa if you're a blue collar trapped in a white collar job. Do what you want. Screw trends and advice.
This is why i went back to college to get a degree in electrical engineering then Masters in Finance. Now work as an energy trader making over $300k a year. No more nasty body aches
I have a degree in finance but the union is offering associates in electrical engineering? Would this be a benefit to me where I can bargain for better pay?
1. Last ones allowed to install, so coordination with duct guys are a must. 2. First ones to move their pipe given a conflict 3. So many different form and materials which requires expertise and ends up creating 3x more trash compared to other trades 4. High wages means always undermanned or rushed projects 5. Working high up and in extremely tight spaces
@@carolinaanthony4142don't switch to rezzy 😂 it's so boring. Find a better company. But I never minded heights or tight spaces much (within reason) as long as I felt safe
Don't forget, working elevated is dangerous and service calls to factories with power on is extremely dangerous. While my friends and family work easy jobs and make more money
Hang in there! I started at my company as a green Jouneyman now I run the whole show. 25 employees. I don't wear tools anymore! That part is what I miss the most. Enjoy it while you can young man!
I mean that’s usually how it is when start from the bottom with anything in life. You have to work way up but once you get your time in and you’re good at what you do eventually it’s gonna pay off.
As a resi electrician, we don’t deal with this nearly as much. Of course we still deal with the heat and cold and crawl spaces are something else, but it’s usually pretty nice. A lot of times you’re in an air conditioned space. We don’t work insane hours because no home owner wants you in their house at 2 am. Idk I like being a resi guy. Running conduit is pretty cool tho
I really needed this homie, i’m 18 trying to figure out what I want to do still and have for a while been interested in being a residential electrician. My local college just opened a course that allows me to get certified in less then 3 months and become an apprentice. I really hoped I made a good decision and you solidified that for me😅
@@societl I’m excited for you man. It really is a pretty sweet job. Learning and doing research is always good, and I’ve been able to do jobs better because of a youtube video I saw hahaha. However, most of the skill in the trade comes from just getting out there and creating effective systems with the tools you have to achieve your tasks. It’s something that will keep changing, and you wont learn it until you get out there. Unless the cirt is needed to start an apprenticeship, I’d just get applying to places and binge watch Electrician U
@Thawne1338 for me it wasn’t some crazy job search. A friend of mine who worked at a small company just thought I’d be good at it, put in a good word and got me hired. I had an interview and got hired. Small companies are a great place to start I think. More individual learning when you’re starting out too
Master Electrian here. To me it's working on hack work done by other electricians, or facilities guys. Drives me nuts. Oh yea fiberglass insulation sucks!
Living in misery (Missouri) as an electrician, I completely get where you’re coming from when you say you get like 2 months a year where it actually feels good outside.. I guess Mother Nature will weed out the ones who can’t make it
Lol my brick and mortar is in Los Angles, but my channel is in Montana so I guess I have the best and worst of both worlds. Cold 6 months in MT and Taxed 13 months in LA..=)
20 years old. 2 year apprentice in my first year of school. Done residential work, including multiple "HGTV Hometown" remodels, NRG contracts, and Commercial construction. Worked in georgia, texas, oklahoma, tennessee, and mississippi where i live. Get up at 3:30 every day. My biggest gripes have to be other apprentices who dont listen, and THAT DAMN FIBERGLASS
Everything sucks, there are a few things that don’t! I have friends that run there own business, they still have to work eighty hour weeks at times. As some say, embrace the suck! Out of all the trades, I would not want to be laying the grey mud…aka concrete. Electrician here, joined the union I.B.E.W., wanted to see the country and did. That got old after twenty years, now phasing into maintenance. Life is hard at times, life is beautiful at times. Be lucky and happy for what’s going on in your life in America. Tried running my own electrical business, the headache from all the angles was not worth the money. At least we’re not having to run for our lives from bombs, missiles, gun fire and tanks.
I am IBEW as well 23 years in . I work in Bay Area foreman wage is in 332 is 92$ an hour . I have recently thought about doing my own gig . I always am asked to do side work and I feel I could easily stay busy , be my own boss . I believe in Unions and am greatful for the career it has given me . It’s just times you think I just want to do my own thing
That's why a proper diet and regular bowel movements before and after work are the most important parts of the job, so you don't have to go. You don't want to have to go in a place where up to 200+ others went and where some have a poor opinion on basic decency.
You often hear about how more people should get into trade work, that there's a shortage of workers. However, very few realize what is required in order to be successful. Unless you were born in a family of electricians, there's more to it than meets the eyes. In other words: It's not open to everyone.
I feel the exact opposite about this. It is open to anyone and everyone. To be successful you might have to move around a little bit with companies to find the right one to learn under but after you have the experience you can take it anywhere
I was an industrial electrician who worked in an aircraft small metal parts plant, and on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10, the job was only about a 2, maybe a 4 at times. I was on call and had lots of sitdown and coffee time. I started as an electricians helper and then over the course of about 3 years, I learned PLC's and machine troubleshooting. Yeah, there's always a better job than the one you've got, but I had no complaints about mine, it was as good as any job I could have asked for
That’s what my brother says is the worst part about the job. He complains about the other workers (who are older than him and should be more mature, my brothers only 19) getting into arguments about stupid things and them being in their phones
I have to agree on this one. Before I did electrical apprenticeship I was a carpenter for 20 years and I loathed working with electricians more than any other group. They all had attitudes. Some even sabotaged my work. They never did what you asked in the order they just rolled their eyes and walked away. Not a fan of electricians at all
Here I was thinking of being a electrician. Guy today says he can't find anyone and is willing to pay 30 an hour. I have no direction in life so decided to look into it. Seems like a shifty job just like my last trades job
I’m a female electrician in a power plant and I get up at three in the morning every day and I’m in work by five vixen cranes, tending to the turbines and generators and walking down the switchgear room so yes it has it good points and Dave points with a good pointers is that I make $91 an hour and I double time it’s even better
Thank you very much but the reason I make such a high rate like that is as I’m the only one in the company that knows how to work on the big machines or turbine generators I’m the only one, so they leave me alone isn’t that wonderful?
Yes, is the negative some days when the machine goes down like a 250 MW machine goes down I have to stay and get it back online. Usually they just leave me alone. I’ll tell you a funny story I was at a bar one night with a friend of mine and I had a little bit too much to drink and the plant manager called me and they brought me in like half shot in the ass and I still fix the thing so I imagine that.
I am currently in the navy as a gas turbine electrician GSE and cant wait to go back into the civilian sector. These hours you describe are light work.
As an EN that got out 10 years ago, I feel like I haven't worked a day since the Navy, even working construction as an electrician. Life is gravy if you survive the Navy.
6) To be a journeyman it takes over 4 years. You need at least 720 hours of classroom instruction in an approved electrical program or apprenticeship and 8,000 hours of on-the-job experience. 7) Working on tall ladders up to 40 feet.
Our small company just finished wiring a whole house within 3 days with 3 guys, all of us, to meet the deadline Friday for inspection in this Toronto home lol. Good experience, but can be a lot ...especially for a guy like me being less than a year in the trade. The pressure can be exhausting at the start, but I don't treat it as a deterrent at the end of the day. Not every day is sunshine and rainbows. I just do my best :)
Fellow torontonian here. Im 24 and trying my best to start my apprenticeship with no experience in electrical but I have been working with my hands and power tools for years. Seems like everyone hiring wants atleast a couple years experience in the trade already. Any tips on getting in?
@@jays6553 Go to a pre apprenticeship school before just jumping in. It's safer that way you know what you're stepping into...somewhat. Also people will want to hire you after graduation. Highly recommend Herzing College..that's where I went.
@@travalicious128 like can an electrician earn six figures I rlly wanna be one but ppl say its hard to become one but I've always had a passion in this trade
I hate working in dirty ass factories, laying in insulation in people's attics that are also covered with rat shit and getting hit head with nails that are poking through the roof, or crawl spaces covered in spider webs, and especially the times its like 10 degrees or colder outside and that's where you work all day
The worst is after spending 20+ years and working up bs ladder just for both ankles to go and now need triple fusions in both ankles and be years befor I’m back in field if ever and really sucks I started working at 15 and now a year from 40 and faced with looking down barrel disability atleast for number years and I would give just about anything to be back at work ,I love my kids but I miss working sooooo much and going from 70k year to 20k bc only relying on my wife witch dosent have a carrier so say just saying take care your feet and ankles ,thay can be taken out from under you befor u know it much love and keep safe
Been in the trade for 5 years! Over it just enrolled in school to better my life but can always go back to it since i have maxed out my pay as a journeyman
@@ieatmonkeys9543 in the dmv but im actually not in the apprenticeship program just working but will apply to get in next year. They’re starting pay is $23 and maxes out at $53-$55
The wild card of the commute is a concern of mine. The training center is 80+ minutes away depending on the time of day. Work is probably going to send me on hour long commutes often, which means I hope I earn enough to move into "civilization". I've lived a decade of two-hour long commutes,(round trip) and I'm done with that mess. It really wears a person out.
@@vq_kadin1846 Holy fuck 2 1/2 hours commuting a day? Bro that's 50 hours a month. That's a part-time job right there. There's gotta be work closer to you
All jobs have their good points and bad points. I don't now what it is like in your area, around mine, you know that a rough job will come to an end and you can move on to something better for a while.
Hey man wish you luck, currently active duty from Indiana striving for my journeyman's license as an electrician but pairing that with my electrical engineering license. Only 21 but praying to do residential maybe union one day.
Thanks for your service and that's cool you're from Indiana, I'm from Indianapolis. Live in Vegas now but Indiana people are really good people. I worked on a fishing boat on the bearing sea lol I'd rather be a electrician
@@americanelectrician I'm 41. I'm trying to find something that I can just commit to. I have no passion or interest in this but I've been studying for the aptitude test to get into my local union so they would pay for my schooling while I also earned hours towards a journeyman license. I'm not very social at all which I can't change so I wouldn't relate well with people to make the day pass better :/ . After seeing the downsides of the job and I'm currently working a delivery job outside in random weather conditions I'm already miserable doing that. I didn't realize it would be the same doing this job along with the huge traveling time and potential huge work days that can extend the entire week. At 41 and wonder if I could even recover that well each day to have the energy to put in a full day without it just adding up. I really don't know what to do. I heard maintenance was inside so at least that would bypass the weather... Sorry, I have no one to talk to around me about a job path and I was just going to commit to this and hoped it would turn out well but after watching a few videos like this one on the downsides it's reminding of my job now I can't stand. I just want a future SOMEWHERE. You're videos were good, thanks.
@@SubwayJack919don’t give up, try a smaller residential company or even commercial. You’ll be inside majority of the time & if you do have to be outside is usually not that bad. Service calls is what you have to watch out for.
The trades aren’t paying shit in the south. Companies are trying to hire licensed electricians for $20-$25/hr. In Georgia anyway. IBEW pays a little better but it’s still not worth the 16 hour days and everything you mention in the video.
washington state, dakota,indiana,illinois, oregon, are probably the best state, my hometown in washington is one of the best cities in the country for electricians
39nyears in the trade. I've had both shoulders and my right thumb operated on. Arthritis in bith knees, both hands, back and neck. Then there's the cracked vertabra in my back frim a fall. That being said i enjoyed just about every day on the job. Only major dislike was the underground work Ib'vevalways hated digging.
Ive been an AC guy and an electrician and both jobs suck lol. I'd way rather just do some framing tbh. It seems like there's less that can to wrong (ussually). Plus customers can SEE what's getting done and dont try to lowball you as much. Nothing more annoying then cutting someone a deal and then having them waste your time trying to haggle even cheaper for another 30 minutes. Especially since the company I worked for was always more than twice as cheap as ANYONE else to begin with. If you included the unpaid time at homedepot i literally made LESS than mimimum wage in both jobs. So glad i quit. I literally make more just cleaning city buses than i ever made as an electrician or AC guy. Its nice because its the same every day. No nasty surprises like trade jobs. Plus they pay absurd bonuses if anyone vomits or makes a "biological" mess of any kind. So even if the bus is nasty, it just means i get paid a bunch more for a few extra minutes of cleaning. Still glad i learned the trades though. Definitely saves me monry if nothing else.
Sorry to hear about the bad experiences during your AC and electrician jobs I can say I did the apprenticeship route for electrician and was getting paid 16$ an hour to start and by the end was making $35 an hour 40 hour work weeks. Trade jobs also depend on location unless you are maintenance. I work in an area with an industrial boom and a lot of companies moving in, we get amazing pay and only work 40hr a week OT is not pushed. We are unionized.
As I recall when I did resi work, we were never going fast enough. When we did catch up the other trades had not completed there end. So for me I would say you are never ahead of schedule.
Don’t think you can talk about it unless you been in the trade for like 10-15 years. And been with multiple different companies and fields of electrical.
Retired industrial electrician in a large factory. Every year we had to "pre-qualify" for our job - which included changes in the National Electrical Code book and the National Fire Protection codebook which didn't always agree. I managed to pass every year but it was stressful as Hell. It was a good paying job.
If I was ask a few years ago when I was a foreman running numerous job and a service truck too I would say massive stress! The lack of help, lack of time I could be on a particular job, phone ringing off the hook, emails all times of the day including evenings and weekends sometimes, keeping material on all the jobs for people I don’t even have time to be on, hiring subs, doing estimates, calling customers about service calls and scheduling them, dealing with all the contractors, clients, building engineers, property managers, constant deadlines for inspections on multiple jobs, keeping track of everyone’s hours on my jobs. I could of just ran my own company! Now that I left I would say 1 lack of work sometimes, 2 waking up early, 3 weather.
Sounds like you were a superintendent. If you didn't have foreman under you than the contractor was screwing you as a foreman. Because a foreman just runs the crew and coordinates with the other trades, that's it!
@@robbydash545 the union considers a foreman as part of management. To my knowledge there is no limit to the number of jobs you can run or limitation on job duties. There are limitations on the number of manpower which is 10. I never ran more than 10 even though I had multiple jobs at a time, they were smaller jobs.
Ive been working as a sparky since 2010 . I had a terrible time as an apprentice, pretty much moved every 6 months from either lack of work or terrible jobs. If i knew what i know now i prob would not have become a tradesperson. From my experience working in the GTA if your not a buisness owner or working in a large union your going to work for pennies on the dollar. You will have to provide all your own hand and power tools that will not be replaced when they break, insane commutes and terrible working conditions. I would not recomend younger people to get into the trades atm. Wages are stagnating and expectations are continuing to rise every year. Also you have to take into account you will never be able to WFH so you will always be required to live within driveable distance of your jobsites. Then you have to add the constant danger of heights, crushing accidents, inhaltion of debris from concrete and metal all while the expectations of working live is just common practice for most people ive spoken to in my time. It is just simply becoming less and less viable to do the job when certain retail stores are paying 28/h to stock shelves.
I've been thinking about switching to electrician because of pay seems really good right now I'm studying computer maintenance and computer networking starting out I can make 20-25 an hour computer networking and entry level job I just wanted to take it I just want to start getting paid pretty well now cuz I'm about to turn 30 and I want to start I don't want to start making decent money in my late 30s I want to hopefully retire about my early mid-50s what's your opinion on it you say it's not good to get on it now is that because it's a union thing or non-union thing????
@@timeforce80 depending on where you live you will have to go through a 4-5 year apprenticeship. Where you will most likely make much less until you are fully licensed. One of the biggest issues I've seen is after you get licensed it becomes almost impossible to continue to increase earnings year over year. The 2 careers in question are vastly different and I don't currently see you achieving your goal by traditional means. My advice is if your going to enter the trades, you have to plan a very specific plan and path with some sort of exit strategy to a job with a saleable salary. You will simply never make a decent living working hourly nless you work 80 hours a week. I don't know about you but my job is not my life, it is a means by which I live the life I want and you can't do alot when your body is broken and your working 80h a week. Please do extensive research.
@@Binbounty09 I greatly appreciate it I will do more research on it right now I'm in school for computer networking and maintenance and I can start off at least 20-25 an hour which isn't too bad I have a friend of mine doing HVAC I believe and he says he'll make some money doing that that's what it got me interested cuz unfortunately I should have been doing this stuff at least five or six years ago but life got in the way but thank you I look a lot more into it and see what happens I'll ask a friend of mine who's electrician and see what he thinks
I always figured becoming a Union electrician was the only one that made sense. Fully benny's always and $35 an hour scale. Can't rope you into 80 hour weeks unless its in the contract, etc
The downside for me so far, is being out of work cause lack of work. I’ve been on standby over a month now because no projects are opening up because of the snow
I hate being a electrician it sucks ass I got all my tools stolen out the gam box and the company didn't reimburse me SMH and 5 months later they laid me off I hate being a electrician
@@julianawakens8717 Electrical engineering is much better to do if you are young, just go to college. EE focuses on both industrial, commercial, electronics & software development. Most EE becomes excellent software engineers. EE become project managers and also electrical drafters. EE covers telecommunication & broadcasting systems as well.
@@julianawakens8717 If you want to make serious money do software engineering & development, focus on only Java & Linux. All hardware is based on those software.
@@the_original_bug_god No it can be back breaking. I started the trade two months ago and they had me digging 70 feet trenches at 20 inches deep in July and August. On top of that no one was willing to teach me anything, they just used me as a pack mule. Avoid this trade if you are easily offended, you need a thick skin and a strong mind + willpower to do this. I liked the work but it's out of my control. Gonna go use my CDL class A and make way more money hauling freight.
I was a high voltage electrician for 45 years for a utility company.Loved the change of seasons here in the northeast. Great pension,medical and dental benefits for my life and the wife’s.Self funded 401K near 7 figures. YES there are times where you need to be at work 10-16 a day. But it’s very profitable. And these utilities are still hiring.
Trying to get into ibew local 531 im currently a helper doing solar but im schedualed a apptitude test early novemeber i have no idea whats on it or how to pass.
I did a little side job with a private contractor when I was 18 I had a hell of a rough time dealing with those goose necks but at the end of the day they accepted me for my work ethic and dedication to be at work every day
There is a guy at a local electrical company that got his journeyman license the other day on Friday, and over the weekend, he quit and started his own business, making double an hour what he made as an apprentice just this week. To me, it sounds like this field is worth it.
An hour and a half to go from one side of the city to the other and that’s worst-case scenario? Dude that is good. Try living in Houston where it takes you an hour just to drive 10 to 15 miles during rush hour
4th year apprentice from Baltimore. When I become a journeyman I want to get out of construction. It really does take a toll on your body. Especially anyone with existing knee or back problems
hey yall, im a highschool student exploring my career options. As an electrician is it a must for you to travel far away, or is that only for certain types of electricians?
I’m in a community college electrician program and no, you can pretty much go anywhere. From residential to industrial to construction the possibilities are endless and the pay is great. I say go give it a try!
Some electricians have it pretty good. Others have an absolute hell of a time their entire career. My advice is if you have the desire and money, time etc to pursue something else do it. I love what I do because I was born to work hard. I however have made my life a whole lot harder pursuing this path. Up to you man. This trade is by far the best of all and the most highly skilled without a shadow of a doubt. If you’re up for a challenge and want to learn give it a try. Just be mentally prepared for what is ahead. It can be a great job some days. Other days you will be testing your patients and motivation. But at the end of every day I guarantee you will be proud of what you do.
I understand you. On the other hand, you can be unlucky in every other profession. Either you should ask yourself: "What can I chance to get out of my situation?" The area of the Electrical Profession is very wide.
As a retired electrician ,3 places that were really bad .a giant industial pipe and steel blasting for cleaning prior to treatment,black dust everywhere.a scrap meat and bone rendering facility,smell was horrifying least liked place refinerey in bum f nowhere wyoming,.they cleaned sulfur infused gas to make it usable.if you felt a gust of breeze from a bad weld or leaky joint hold your breath back away mark where mentally to report later.one wiff would turn your lungs to jelly and destroy your brain.not to mention the elevation on some spots.installing sensors on a flair stack 8 stories tall on a 3 story building.you could see the grand tetons from there.gruesome stuff.
It’s a good side job to have but as far as a career unless you get a really good union job or work for some huge corporation I don’t think it’s for you.
The industry wage for electrician apprentices in big cities is horrendous they have zero incentives to enter the electrical trade when Amazon pays more even for jmen wages haven’t adjusted for inflation and tradesman are struggling hard
I’ve done it all from Resi to Industrial for a smaller company for 2 1/2 years, switched to commercial got laid off & went into the temp agency; it’s essentially like the union but without the extreme bonuses & super crazy hours. Most of the time the foreman on site can be cool if you got some stuff to handle & gotta take off & there’s almost always OT available so it’s nice. I do wanna say for the green guys, ALWAYS ASK if anything pops up in your head. It’s a learning process & curve for all of us so🤷🏽♂️
I experienced a few doozies but the worst part of being an electricians apprentice was shouldering rmc up to a roof and that moment you turn the corner and your back pops several times from your neck to your tailbone until your legs go numb... that was the worst experience for me. Only a few real electricians know what I'm talking about. But I did more shouldering materials around and coring concrete than I got to wire anything. If I was lucky I got to wire some things up.
The electrical trade is probably The cleanest lightest trade of the trades , everyone I know in the trades other then electrical have told me they wanted to be an electrician first but did not have the choice so that is why they are now plumbers, mechanical, have techs
don’t listen to this guy, the problems he listed are with just about every single trade. not only that, electricians are really needed and a lot of young ppl my age(23) tend to take the easy way out and choose welding. you won’t make as much money doing that and your job will be pretty much the same thing every day after a year or two bc it’s not that much to learn. i know guys who are 70+ years old and they’re still learning electrical. it’s really fun
I’m not telling people not to do it. I’m informing them. My channel is dedicated to helping inform people about the electrical trade. I think it’s a great opportunity and I try to push people towards it.
1 year in as an apprentice and the only thing I don’t like about being an electrician is having to accommodate to every other trade and move runs we’ve already installed because the hvac foreman forgot to mention he had a damn duct that would be right where one of our runs is🫤
I’m local 134 in chicago. We definitely get the worst of both worlds when it comes to weather. And we always seem to be doing underground in the dead of winter.
I am currently in college majoring in electrical engineering but I failed my first semester and I don’t wanna keep paying money if I know I’m not gonna pass I’ve never been the best in school my mind isn’t really in school I wanna be out there making money I’m still debating weather I should get my CDL and Work for my dads trucking company or become an electrician my dad makes good money a week driving his own truck he makes like 7k a week and it’s great money but also it’s stressful ik engineering is 2 but idk
Hey guys, I barely started as an apprentice electrician and I am so demoralized. Can you guys give any tips to feel bette and more motivated to work and learn?
I did a lot of low voltage work when I was younger. In the commercial world, worst thing? Fiberglass in the ceilings, if I had to wade through it. In some old buildings that were retrofit I've seen as much as 36" deep, crazy and beyond annoying.
Im in trucking and my thing is i cant be away from home for too long. Is this just as profitable? I like working with my hands more so than just sitting and driving plus i love being with a team
Thank you so much, this was very straight forward and to the point:) the only thing I would add is that I wish the music was either turned off completely or turned way down low -it was a little distracting.
As a service electrician I don’t have have to get up very early and am in nice houses most of the time but sometimes in the snow sun rain wind and it sucks
Yes I know 3 electricians who died from lung related illness . One was on my Apprenticeship , another (More like a handy ) , the last was another 3 phase electrician. Additional to the lung related deaths my mentor had a stroke after being overworked and stressed, done. Too many go in to these dumps . Poisoning and damaging the living hell out of their bodies . Lead soldering and brain fog. God the list is endless. I've studied additional 5 year degree to hopefully sit in a clean safe space.
1) Most of the garbage that UL signs off on as acceptable. 2) Last to install, so everyone else is trying to rush. 3) Poor planning of jobs. Unestimating time needed to complete. 4) Current parts supply chain disaster.
I hate : Getting up early How dirty the work can be Working on site is like being a slave being constantly checked up on and told when to go for dinner etc Always either really cold or really hot. I regret choosing to be a spark but I’ve paid for my course now 6k and I’m 25
Check out the updated version of this video here: 3 Things You NEED To Know BEFORE Becoming An Electrician Apprentice
ruclips.net/video/qo2Bb8bNBao/видео.html
I’m a self employed residential electrician with no employees. Very little headache. I only accept profitable jobs and low stress jobs. I make great money while going on vacation whenever I want. I’m living the dream! No complaints for me!
How do i do this
I want to be you
& how do you acquire your clientele?
@@robbie__lifts
I worked for a small electric company and did the apprenticeship program. I got a lot of experience in residential service work and I enjoyed it. After about 7 years, I decided to take the leap and work on my own and get my state license. I charged the same as the big companies, but I have very little overhead. So I get to keep most of what I make.
@@2phonesjones899 I started on Angie Leads, and I have a website, but 99% is referrals and repeat customers.
Electrician here in California, 5am start time, get off at 1pm, pretty much perfect weather 10 months out of the year. The worst part is the commute by far. California traffic is the worst.
I’m looking into getting in a trade school to be one in California, how did you start?
Man this the dream, I’m tryna get out a warehouse and learn this trade so I can become a electrician and move to California for the good weather. I live in Texas
Hey bro shot in the dark but does your company do prevailing wage? I’m certified and I’m trying to chase government jobs to save up for a house
Are you union? I know cost of living is high there I was thinking of moving there but didn’t know if it was worth it
@@Ribsandwich9797 cost of living is absurd, to live comfortably you have to commute at least an hour each way to afford rent that is reasonable, homeless and crime is out of control, police are to backed up to help anyone unless it’s a violent offense and even then they won’t come for a long time.!so to answer your question, no it sucks, you get paid good but it evens out with rent and daily expenses, California turned to shit
I think the hardest part of becoming electrician is showing up to school after work for 5 years dog tired and feeling like you're not going to make it .
and being forced to learn worthless bullshit like fire alarm and PLCs. Half of the terms are absolute bullshit, then you get to work with idiots who can't even run pipe just because they scraped by with 75% on the code test. It's a joke.
In the UK you can be qualified in 2 year's then do your exams
@@ashellis9504 that sounds amazing
As somebody who has had their journeyman card for about four years now, I actually kind of miss those days only because your brain is actively involved and you’re probably in a lot of ways a better worker during those times than any other time. Being “the student” has weird benefits that seem to only become apparent after you’re kind of expected to be a teacher who always has to relearn things in the trade.
@@Saixjacket interesting view I’ll make note of that when I start my apprenticeship
Uncomfortable work trucks, heat, freezing cold, dangerous work conditions, unreasonable expectations, working late, stress, being an apprentice and being demoralized, getting injured, working around or with people that constantly make your job harder… I’ve been through all of that. With that being said it’s still a good job and made me a better person. Definitely not for everyone and it will take a toll on your body and mind.
I’m an apprentice and I’m glad I haven’t experienced the demoralizing. I experienced it 10 x more as a junior sailor.
Awe, does your p hurt? Poor baby! Ima male RN who wishes he had gone into electrical work, any job that has the three Ds.. Dirty, Dangerous, Difficult. The three D’s keep lazy people, Marxists, anti-Whites, and women from your work. Do you have any idea how bad it sucks to work with women? Even women hate to work with women. And you are bitching about dirty dangerous and difficult? I like it, I love it, give me more of it, as it keeps soy riddled Betas away.
No one respects apprentices but you have to show you can handle shit an slowly but surely you’ll earn respect
@@Charlie_mf_c this is fine when it’s men. Women do this in hospital, there’s an expression, nursing eats their young. These women are so awful. Nothing close to getting shit from a male boss.
I joined a construction company where we are the only 3 people. We are one crew, and we go from a slab to framing to sheathing to electrical to plumbing to insulation to roofing. Then comes the finish work from carpet to tile and interior trim. Can't forget the cabinetry. I joined this crew with zero experience and never once led them to believe I know more than I do. We bust each other's balls, but never have I felt anything other than support. I had one of them say, "If we didn't want you here, you wouldn't be." When I've felt doubt about myself, I hear,"You've been with us for less than 2 years. We change jobs every other week. How could you learn everything when we change work so frequently? " If people are there to shit on you for not knowing something, they aren't worth learning from.
My least favourite things about being an electrician are painters, plumbers, AC installers, weather and traffic.
@Dev JB 😂
@Dev JB at least you have more control over the mud not going inside of the outlets
@Dev JB I gotcha😂
same, and anything that has to do with conduit
😂😂😂😂 accurate
I'll take every one of these cons over wasting away in a cubicle.
Agreed!
Preach brother
I was an electrician. But I retired. Now I’m delivering for UPS
@@purplerider2362why?
@@purplerider2362how old are you? and any injured knees or bones that hurt? i’m curious cuz i don’t want to choose a career where i can’t do anything when im older
I do strictly residential work, and my three biggest gripes are:
1) Lack of help (pulling wires, lugging tools/materials where needed, etc.)
2) Parts shortages
3) Cluttered workspaces (especially basements and garages)
Do commercial. More money.
@@senorjalapeno3937 I've never worked commercial before. I don't know the first thing about it. And I would have no clue how much to charge. Like I said, I don't have any help.
Hire me
@@senorjalapeno3937 more dangerous though, your life is on the line in commercial, residential not so much
@Joe Sysol not really. You're life is on the line at any point in life. When you wake up to go to work, when you clock in for work. Even when you sit down to take a shit.
I do it all: residential, industrial, and construction. Yes, depending on many factors, there are a lot of difficult things about the job, but I love my work. I choose my clients, my rules, and my time. It took a lot of effort to achieve this, but self-love made me atypical for most clients. First and foremost is me, then the rest of the world.
Electricity is one of the most powerful forces in the entire universe, and I love to dance with it.
Sometimes the opposition is what makes it fun!
For those just starting out, take note 👆🏼 If you work hard, have a good attitude, are willing to learn and grow, and can prove responsibility, and GOOD company will reward you for it. If you reflect these traits and are working for a company that doesn't value you, then leave. Find one with good management and code of ethics. I worked with some real shit people before this discovery. The last company I worked for gave me tons of different opportunities and rewarded my work ethic. You'll always hear guys bitching about this and that- don't get sucked into that energy. Also don't let anyone treat you like shit just because you're an apprentice. If you're a good worker then that's what you should be judged by, not lack of experience. Sure, you might have to do some of the more "dirty work"- I usually didn't mind that so much. But to truly disrespect me? Well we can exchange some words after work, or put me with a crew with a better attitude :)
hey im a recent graduate who is thinking of undertaking an apprenticeship. I would love to talk to you about the industry and your career if you would be down?
@@BreathEmpowerment
I am 45 and thinking to get degree in electric. 2 years degree.
Am I too old to get in?
@@safiul1930if you have a job that isn't paying well or lacks stability then I say go for it. It's definitely one of the more stable jobs you could get. But are you saying a 2 year college degree? No need for that unless you actually want to become an engineer. If you just want to be an electrician then join a company with good benefits as they will pay for your schooling to become a journeyman.
The issue is that Electrical work or trade work in general is not a get rich quick scheme. People talk about it like everyone needs to drop out of school and join the trades. Im in it 7 years and have been a journeyman for two years. I was a very proactive apprentice and forced myself to learn a lot. While i worked in commercial, light industrial, and new construction I worked residential for a friend on the weekends. I eventually helped him full time run a business. I realized that even though I learned a lot and know how to do a lot, the things i can't stand are irreconcilable. The job is also not aligneed with my goals and aspirations outside of work. I have yet to meet anyone similar to me in the trade. Yeah ive learned an important skill, but that means nothing if its a something that I loathe doing. I don't want to shit on my profession but give warning that you should do what you want to do. Dont let anyone push or con you into doing something that you don't. The only people that should become electricians are the people who always wanted to become electricians. If theres a shortage, then the industry should change to make it more bearable. The same goes vis versa if you're a blue collar trapped in a white collar job. Do what you want. Screw trends and advice.
This is why i went back to college to get a degree in electrical engineering then Masters in Finance. Now work as an energy trader making over $300k a year. No more nasty body aches
How you pay for school tho?
I have a degree in finance but the union is offering associates in electrical engineering? Would this be a benefit to me where I can bargain for better pay?
Congratulations! Work smart not hard!
How did you make that jump into energy trading? I'm a chemical engineer halfway through my Master's in Finance, looking to move into Finance as well.
1. Last ones allowed to install, so coordination with duct guys are a must. 2. First ones to move their pipe given a conflict 3. So many different form and materials which requires expertise and ends up creating 3x more trash compared to other trades 4. High wages means always undermanned or rushed projects 5. Working high up and in extremely tight spaces
this is mostly for commercial I’m assuming
@@xtc9700 yes I’m commercial and I hate it. I’m leaving soon
@@carolinaanthony4142 if you're willing to sacrifice a little money id switch to resi
@@carolinaanthony4142don't switch to rezzy 😂 it's so boring. Find a better company. But I never minded heights or tight spaces much (within reason) as long as I felt safe
Don't forget, working elevated is dangerous and service calls to factories with power on is extremely dangerous.
While my friends and family work easy jobs and make more money
There’s a downside for everything, but being an electrician is quite nice in my opinion especially when you’re in a state with nice weather.
So don't be in Texas where im at right lol
@@ManiacMayhem7256 I'm also in Texas. SATX to be specific. The weather hasn't been too nice.
Try Arizona
In canada and the cold absolutely decimates me mentally
@@vsteele1672 pretty much Ecuador
Hang in there! I started at my company as a green Jouneyman now I run the whole show. 25 employees. I don't wear tools anymore! That part is what I miss the most. Enjoy it while you can young man!
How long did it take you to get there? Congrats
@@Shrampion I started in 1990 and took over in 2012. You have to play the long game my friend!
A green journeyman? You mean a green apprentice? Green and journeyman aren’t even synonymous…
@@floridaboy91a new journeyman… I know it’s the weekend but keep that thinking cap on
@@zZ_The_6th always on bud…speak clearly. Never know who’s listening…but yea green and journeyman aren’t synonymous:)
Worst part about being an electrician no one talks about is apprentice pay. You make dog shit for 4-5 years no matter how much you bust your ass.
Im first year and my pay is not too bad
What is the pay if you have construction experience 33yrs old
I mean that’s usually how it is when start from the bottom with anything in life. You have to work way up but once you get your time in and you’re good at what you do eventually it’s gonna pay off.
As a resi electrician, we don’t deal with this nearly as much. Of course we still deal with the heat and cold and crawl spaces are something else, but it’s usually pretty nice. A lot of times you’re in an air conditioned space. We don’t work insane hours because no home owner wants you in their house at 2 am. Idk I like being a resi guy. Running conduit is pretty cool tho
I really needed this homie, i’m 18 trying to figure out what I want to do still and have for a while been interested in being a residential electrician. My local college just opened a course that allows me to get certified in less then 3 months and become an apprentice. I really hoped I made a good decision and you solidified that for me😅
@@societl I’m excited for you man. It really is a pretty sweet job. Learning and doing research is always good, and I’ve been able to do jobs better because of a youtube video I saw hahaha. However, most of the skill in the trade comes from just getting out there and creating effective systems with the tools you have to achieve your tasks. It’s something that will keep changing, and you wont learn it until you get out there. Unless the cirt is needed to start an apprenticeship, I’d just get applying to places and binge watch Electrician U
@Thawne1338 for me it wasn’t some crazy job search. A friend of mine who worked at a small company just thought I’d be good at it, put in a good word and got me hired. I had an interview and got hired. Small companies are a great place to start I think. More individual learning when you’re starting out too
Just like how I ran some conduit on your sister last night, it was wild.
Money in residential is weak though
Master Electrian here. To me it's working on hack work done by other electricians, or facilities guys. Drives me nuts. Oh yea fiberglass insulation sucks!
Do you suit up when working around insulation? Or do u just man it out and get infested by it?
Living in misery (Missouri) as an electrician, I completely get where you’re coming from when you say you get like 2 months a year where it actually feels good outside.. I guess Mother Nature will weed out the ones who can’t make it
I am an electrical helper looking to join the apprenticeship this year! We are lucky out here
@@Ju5tin808 what state
Ya Nebraskas weather sucks dick too 😂
I made a video about the essential tools for electrician!
Lol my brick and mortar is in Los Angles, but my channel is in Montana so I guess I have the best and worst of both worlds. Cold 6 months in MT and Taxed 13 months in LA..=)
20 years old. 2 year apprentice in my first year of school. Done residential work, including multiple "HGTV Hometown" remodels, NRG contracts, and Commercial construction. Worked in georgia, texas, oklahoma, tennessee, and mississippi where i live. Get up at 3:30 every day. My biggest gripes have to be other apprentices who dont listen, and THAT DAMN FIBERGLASS
Miss management is becoming common in the US everywhere, and the lack of appreciation of the skilled tradesmen.
Everything sucks, there are a few things that don’t! I have friends that run there own business, they still have to work eighty hour weeks at times. As some say, embrace the suck! Out of all the trades, I would not want to be laying the grey mud…aka concrete. Electrician here, joined the union I.B.E.W., wanted to see the country and did. That got old after twenty years, now phasing into maintenance. Life is hard at times, life is beautiful at times. Be lucky and happy for what’s going on in your life in America. Tried running my own electrical business, the headache from all the angles was not worth the money. At least we’re not having to run for our lives from bombs, missiles, gun fire and tanks.
That facts you made my day I agree
Amen
I am IBEW as well 23 years in .
I work in Bay Area foreman wage is in 332 is 92$ an hour .
I have recently thought about doing my own gig .
I always am asked to do side work and I feel I could easily stay busy , be my own boss .
I believe in Unions and am greatful for the career it has given me .
It’s just times you think I just want to do my own thing
@@JAYY_JAYY late reply but how do you get to that position?
@@user-jh4gk8fm6b foreman ?
Can’t believe you didn’t mention porta pots. Those things are inhumane
That's why a proper diet and regular bowel movements before and after work are the most important parts of the job, so you don't have to go. You don't want to have to go in a place where up to 200+ others went and where some have a poor opinion on basic decency.
Blue Sauna
You often hear about how more people should get into trade work, that there's a shortage of workers. However, very few realize what is required in order to be successful. Unless you were born in a family of electricians, there's more to it than meets the eyes. In other words: It's not open to everyone.
I feel the exact opposite about this. It is open to anyone and everyone. To be successful you might have to move around a little bit with companies to find the right one to learn under but after you have the experience you can take it anywhere
I was an industrial electrician who worked in an aircraft small metal parts plant, and on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10, the job was only about a 2, maybe a 4 at times. I was on call and had lots of sitdown and coffee time. I started as an electricians helper and then over the course of about 3 years, I learned PLC's and machine troubleshooting. Yeah, there's always a better job than the one you've got, but I had no complaints about mine, it was as good as any job I could have asked for
Worst part of being an electrician is other electrician. They argue all day and are never wrong and will set other electricians up for failure
I’ve seen it!
That’s what my brother says is the worst part about the job. He complains about the other workers (who are older than him and should be more mature, my brothers only 19) getting into arguments about stupid things and them being in their phones
How does that happen? Everyone is like that?
I have to agree on this one. Before I did electrical apprenticeship I was a carpenter for 20 years and I loathed working with electricians more than any other group. They all had attitudes. Some even sabotaged my work. They never did what you asked in the order they just rolled their eyes and walked away. Not a fan of electricians at all
Here I was thinking of being a electrician. Guy today says he can't find anyone and is willing to pay 30 an hour. I have no direction in life so decided to look into it. Seems like a shifty job just like my last trades job
Same
What state are you located in?
wow, 30 an hour is very good.
I’m a female electrician in a power plant and I get up at three in the morning every day and I’m in work by five vixen cranes, tending to the turbines and generators and walking down the switchgear room so yes it has it good points and Dave points with a good pointers is that I make $91 an hour and I double time it’s even better
Damn 91 per hour is crazy 😂 congrats
Thank you very much but the reason I make such a high rate like that is as I’m the only one in the company that knows how to work on the big machines or turbine generators I’m the only one, so they leave me alone isn’t that wonderful?
@@patriciap1214 A positive and also a negative, huh? Lol
Must be a toll on u physically some days
Yes, is the negative some days when the machine goes down like a 250 MW machine goes down I have to stay and get it back online. Usually they just leave me alone. I’ll tell you a funny story I was at a bar one night with a friend of mine and I had a little bit too much to drink and the plant manager called me and they brought me in like half shot in the ass and I still fix the thing so I imagine that.
@@patriciap1214 😂 some boss lady shxt right there lol
I am currently in the navy as a gas turbine electrician GSE and cant wait to go back into the civilian sector. These hours you describe are light work.
Point proven 😂
Anything is easy after the navy
Yeah just got outta the air force and im stoked to only be working 1/2 the hours i usually work lmao
As an EN that got out 10 years ago, I feel like I haven't worked a day since the Navy, even working construction as an electrician. Life is gravy if you survive the Navy.
6) To be a journeyman it takes over 4 years. You need at least 720 hours of classroom instruction in an approved electrical program or apprenticeship and 8,000 hours of on-the-job experience.
7) Working on tall ladders up to 40 feet.
Is that just for the union ? The 4 years bullshit , non union , if u know u know
Only thing I don’t like so far is working around fiberglass insulation
Our small company just finished wiring a whole house within 3 days with 3 guys, all of us, to meet the deadline Friday for inspection in this Toronto home lol. Good experience, but can be a lot ...especially for a guy like me being less than a year in the trade. The pressure can be exhausting at the start, but I don't treat it as a deterrent at the end of the day. Not every day is sunshine and rainbows. I just do my best :)
Fellow torontonian here. Im 24 and trying my best to start my apprenticeship with no experience in electrical but I have been working with my hands and power tools for years. Seems like everyone hiring wants atleast a couple years experience in the trade already. Any tips on getting in?
@@jays6553 Go to a pre apprenticeship school before just jumping in. It's safer that way you know what you're stepping into...somewhat. Also people will want to hire you after graduation. Highly recommend Herzing College..that's where I went.
do electricians make good money in Toronto?
@@theworldbegoinup3289 Depends on your work ethic and outside life. Also can depend on what company you work for.
@@travalicious128 like can an electrician earn six figures I rlly wanna be one but ppl say its hard to become one but I've always had a passion in this trade
I hate working in dirty ass factories, laying in insulation in people's attics that are also covered with rat shit and getting hit head with nails that are poking through the roof, or crawl spaces covered in spider webs, and especially the times its like 10 degrees or colder outside and that's where you work all day
The worst is after spending 20+ years and working up bs ladder just for both ankles to go and now need triple fusions in both ankles and be years befor I’m back in field if ever and really sucks I started working at 15 and now a year from 40 and faced with looking down barrel disability atleast for number years and I would give just about anything to be back at work ,I love my kids but I miss working sooooo much and going from 70k year to 20k bc only relying on my wife witch dosent have a carrier so say just saying take care your feet and ankles ,thay can be taken out from under you befor u know it much love and keep safe
Been in the trade for 5 years! Over it just enrolled in school to better my life but can always go back to it since i have maxed out my pay as a journeyman
What’s your pay? And are you union?
@@abel7800 I was making $27 as jw in phoenix but now $33 as assistant superintendent
@@jester6909 I’m starting soon with no experience but my pay starts at 16.50 but that’s good to know thank you
@@abel7800 which state?
@@ieatmonkeys9543 in the dmv but im actually not in the apprenticeship program just working but will apply to get in next year. They’re starting pay is $23 and maxes out at $53-$55
The wild card of the commute is a concern of mine. The training center is 80+ minutes away depending on the time of day. Work is probably going to send me on hour long commutes often, which means I hope I earn enough to move into "civilization". I've lived a decade of two-hour long commutes,(round trip) and I'm done with that mess. It really wears a person out.
danm. i just started and it's 2hr 30 min round trip for me
@@vq_kadin1846 Holy fuck 2 1/2 hours commuting a day? Bro that's 50 hours a month. That's a part-time job right there. There's gotta be work closer to you
Damn i did it for almost 4 years and was becoming miserable.
Bro an hour at least is extremely common each way in the trades. It is what it is. Keep pushing boys.
@@globalprofits10115 minutes is normal in residential lol
All jobs have their good points and bad points. I don't now what it is like in your area, around mine, you know that a rough job will come to an end and you can move on to something better for a while.
Hey man wish you luck, currently active duty from Indiana striving for my journeyman's license as an electrician but pairing that with my electrical engineering license. Only 21 but praying to do residential maybe union one day.
That’s awesome man. I’m an Indiana resident as well. Stay safe man. Thank you for your service!
Thanks for your service and that's cool you're from Indiana, I'm from Indianapolis. Live in Vegas now but Indiana people are really good people. I worked on a fishing boat on the bearing sea lol I'd rather be a electrician
Why Electrical Engineering & Electrician? (I am at an early step in this same decision path)
This convinced me to give up trying to become an electrician. I don't know what to do now. :/ I'm lost in life.
Not sure why. You should go apply & get in with a good company
@@americanelectrician I'm 41. I'm trying to find something that I can just commit to. I have no passion or interest in this but I've been studying for the aptitude test to get into my local union so they would pay for my schooling while I also earned hours towards a journeyman license. I'm not very social at all which I can't change so I wouldn't relate well with people to make the day pass better :/ . After seeing the downsides of the job and I'm currently working a delivery job outside in random weather conditions I'm already miserable doing that. I didn't realize it would be the same doing this job along with the huge traveling time and potential huge work days that can extend the entire week. At 41 and wonder if I could even recover that well each day to have the energy to put in a full day without it just adding up. I really don't know what to do. I heard maintenance was inside so at least that would bypass the weather...
Sorry, I have no one to talk to around me about a job path and I was just going to commit to this and hoped it would turn out well but after watching a few videos like this one on the downsides it's reminding of my job now I can't stand. I just want a future SOMEWHERE. You're videos were good, thanks.
@@SubwayJack919don’t give up, try a smaller residential company or even commercial. You’ll be inside majority of the time & if you do have to be outside is usually not that bad. Service calls is what you have to watch out for.
The trades aren’t paying shit in the south. Companies are trying to hire licensed electricians for $20-$25/hr. In Georgia anyway. IBEW pays a little better but it’s still not worth the 16 hour days and everything you mention in the video.
Damn that’s some straight BS
washington state, dakota,indiana,illinois, oregon, are probably the best state, my hometown in washington is one of the best cities in the country for electricians
@@wyattbreymeyer4033 where you at Wyatt? I’m all over king and Snohomish, but interested in what’s going on with places in other cities/counties
I’m in Texas 30+ for journeymen
39nyears in the trade. I've had both shoulders and my right thumb operated on. Arthritis in bith knees, both hands, back and neck. Then there's the cracked vertabra in my back frim a fall. That being said i enjoyed just about every day on the job. Only major dislike was the underground work Ib'vevalways hated digging.
Ive been an AC guy and an electrician and both jobs suck lol. I'd way rather just do some framing tbh. It seems like there's less that can to wrong (ussually). Plus customers can SEE what's getting done and dont try to lowball you as much. Nothing more annoying then cutting someone a deal and then having them waste your time trying to haggle even cheaper for another 30 minutes. Especially since the company I worked for was always more than twice as cheap as ANYONE else to begin with. If you included the unpaid time at homedepot i literally made LESS than mimimum wage in both jobs. So glad i quit. I literally make more just cleaning city buses than i ever made as an electrician or AC guy. Its nice because its the same every day. No nasty surprises like trade jobs. Plus they pay absurd bonuses if anyone vomits or makes a "biological" mess of any kind. So even if the bus is nasty, it just means i get paid a bunch more for a few extra minutes of cleaning. Still glad i learned the trades though. Definitely saves me monry if nothing else.
Sorry to hear about the bad experiences during your AC and electrician jobs I can say I did the apprenticeship route for electrician and was getting paid 16$ an hour to start and by the end was making $35 an hour 40 hour work weeks. Trade jobs also depend on location unless you are maintenance. I work in an area with an industrial boom and a lot of companies moving in, we get amazing pay and only work 40hr a week OT is not pushed. We are unionized.
@@Benderboy35where are you located??
As I recall when I did resi work, we were never going fast enough. When we did catch up the other trades had not completed there end. So for me I would say you are never ahead of schedule.
Most people are shocked when they find out how bad I am as an electrician.
So bad it hurtz
Don’t think you can talk about it unless you been in the trade for like 10-15 years. And been with multiple different companies and fields of electrical.
Retired industrial electrician in a large factory. Every year we had to "pre-qualify" for our job - which included changes in the National Electrical Code book and the National Fire Protection codebook which didn't always agree. I managed to pass every year but it was stressful as Hell. It was a good paying job.
If I was ask a few years ago when I was a foreman running numerous job and a service truck too I would say massive stress! The lack of help, lack of time I could be on a particular job, phone ringing off the hook, emails all times of the day including evenings and weekends sometimes, keeping material on all the jobs for people I don’t even have time to be on, hiring subs, doing estimates, calling customers about service calls and scheduling them, dealing with all the contractors, clients, building engineers, property managers, constant deadlines for inspections on multiple jobs, keeping track of everyone’s hours on my jobs. I could of just ran my own company! Now that I left I would say 1 lack of work sometimes, 2 waking up early, 3 weather.
Sounds like you were a superintendent. If you didn't have foreman under you than the contractor was screwing you as a foreman. Because a foreman just runs the crew and coordinates with the other trades, that's it!
@@robbydash545 the union considers a foreman as part of management. To my knowledge there is no limit to the number of jobs you can run or limitation on job duties. There are limitations on the number of manpower which is 10. I never ran more than 10 even though I had multiple jobs at a time, they were smaller jobs.
Ive been working as a sparky since 2010 . I had a terrible time as an apprentice, pretty much moved every 6 months from either lack of work or terrible jobs. If i knew what i know now i prob would not have become a tradesperson. From my experience working in the GTA if your not a buisness owner or working in a large union your going to work for pennies on the dollar. You will have to provide all your own hand and power tools that will not be replaced when they break, insane commutes and terrible working conditions. I would not recomend younger people to get into the trades atm. Wages are stagnating and expectations are continuing to rise every year. Also you have to take into account you will never be able to WFH so you will always be required to live within driveable distance of your jobsites. Then you have to add the constant danger of heights, crushing accidents, inhaltion of debris from concrete and metal all while the expectations of working live is just common practice for most people ive spoken to in my time. It is just simply becoming less and less viable to do the job when certain retail stores are paying 28/h to stock shelves.
I've been thinking about switching to electrician because of pay seems really good right now I'm studying computer maintenance and computer networking starting out I can make 20-25 an hour computer networking and entry level job I just wanted to take it I just want to start getting paid pretty well now cuz I'm about to turn 30 and I want to start I don't want to start making decent money in my late 30s I want to hopefully retire about my early mid-50s what's your opinion on it you say it's not good to get on it now is that because it's a union thing or non-union thing????
@@timeforce80 depending on where you live you will have to go through a 4-5 year apprenticeship. Where you will most likely make much less until you are fully licensed. One of the biggest issues I've seen is after you get licensed it becomes almost impossible to continue to increase earnings year over year. The 2 careers in question are vastly different and I don't currently see you achieving your goal by traditional means. My advice is if your going to enter the trades, you have to plan a very specific plan and path with some sort of exit strategy to a job with a saleable salary. You will simply never make a decent living working hourly nless you work 80 hours a week. I don't know about you but my job is not my life, it is a means by which I live the life I want and you can't do alot when your body is broken and your working 80h a week. Please do extensive research.
@@Binbounty09 I greatly appreciate it I will do more research on it right now I'm in school for computer networking and maintenance and I can start off at least 20-25 an hour which isn't too bad I have a friend of mine doing HVAC I believe and he says he'll make some money doing that that's what it got me interested cuz unfortunately I should have been doing this stuff at least five or six years ago but life got in the way but thank you I look a lot more into it and see what happens I'll ask a friend of mine who's electrician and see what he thinks
wow so true
I always figured becoming a Union electrician was the only one that made sense. Fully benny's always and $35 an hour scale. Can't rope you into 80 hour weeks unless its in the contract, etc
The downside for me so far, is being out of work cause lack of work. I’ve been on standby over a month now because no projects are opening up because of the snow
What state ??
@@chopupyourwife6193 eastern Washington, but I live in Idaho
That's insane! I am in Indiana and we can't find anyone to work!
Crazy because construction don't even stop for below zero degree here in Minnesota
@@xeevang1023 ya there’s a lot of construction being built where I’m at too. But with my union, no big projects are opening til warmer weather
Yup Minnesota is either a ice rink or 95 percent humidity.
Paramedic then an electrician. Back to a paramedic again. It’s still a good trade to learn.
Why you change your mind
Did you become a journeyman before going back to EMS?
I hate every job is not prevailing wages for all of US
I hate being a electrician it sucks ass I got all my tools stolen out the gam box and the company didn't reimburse me SMH and 5 months later they laid me off I hate being a electrician
Are you part of a union?
@@Acatlike_ crybaby union 247#
@@James-sc6hq and the Giant Peach!
Is it not better to go to a good college and do a 4 year electrical engineering with focus in industrial.
Im 6 months in. Im planning to do that when i have enough saved tbh
The way things are going that sounds bette
@@julianawakens8717
Electrical engineering is much better to do if you are young, just go to college. EE focuses on both industrial, commercial, electronics & software development. Most EE becomes excellent software engineers.
EE become project managers and also electrical drafters.
EE covers telecommunication & broadcasting systems as well.
@@julianawakens8717
If you want to make serious money do software engineering & development, focus on only Java & Linux. All hardware is based on those software.
@@adams6798 yea man im gonna do engineering soon. Im only
20 maybe a bit more momths and ill be going back because this job is taxong asf
I see all this things about how it takes a toll on your body to the point it’s back breaking. Are they exaggerating or is it not that bad?
They're exaggerating.
@@the_original_bug_god No it can be back breaking. I started the trade two months ago and they had me digging 70 feet trenches at 20 inches deep in July and August. On top of that no one was willing to teach me anything, they just used me as a pack mule. Avoid this trade if you are easily offended, you need a thick skin and a strong mind + willpower to do this. I liked the work but it's out of my control. Gonna go use my CDL class A and make way more money hauling freight.
The main thing that has kicked my ass in 25 yrs of being an electrician is this damn god forsaken Texas heat. Fck me
I was a high voltage electrician for 45 years for a utility company.Loved the change of seasons here in the northeast. Great pension,medical and dental benefits for my life and the wife’s.Self funded 401K near 7 figures. YES there are times where you need to be at work 10-16 a day. But it’s very profitable. And these utilities are still hiring.
Trying to get into ibew local 531 im currently a helper doing solar but im schedualed a apptitude test early novemeber i have no idea whats on it or how to pass.
I did a little side job with a private contractor when I was 18 I had a hell of a rough time dealing with those goose necks but at the end of the day they accepted me for my work ethic and dedication to be at work every day
No hate here brother but everywhere I've worked in my state it's always been regular working hours
There is a guy at a local electrical company that got his journeyman license the other day on Friday, and over the weekend, he quit and started his own business, making double an hour what he made as an apprentice just this week. To me, it sounds like this field is worth it.
An hour and a half to go from one side of the city to the other and that’s worst-case scenario? Dude that is good. Try living in Houston where it takes you an hour just to drive 10 to 15 miles during rush hour
Seems like electrician is better than Hvac
4th year apprentice from Baltimore. When I become a journeyman I want to get out of construction. It really does take a toll on your body. Especially anyone with existing knee or back problems
What kind of apprenticeship are you in?
hey yall, im a highschool student exploring my career options. As an electrician is it a must for you to travel far away, or is that only for certain types of electricians?
I’m in a community college electrician program and no, you can pretty much go anywhere. From residential to industrial to construction the possibilities are endless and the pay is great. I say go give it a try!
@@ChrissGriffin2000 thanks man!
Get into the apprenticeship program
Some electricians have it pretty good. Others have an absolute hell of a time their entire career. My advice is if you have the desire and money, time etc to pursue something else do it. I love what I do because I was born to work hard. I however have made my life a whole lot harder pursuing this path. Up to you man. This trade is by far the best of all and the most highly skilled without a shadow of a doubt. If you’re up for a challenge and want to learn give it a try. Just be mentally prepared for what is ahead. It can be a great job some days. Other days you will be testing your patients and motivation. But at the end of every day I guarantee you will be proud of what you do.
Make sure you gen into a Union. They have the best benefits and pay by far
I understand you. On the other hand, you can be unlucky in every other profession. Either you should ask yourself: "What can I chance to get out of my situation?" The area of the Electrical Profession is very wide.
Yep I'm a low voltage installer and might switch up to vehicle electrician.
As a retired electrician ,3 places that were really bad .a giant industial pipe and steel blasting for cleaning prior to treatment,black dust everywhere.a scrap meat and bone rendering facility,smell was horrifying least liked place refinerey in bum f nowhere wyoming,.they cleaned sulfur infused gas to make it usable.if you felt a gust of breeze from a bad weld or leaky joint hold your breath back away mark where mentally to report later.one wiff would turn your lungs to jelly and destroy your brain.not to mention the elevation on some spots.installing sensors on a flair stack 8 stories tall on a 3 story building.you could see the grand tetons from there.gruesome stuff.
It’s a good side job to have but as far as a career unless you get a really good union job or work for some huge corporation I don’t think it’s for you.
The industry wage for electrician apprentices in big cities is horrendous they have zero incentives to enter the electrical trade when Amazon pays more even for jmen wages haven’t adjusted for inflation and tradesman are struggling hard
I’ve done it all from Resi to Industrial for a smaller company for 2 1/2 years, switched to commercial got laid off & went into the temp agency; it’s essentially like the union but without the extreme bonuses & super crazy hours. Most of the time the foreman on site can be cool if you got some stuff to handle & gotta take off & there’s almost always OT available so it’s nice. I do wanna say for the green guys, ALWAYS ASK if anything pops up in your head. It’s a learning process & curve for all of us so🤷🏽♂️
I experienced a few doozies but the worst part of being an electricians apprentice was shouldering rmc up to a roof and that moment you turn the corner and your back pops several times from your neck to your tailbone until your legs go numb... that was the worst experience for me. Only a few real electricians know what I'm talking about. But I did more shouldering materials around and coring concrete than I got to wire anything. If I was lucky I got to wire some things up.
The electrical trade is probably The cleanest lightest trade of the trades , everyone I know in the trades other then electrical have told me they wanted to be an electrician first but did not have the choice so that is why they are now plumbers, mechanical, have techs
don’t listen to this guy, the problems he listed are with just about every single trade. not only that, electricians are really needed and a lot of young ppl my age(23) tend to take the easy way out and choose welding. you won’t make as much money doing that and your job will be pretty much the same thing every day after a year or two bc it’s not that much to learn. i know guys who are 70+ years old and they’re still learning electrical. it’s really fun
I’m not telling people not to do it. I’m informing them. My channel is dedicated to helping inform people about the electrical trade. I think it’s a great opportunity and I try to push people towards it.
Fiber glass insulation exposure is the worse part.... that and dealing with competitive jerks.
I’m debating on this or getting a cdl, I really don’t like how it takes 5 years just to make 70k as a journeyman electrician
1 year in as an apprentice and the only thing I don’t like about being an electrician is having to accommodate to every other trade and move runs we’ve already installed because the hvac foreman forgot to mention he had a damn duct that would be right where one of our runs is🫤
Wired to print.
Please submit a change order and pay me twice.
Next job with him, you get to start breaking balls.
I’m local 134 in chicago. We definitely get the worst of both worlds when it comes to weather. And we always seem to be doing underground in the dead of winter.
Chicago weather is rough
I was thinking in being an electrician! So do u advise me?
I am currently in college majoring in electrical engineering but I failed my first semester and I don’t wanna keep paying money if I know I’m not gonna pass I’ve never been the best in school my mind isn’t really in school I wanna be out there making money I’m still debating weather I should get my CDL and Work for my dads trucking company or become an electrician my dad makes good money a week driving his own truck he makes like 7k a week and it’s great money but also it’s stressful ik engineering is 2 but idk
Where’d ya end up at bubba? Just got out of highschool so im curious
Where in Indiana are you? I'm in the Terre Haute area!
Columbus! I just stayed in Terre Haute 2 weeks ago!
Hey guys, I barely started as an apprentice electrician and I am so demoralized. Can you guys give any tips to feel bette and more motivated to work and learn?
By the way I work commercial, getting into industrial..
@@Ricor1c0why you feel that way?
I did a lot of low voltage work when I was younger. In the commercial world, worst thing? Fiberglass in the ceilings, if I had to wade through it. In some old buildings that were retrofit I've seen as much as 36" deep, crazy and beyond annoying.
Need advice
I am 45 and thinking to get degree in electric to be a electric technician/engineer. 2 years degree.
Am I too old to get in?
Im in trucking and my thing is i cant be away from home for too long. Is this just as profitable? I like working with my hands more so than just sitting and driving plus i love being with a team
Fellow sparky here, working in the winter on a deck job 30 stories up in the middle of the winter in NYC
Making it through the apprenticeship is the hardest. You can get flushed out so easily depending on the hands on or written exams.
Thank you so much, this was very straight forward and to the point:) the only thing I would add is that I wish the music was either turned off completely or turned way down low -it was a little distracting.
We’ve gotten a lot better with music on the more recent stuff! Thanks for the feedback!
all of these things really come with any trade
Spot on being an electrician is a construction job and it is very physical especially as you get older. It's honest and very truthful rewarding work.
#1 reason why I wouldn't do it.
Most of these greedy companies are hiring electricians starting at $20 an hr.
It's insane. And outrageous.
Im a high schooler and im debating to become an electrician any tips?
There’s nothing to lose. If you join and don’t like it you don’t owe any money and you leave with a check, education, and real world experience
As a service electrician I don’t have have to get up very early and am in nice houses most of the time but sometimes in the snow sun rain wind and it sucks
15yrs in cabling. I don't like mice droppings. I can live with the cold and heat but mice yuck.
All I work in is steel and aluminum mills and it gets old once the building is up and we have to do extra add ons
Yes I know 3 electricians who died from lung related illness .
One was on my Apprenticeship , another (More like a handy ) , the last was another 3 phase electrician.
Additional to the lung related deaths my mentor had a stroke after being overworked and stressed, done.
Too many go in to these dumps . Poisoning and damaging the living hell out of their bodies .
Lead soldering and brain fog. God the list is endless. I've studied additional 5 year degree to hopefully sit in a clean safe space.
New York City Housing Authority electricians have it sweet. 66$ an hour,35 hours per week.OT available. Super easy work.
Try being a Iron Worker Rod Buster for a week on a bridge deck than youll love sparking the wires.
1) Most of the garbage that UL signs off on as acceptable.
2) Last to install, so everyone else is trying to rush.
3) Poor planning of jobs. Unestimating time needed to complete.
4) Current parts supply chain disaster.
AK steel, or whatever that Cleveland something was bad with oil... Republic conduit - awful. Portage Indiana steel plant was bad.
AK steel is awful
I hate :
Getting up early
How dirty the work can be
Working on site is like being a slave being constantly checked up on and told when to go for dinner etc
Always either really cold or really hot.
I regret choosing to be a spark but I’ve paid for my course now 6k and I’m 25
Anyone recommend a tutor service for the aptitude test ?
I work at Allison’s in Indiana, I’m hesitant about going into Electrician but I think I should go for it!
Bro go for it!