biggest struggles for me was being treated horribly, crazy coworkers, working in the rain for 6 months straight, the stress of a fast paced environment, breaking products, etc
I told you I was hiring, but you chose Ritz vs. Holiday Inn....lol. That's a crazy story, next time you do the "ask ne anything" I'm going to ask you about it!
My biggest struggle was getting medical treatment for an electrical burn. There was a light pole I helped install and the city engineer with the dcr gave us the go ahead it was safe to wire up and then locked us out of the panel before we arrived. After I wrenched down the pole which was on the grass by a pool the senior electrician told me to wire it up. So I lead with my right to protect my left side as a habit and good thing I did because I got a shock to my leg and out my arm when I touched the ground. So long story short as I posted about it many times it was not verified that the circuit was as is on the print which was outdated. The licensed electrician also got hit by the 277 volt 30 amp circuit. He helped me up and said I was a spark for life after that. It took the burn on my leg nearly ten years and many treatments to get it to heal. Never in my life did I expect such a horrible thing in the hazards of electrical work. Did you know you can get slightly cooked internally throughout your nerves even if you survive? Neither did I. I suppose my biggest struggle now is not hating the job for destroying me instead of it improving who I set out to be. I get some dyslexia now these days. I once aced that aptitude dexterity exam and now I am not sure I could make it half way.
Dude, that's aweful, sorry, brother. Thanks for sharing. At least if 1 person takes this more seriously, thanks to your comments, your suffering has blessed someone else. What state are u tuning in from?
@@The360Electrician I wouldn't want anyone to experience what a hazard like that can do to you. Inflamed nerves just constantly reminding me on some days while I continue treatments. Finally got through draining my spine again so I can walk a little better. You would think you can handle anything until something humbles you beyond belief. Massachusetts. Finding the right medical care for something like that has been difficult to say the least. As if it wasn't painful and troublesome enough, the first demratologist they send me to was a beutician. She wanted to show me how to cover my leg with foundation and apply steroids to it. The journey I was about to face I can hardly put into words. I don't want to rant on about it either but even our OSHA instructor survived a hazard that messed his back up. I just get restless when I have trouble walking. Thanks for reading.
This is so hard to read, I'm so sorry that you've suffered through that brother! Electricity is no joke and it needs to be taken very seriously. Even if we do everything right, we can still get messed up because of somebody else's mistakes/ complacency. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story. We need reminders like this, and I think that your story, even for the few people who have read it in these comments, will help prevent others from being in a similar situation as it will create more awareness of the real dangers. Again, so sorry that you've suffered through all of that but thanks again for sharing this story.
Thanks for sharing your story. I’m sorry you had that experience . I took apart a night light when I was 9 grabbed the metal prongs and plugged it into the wall. That hurt like hell, I can’t imagine what over double that must have felt like. You’re one tuff sob.
@@f0xh0nd51 I was tough. Surviving it has worn me out and I will not just fade away without talking about what some of us were put through. I could tell you the other guy used to go to log tossing competitions and insisted an apprentice is useless if he can't bench 400lbs. I was half his size and even he got snagged by that neutral hard enough to acknowledge it was NOT SAFE and the engineer at the dcr was WRONG.
I strongly believe in treating others the way you want to be treated. I don't care how tough you are or think you are. One of my biggest struggles was dealing with Journeyman who treat you like shit. They are rude, ignorant, and impatient. I was a teacher for 7 years, and I can tell you that is not how you teach someone. I understand some people do not want to teach and find apprentices annoying. I'm sorry but this is part of the trade. If you want to influence and help people in your life, the best time is now.
I’m half way thru my 3rd year in IBEW Local 429, Nashville, TN. I would say for me the biggest struggle has been the fact that I joined when I was already 35 years old and had a family. Between pretty much being obligated to work 50-70 hours a week AND go to class two nights a week AND do the homework, AND STILL keep up with all my other normal life responsibilities and have time with my family has been extremely difficult. I would definitely recommend doing this BEFORE starting a family. The pay isn’t great in this local either. Other than that it’s been a good experience.
I'm about to finish my 4th year. We're taking OSHA 30 as our last class. 6 weeks of OSHA one night a week. Can't wait to be a 5th year and get that raise. I'm a few hours away in Birmingham.
glad you were open about confidence, currently also very green and haven’t started an apprenticeship yet but always have anxiety or stress about not being in an environment unknown or being criticized for not knowing something but need to accept it’s just a part of the process
Thanks! Luckily, being in this trade and it being a normal thing to work at lots of different job sites with lots of different crews, that's something that you'll eventually get used to. You'll get to the point where you'll know that you're a great electrician and you'll gain that confidence just like I eventually did. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing some of your struggles, your last one really hit home for me. I'm 27 years old and currently transitioning out of the military and I'll be starting my IBEW apprenticeship later this year. I'm a skilled "journeyman" at my current job, and I know that its going to be hard for me to start over again and know absolutely nothing about the job. This video gave me a confidence boost, thanks man
Hey, right on Robert! First, thank you so much for your service. I’m stoked to hear that this video could give a confidence boost! It can be pretty intimidating and tough at first, but just like anything, skill and knowledge will come over time. I appreciate you watching and wish you the best of luck in your future electrical endeavors ⚡️
As an aspiring Electrician, I appreciate all the info you share through your videos. I get to learn a lot I take my consideration for becoming an electrician in the future.
i just finished my first semester of my first year of my apprenticeship. it’s a little discouraging at times just because i have such a lack of knowledge. being lucky enough to get the apprenticeship straight out of high school was a very big blessing but i am still extremely green. it’s tough at times but i know that sticking with it, everything will pay off. just stay strong out there, the apprenticeship will go fast and the confidence will come.
Absolutely! I know exactly how you're feeling and how discouraging that can be. You have the right attitude though and things will get easier/ better over time! I remember going feeling overwhelmed and like I was never going to learn everything to suddenly one day realizing to myself, "Woah, I'm actually getting pretty good at this whole electrical thing." Stoked that you were able to start at such an early age my friend! You have a very bright career ahead of you! ⚡️
@@MadElectrician Well I’d like you to know that when I was researching and contemplating whether or not I wanted to do this whole electrician thing, I watched all of your videos about beginning the apprenticeship. It was a tremendous help, the way each Local does things can be a little bit different but I think that your videos were a great, accurate resource. Thank you for the work that you do and I would recommend your videos to anyone!
@@D-rd5wfit’s mostly an internal struggle of feeling like you’re not gonna learn and feeling like you’re gonna continue to suck. but in reality, if you keep trying your best, listening to your journeyman, ask questions, and give it time, everything will be fine. most journeymen are patient and understand that everyone has to start somewhere. you can go to tech college or something before the apprenticeship if you really want to, but from my personal experience, i think it’s just best to practice and learn on the job and through the jatc schooling. the skills will come.
I made it through my 4yr apprenticeship and on and on and on lol wow its been a wild ride......had my License for 29 yrs now been in the trade for 34 yrs......seen alot.
I am about 15 months into my apprenticeship and I have been through three different companies. I would say I have a very similar struggle, I suck at being at the bottom as I am always just itching at the opportunity to be a leader.
It's an interesting struggle for sure. I'll tell you what though, your apprenticeship will fly by and you'll eventually get to the point where you can become a leader. Make the most of your time right now and be receptive to new ideas/ new ways of doing things. It's crazy how much you'll learn throughout your apprenticeship. Wishing you the best of luck as you progress through your apprenticeship! Looking forward to seeing a comment from you on a future video when you let me know that you're a foreman some day! ⚡️
Get it! Have you watched my aptitude test video? Definitely do if you haven't yet. Wishing you the best of luck my friend! And yes, I love Jeff's videos too! @the360electrician
@@dolphinboy5863 that’s great to hear. Reach out as you’re going through this process with any additional questions that you might have that my videos don’t answer 👍🏼
I'm 2 1/2 years into my apprenticeship and I feel im not learning fast enough. I'm 42 with a family, COVID protocol destroyed my old job and I took up this trade at the suggestion of my mother in-law. I don't necessarily regret it but I DO regret not starting in my 20's. I'm at a new company, having trouble fitting in. I still have had no schooling and I don't know if I should continue with this trade or not. I've come so far but there's so much to learn I get overwhelmed and discouraged at times. Idk anymore, about anything, lol. Feeling lost.
Hey @keid1020 how is your apprenticeship going ? I’m 21 and about to start mine in 2 weeks but I also get discouraged because idk anything about the electrical trade
Well I quit in May because they were lying pieces of shit. I did learn a lot in the short time I was there, though. If I could change one thing during that time is talk even less than I did to people. Don't be friendly. I should've just showed up to work, clock in and clock out. I haven't given up on being a journeyman. My advice to you is listen, listen and listen some more. If you can't do something be honest about it, don't let anyone shame you for that. I never claimed to be able to do something I couldn't and it got me respect. Made the things I could do stand out more. Don't be afraid to try a difficult task just be sure to ask for help as soon as you need it. Always take pictures of what you're about to work on so you don't get confused when you're hooking things back up. Get familiar with using your volt meter, it WILL save your life and others. Always be weary of the neutral, it has more power going through it than the hot. Good luck, I know you'll do great buddy.
@@keid1020 thank you brother I appreciate your response, if you don’t mind me asking what are you doing now and what did the people you worked with lie about ??
@@angel-xk8ro About to get an interview with AppleBees, lol! I moved to a small town so there's not a lot of options. I live in the country now. I love it but I'm not going to be gaslighted and stay where I'm only tolerated. The city is more high paced and you get punished quickly for shitty work by reviews, but you can still operate because there is a high population. In the country people become attached to a face. If the face leaves or get s fired if he starts his own company or gets hired by a rival he takes most of the business, which is what happened to my former co. Desperate to land big contracts my former company won a bid with a school district that hired a management co. instead of a GC (General Contractor). My 1st day we laid 87 pieces four inch conduit and it was in the wrong spot, got covered up and that was it. $40 bucks a piece. I got accused of "standing around" by the owner with an off the rails childish temper and I had to go. No matter who I worked with they all complained at how things are being ran. Everyone talked shit about each other more than usual. Construction is a dog eat dog place but I've never seen this level of disfunction. Ironically I'm still GRATEFUL for the time I was there and I have some soft spots for the guys I worked with. All in all I hope they'll be alright regardless, we all have our blindspots.
I’m trying to see how much I search online I can find since it’s hard to find a place because I’m in the same boat as you, definitely gonna sub and look forward to these videos
@@MadElectrician where/ what companies I could look for to start an apprenticeship, starting out just as green n fresh too trying my best to study, but any advice or how to get a foot in the door into I don’t know if you applications for them I got denied but I went in person to two companies I know last year hired som fresh guys but I was turned down.
the worst experience as an apprentice currently (in second year school) is pulling teck cable 4c cu 500 kcmil. 350 is hard too, but when i got to 3/0, not so bad. i remember having lots of spots in my body that is like black well maybe drilling a step bit in a metal stud is a bad experience due to a metal bypassing my safety glasses
I’m 26 and highly considering switching to a trade. I know I want to do something hands on, but my biggest concern is I’m always managing a considerable amount of back pain and fear being able to keep up. Do you have any advise?
Thanks or reaching out! This is an incredible trade and becoming an electrician has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. There are tons of things that you can do as an electrician. Some are more physically demanding while others aren't. Your apprenticeship might be a little tricky while you don't typically have much of a say of what you're doing/ where you're working. Once you're journeyed out, you can pretty much do whatever you want, and as I said before, there are lots of less physically demanding things that you can do/ specialize in. You can also look into becoming a low voltage electrician too. They don't typically make as much, and their license is limited, but the majority of what they do isn't very physically demanding. Here's a link to a video I made where I cover the three types of different licenses you can get as an electrician (Inside Electrician, Low Voltage, and Residential): ua-cam.com/video/KeU4jALVU5c/v-deo.htmlsi=dma3ACAtL-JCGQyz Hope all of that helps. Feel free to reach out with any more questions! ⚡️
What would you advise for someone who is thinking to start his own electrical,HVAC, plumbing company and his goal is to hire 15 technician every year. Btw his age is 25
Whoever is trying to start a business in any trade must have years of experience in that trade. So if you’re trying to start a business that does multiple trades you must have multiple years in each trade and thats a lot of years.
@@joeshmoe8952 ok and ? Lets saw i will start my business after having 10 years of experience then? Do you think expanding 12 to 15 tecs a year is possible?
I guess it would be biased for me to answer. But....I would do some coaching with The 360 Electrician. Lol just kidding... odds of being able to scale that fast will be a huge challenge. There is no way to answer that at this point until like it was said you have or get people around you with experience. I coined the tag line "Were all good at the trade, but we suck at business". To open shop I would argue being better at business (Sales,Management, Finances) is more i.portant then trade knowledge. I've been off the field for 14 years, yet everyday I get numerous calls from my Journeyman and Masters about what to do on the field. Why, I was a helper, apprentice, Journeyman, Master and before all that I owned 3 other businesses all not having to do with electrical. And that's still no guarantee. So in short if you have #1 enough capital, #2 Buy yourself enough time to ride out a few years of ups and dows, and #3 Get the right team together then maybe you have a chance. BTW each number has 300 other issues under them.
@@The360Electrician thank you so much for answering it definitely helped me I m thinking to start with HVAC cuz yk in Toronto Canada its cold asf so heating and cooling is in demand but yea thank you so much sir
I've never been laid off, though it's always good to prepare for them just in case. You need to make sure that you have your finances in order, and the best way I've been able to do that is by following Dave Ramsey's baby steps. After paying off any debt you owe (other than your mortgage), he recommends saving up 3-6 months of expenses. This is a great emergency fund to help get you through a tough time like a layoff. You'll be receiving unemployment during a layoff too which will help you not drain your emergency fund so quickly. Easier said than done, I know. That's what I personally recommend doing though. Look into him if you haven't read his books or listened to his podcast. Solid practical advice that has stood the test of time ⚡️
Diversity of skills and keeping an eye out for similar work in related fields like home automation, access/security/surveillance, corporate or custom home AV integration. At some point all the things we use every day involve delivering both energy and data to points of use. Or you could use that time to make videos about being an electrician. Can you get unemployment compensation if you take continuing education training in your trade during the down time?
My biggest struggle is being smarter and more talented than the competition. Lots of snakes in IBEW 353, lots of people that cast stones but are guilty of what they accuse you of. Lots of people who can't take their own medicine. Lots of people who try and smother your name when you worked for what you have. Dispatchers giving you false information. Lady behind the counter at the hall saying "What classes? What do you mean courses?" When the hall obviously has a whole directory of classes they offer. When you defend yourself you get in trouble and are called sensitive, but when you ask people to do simple things that they said they know how to do but lied about it all, they get mad at you instead. IBEW 353 is a demonic entity and is a place where these people thrive.
Considering I have a 2 year association degree in electrical construction and maintenance, and having about 3 months of non union construction experience… My biggest struggle right now is the wait time for my local IBEW. It’s been a year of waiting ever since I applied and still waiting for that bootcamp call.
@@Environmenthrall yeah, I’m thinking of doing that since I’m hearing the work is kinda slow at the local I’m going for, and there’s only going to take a handful people. Thanks for the advice
I think if you made some right calls to certain people you might be able to expedite the process. It took me 5 years to get in because of certain things. I had failed the entrance exam. I failed to get a good score on my first interview. Covid. During the pandemic I ended up taking 2 college classes in order to get my second interview. During that time I ended up receiving my Electrical Craft Helper certificate from LADWP and that helped me with the remaining process. I called and called until somebody was able to take my paperwork and put it in the pile that was ahead of the list. I applied in April 2017 and got the call for the boot camp on January 2022. Don't get discouraged.
@@williamcruz7976 woah now that’s dedication. I’m assuming you are going for local 11 as well, congrats on reaching bootcamp. As of now I already have a Poe ranking of 73, so I’m unsure calling someone would expedite the process. So I’ll just have to wait it out. And best of luck during bootcamp, I heard stories of people getting kicked out for the littlest of things.
It can be a challenge for sure, especially as not every local is always bringing on new apprentices. I'd definitely first look into reapplying as re-interviewing will likely increase your ranking. Here's a few things you might consider doing. 1) Get your foot into the door by becoming a material handler. This is likely going to mean taking some sort of a pay cut in the meantime, but you'll already be a part of the IBEW Local so you'll have have a huge advantage over other applicants (if you re-interview after you've been working as a material handler for a little while). 2) Continue working your current job while making yourself a better candidate for the apprenticeship in your spare time. (Taking electrical courses/ gaining various certifications, getting more hands on construction/ electrical experience and documenting it for your portfolio, etc). The point of this will be so that when you go re-interview, you'll be the obvious choice for the apprenticeship. 3) Join the non-union and go through their apprenticeship (eventually transferring into the IBEW apprenticeship program as an apprentice or waiting until you get your license and then simply going to the IBEW Local union hall and signing the books and starting to work for the union that way). 4) You can always see if there are any other locals that aren't too far away that might be worth commuting to in order to start your apprenticeship with them. Basically, if you really want to make this happen, there's ways, it just might take a little bit of creativity and a lot of dedication. If you haven't yet, check out my How to Become an Apprentice Electrician playlist. I give tons of tips and advice on how to get accepted. The video quality isn't very good and my into was obnoxiously long, but the advice is still sound. Hope all of this can offer a bit of guidance! I'll be creating more helpful resources at MadElectrician.com, so make sure to sign up for my newsletter if you haven't yet. Maybe some of the stuff that I release soon will be helpful for you. Thanks for watching and wishing you the best of luck! ⚡️
The people, from tafe queensland, tradesman and supervisors to the apprentice co ordinator, majority are selfish, uncaring people who like to bully and disencourage apprentices, they are a disgrace to the industry... But unfortunately they seem to be the majority in mining towns
I suppose I have a similar story which inspired me to look into the trades. To make a long story as short as I can, I went to college where I got my BA in history only to find out the only thing it's really good for is teaching. Sadly, from other educators I've spoken to, teaching isn't the same job as it once was as kids today are rotten little shits and teachers are often underpaid, underappreciated, and underfunded. When I graduated college, I looked into joining the military but was sadly declared medically disqualified (4F) from both the Army and Navy on the count of my vision not meeting the standards. Not colorblind for the record, just a bit nearsighted and I have to wear glasses to counter that. As a result, without any prior job experience whatsoever, (college is a bitch. Same with covid) employment was hard to come by as the only thing that was available in my area where mostly retail and fast food jobs. What got me interested in trades was ultimately the fact a plumber who has worked for my family for a number of years pointed out that tradesmen are always looking for apprenticeships. Truthfully, I never thought about the trades in any real sense and I have no experience whatsoever. Maybe it's just in my blood but just lied dormant for a generation as my great grandfather was an electrician. I guess my concern is that I may be getting into this trade for the wrong reasons. Like if I'm only doing it for the job security and pay. But maybe I'm just overreacting. I'm sure i can't be the only one who probably went through the same dilemma when they decided to get into the trades. Particularly becoming an electrician.
Same can be said for Automotive... except to get the top top pay . It seems you need to be a 1 trick pony at a high end dealership. Jaguar, BMW etc.. I heard if you are dedicated to ONE brand you can earn around 200k/year... ALSO you gotta suffer for about 1 year.. BUT don't be like me and work for 4 different dealer brands and hop from shop to shop, you will never be a top performer. Just some guy who can work on a lot of complex shit..
There are a lot of awesome questions in here. Thanks for this video, it's helping people get into the trade! Union can be such a mystery if you don't have someone to guide you or tell you the in's and outs. I think the IBEW could use a spokesperson name MAD!
You flatter me, Jeff! It was a mystery to me too before I got in! I make all of my videos for the Stephen of 2016, who was looking into joining the IBEW but didn't know the first thing about it. ⚡️
biggest struggles for me was being treated horribly, crazy coworkers, working in the rain for 6 months straight, the stress of a fast paced environment, breaking products, etc
I told you I was hiring, but you chose Ritz vs. Holiday Inn....lol. That's a crazy story, next time you do the "ask ne anything" I'm going to ask you about it!
you lost me, lol. sounds good.@@The360Electrician
Stop complaining man, everything you listed doesn’t go anywhere even when you’re a JW. That's not what the video is about
you clearly did not watch the video.@@blessedmma9330
@@DailyElectrician I responded to your comment. If you are too sensitive and complain about everything, this trade is not for you
My biggest struggle was getting medical treatment for an electrical burn. There was a light pole I helped install and the city engineer with the dcr gave us the go ahead it was safe to wire up and then locked us out of the panel before we arrived. After I wrenched down the pole which was on the grass by a pool the senior electrician told me to wire it up. So I lead with my right to protect my left side as a habit and good thing I did because I got a shock to my leg and out my arm when I touched the ground. So long story short as I posted about it many times it was not verified that the circuit was as is on the print which was outdated. The licensed electrician also got hit by the 277 volt 30 amp circuit. He helped me up and said I was a spark for life after that. It took the burn on my leg nearly ten years and many treatments to get it to heal. Never in my life did I expect such a horrible thing in the hazards of electrical work. Did you know you can get slightly cooked internally throughout your nerves even if you survive? Neither did I. I suppose my biggest struggle now is not hating the job for destroying me instead of it improving who I set out to be. I get some dyslexia now these days. I once aced that aptitude dexterity exam and now I am not sure I could make it half way.
Dude, that's aweful, sorry, brother. Thanks for sharing. At least if 1 person takes this more seriously, thanks to your comments, your suffering has blessed someone else. What state are u tuning in from?
@@The360Electrician I wouldn't want anyone to experience what a hazard like that can do to you. Inflamed nerves just constantly reminding me on some days while I continue treatments. Finally got through draining my spine again so I can walk a little better. You would think you can handle anything until something humbles you beyond belief. Massachusetts. Finding the right medical care for something like that has been difficult to say the least. As if it wasn't painful and troublesome enough, the first demratologist they send me to was a beutician. She wanted to show me how to cover my leg with foundation and apply steroids to it. The journey I was about to face I can hardly put into words. I don't want to rant on about it either but even our OSHA instructor survived a hazard that messed his back up. I just get restless when I have trouble walking. Thanks for reading.
This is so hard to read, I'm so sorry that you've suffered through that brother! Electricity is no joke and it needs to be taken very seriously. Even if we do everything right, we can still get messed up because of somebody else's mistakes/ complacency.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story. We need reminders like this, and I think that your story, even for the few people who have read it in these comments, will help prevent others from being in a similar situation as it will create more awareness of the real dangers. Again, so sorry that you've suffered through all of that but thanks again for sharing this story.
Thanks for sharing your story. I’m sorry you had that experience . I took apart a night light when I was 9 grabbed the metal prongs and plugged it into the wall. That hurt like hell, I can’t imagine what over double that must have felt like. You’re one tuff sob.
@@f0xh0nd51 I was tough. Surviving it has worn me out and I will not just fade away without talking about what some of us were put through. I could tell you the other guy used to go to log tossing competitions and insisted an apprentice is useless if he can't bench 400lbs. I was half his size and even he got snagged by that neutral hard enough to acknowledge it was NOT SAFE and the engineer at the dcr was WRONG.
I strongly believe in treating others the way you want to be treated. I don't care how tough you are or think you are. One of my biggest struggles was dealing with Journeyman who treat you like shit. They are rude, ignorant, and impatient. I was a teacher for 7 years, and I can tell you that is not how you teach someone. I understand some people do not want to teach and find apprentices annoying. I'm sorry but this is part of the trade. If you want to influence and help people in your life, the best time is now.
I’m half way thru my 3rd year in IBEW Local 429, Nashville, TN. I would say for me the biggest struggle has been the fact that I joined when I was already 35 years old and had a family. Between pretty much being obligated to work 50-70 hours a week AND go to class two nights a week AND do the homework, AND STILL keep up with all my other normal life responsibilities and have time with my family has been extremely difficult. I would definitely recommend doing this BEFORE starting a family. The pay isn’t great in this local either. Other than that it’s been a good experience.
And Nashville is expensive. I'm guessing you live somewhere out of madison hermitage or murfreesboro
I just applied at 583 hopefully I get accepted.
I'm about to finish my 4th year. We're taking OSHA 30 as our last class. 6 weeks of OSHA one night a week. Can't wait to be a 5th year and get that raise. I'm a few hours away in Birmingham.
How much is the pay at 429? I am applying here soon.
@@Plymakerr Our new scale for Journeyman is $34.92. First year apprentice is $20.95.
glad you were open about confidence, currently also very green and haven’t started an apprenticeship yet but always have anxiety or stress about not being in an environment unknown or being criticized for not knowing something but need to accept it’s just a part of the process
Thanks! Luckily, being in this trade and it being a normal thing to work at lots of different job sites with lots of different crews, that's something that you'll eventually get used to. You'll get to the point where you'll know that you're a great electrician and you'll gain that confidence just like I eventually did.
Thanks for watching!
Hey did you ever start that apprenticeship ? I start mine in about 2 weeks and I have really bad anxiety because I know nothing about the trade
Thanks for sharing some of your struggles, your last one really hit home for me. I'm 27 years old and currently transitioning out of the military and I'll be starting my IBEW apprenticeship later this year. I'm a skilled "journeyman" at my current job, and I know that its going to be hard for me to start over again and know absolutely nothing about the job. This video gave me a confidence boost, thanks man
Hey, right on Robert! First, thank you so much for your service. I’m stoked to hear that this video could give a confidence boost! It can be pretty intimidating and tough at first, but just like anything, skill and knowledge will come over time. I appreciate you watching and wish you the best of luck in your future electrical endeavors ⚡️
As an aspiring Electrician, I appreciate all the info you share through your videos. I get to learn a lot I take my consideration for becoming an electrician in the future.
My brother was an AT&T manager too before he hopped on the trade the best decision of his life
i just finished my first semester of my first year of my apprenticeship. it’s a little discouraging at times just because i have such a lack of knowledge. being lucky enough to get the apprenticeship straight out of high school was a very big blessing but i am still extremely green. it’s tough at times but i know that sticking with it, everything will pay off. just stay strong out there, the apprenticeship will go fast and the confidence will come.
Absolutely! I know exactly how you're feeling and how discouraging that can be. You have the right attitude though and things will get easier/ better over time! I remember going feeling overwhelmed and like I was never going to learn everything to suddenly one day realizing to myself, "Woah, I'm actually getting pretty good at this whole electrical thing."
Stoked that you were able to start at such an early age my friend! You have a very bright career ahead of you! ⚡️
@@MadElectrician Well I’d like you to know that when I was researching and contemplating whether or not I wanted to do this whole electrician thing, I watched all of your videos about beginning the apprenticeship. It was a tremendous help, the way each Local does things can be a little bit different but I think that your videos were a great, accurate resource. Thank you for the work that you do and I would recommend your videos to anyone!
So Why isn’t there schooling to teach more about the trade so you aren’t green an at a disadvantage in this field.
@@D-rd5wfit’s mostly an internal struggle of feeling like you’re not gonna learn and feeling like you’re gonna continue to suck. but in reality, if you keep trying your best, listening to your journeyman, ask questions, and give it time, everything will be fine. most journeymen are patient and understand that everyone has to start somewhere. you can go to tech college or something before the apprenticeship if you really want to, but from my personal experience, i think it’s just best to practice and learn on the job and through the jatc schooling. the skills will come.
@@MitchH0098 I appreciate the reply. I’m Looking to apply just haven’t found the right location for me. I’m in the pnw.
I made it through my 4yr apprenticeship and on and on and on lol wow its been a wild ride......had my License for 29 yrs now been in the trade for 34 yrs......seen alot.
Any advice I start mine in 2 weeks and I’m nervous because i don’t know anything about electrical
My biggest struggle is bending pipe. When getting my measurements for bending offset and 90s it’s very hard it’s just not clicking
My pipe is always bent
Practice practice practice
So glad I found your channel, I have my aptitude test Sep 23 and pretty nervous but doing all the studying and brushing up on math that I can lol.
I am about 15 months into my apprenticeship and I have been through three different companies. I would say I have a very similar struggle, I suck at being at the bottom as I am always just itching at the opportunity to be a leader.
It's an interesting struggle for sure. I'll tell you what though, your apprenticeship will fly by and you'll eventually get to the point where you can become a leader. Make the most of your time right now and be receptive to new ideas/ new ways of doing things. It's crazy how much you'll learn throughout your apprenticeship.
Wishing you the best of luck as you progress through your apprenticeship! Looking forward to seeing a comment from you on a future video when you let me know that you're a foreman some day! ⚡️
Taking my aptitude test in 2 weeks. Thanks for the videos
Nice, what state?
@@The360Electrician here at local 349 in Miami, Florida. Love your videos also
Get it! Have you watched my aptitude test video? Definitely do if you haven't yet. Wishing you the best of luck my friend! And yes, I love Jeff's videos too! @the360electrician
@@MadElectrician Yes sir. I watched mostly all your videos and I have been rewatching the portfolio video and many more.
@@dolphinboy5863 that’s great to hear. Reach out as you’re going through this process with any additional questions that you might have that my videos don’t answer 👍🏼
I'm 2 1/2 years into my apprenticeship and I feel im not learning fast enough. I'm 42 with a family, COVID protocol destroyed my old job and I took up this trade at the suggestion of my mother in-law. I don't necessarily regret it but I DO regret not starting in my 20's.
I'm at a new company, having trouble fitting in. I still have had no schooling and I don't know if I should continue with this trade or not. I've come so far but there's so much to learn I get overwhelmed and discouraged at times. Idk anymore, about anything, lol. Feeling lost.
Try swearing more
Hey @keid1020 how is your apprenticeship going ? I’m 21 and about to start mine in 2 weeks but I also get discouraged because idk anything about the electrical trade
Well I quit in May because they were lying pieces of shit. I did learn a lot in the short time I was there, though. If I could change one thing during that time is talk even less than I did to people. Don't be friendly. I should've just showed up to work, clock in and clock out. I haven't given up on being a journeyman. My advice to you is listen, listen and listen some more. If you can't do something be honest about it, don't let anyone shame you for that. I never claimed to be able to do something I couldn't and it got me respect. Made the things I could do stand out more. Don't be afraid to try a difficult task just be sure to ask for help as soon as you need it. Always take pictures of what you're about to work on so you don't get confused when you're hooking things back up. Get familiar with using your volt meter, it WILL save your life and others. Always be weary of the neutral, it has more power going through it than the hot. Good luck, I know you'll do great buddy.
@@keid1020 thank you brother I appreciate your response, if you don’t mind me asking what are you doing now and what did the people you worked with lie about ??
@@angel-xk8ro About to get an interview with AppleBees, lol! I moved to a small town so there's not a lot of options. I live in the country now. I love it but I'm not going to be gaslighted and stay where I'm only tolerated. The city is more high paced and you get punished quickly for shitty work by reviews, but you can still operate because there is a high population. In the country people become attached to a face. If the face leaves or get s fired if he starts his own company or gets hired by a rival he takes most of the business, which is what happened to my former co. Desperate to land big contracts my former company won a bid with a school district that hired a management co. instead of a GC (General Contractor). My 1st day we laid 87 pieces four inch conduit and it was in the wrong spot, got covered up and that was it. $40 bucks a piece. I got accused of "standing around" by the owner with an off the rails childish temper and I had to go. No matter who I worked with they all complained at how things are being ran. Everyone talked shit about each other more than usual. Construction is a dog eat dog place but I've never seen this level of disfunction. Ironically I'm still GRATEFUL for the time I was there and I have some soft spots for the guys I worked with. All in all I hope they'll be alright regardless, we all have our blindspots.
Taking my aptitude test tomorrow moring in Albany, NY local 236
Good luck brother.
Nice, we have a lot of friends in NY!
Right on brother! How do you feel like it went!?
I’m trying to see how much I search online I can find since it’s hard to find a place because I’m in the same boat as you, definitely gonna sub and look forward to these videos
Thanks for the sub my friend! I'm. glad you're enjoying the content!
What is it exactly that you're searching for online? Maybe I can help.
@@MadElectrician where/ what companies I could look for to start an apprenticeship, starting out just as green n fresh too trying my best to study, but any advice or how to get a foot in the door into I don’t know if you applications for them I got denied but I went in person to two companies I know last year hired som fresh guys but I was turned down.
the worst experience as an apprentice currently (in second year school) is pulling teck cable 4c cu 500 kcmil. 350 is hard too, but when i got to 3/0, not so bad. i remember having lots of spots in my body that is like black
well maybe drilling a step bit in a metal stud is a bad experience due to a metal bypassing my safety glasses
I’m 26 and highly considering switching to a trade. I know I want to do something hands on, but my biggest concern is I’m always managing a considerable amount of back pain and fear being able to keep up. Do you have any advise?
Thanks or reaching out! This is an incredible trade and becoming an electrician has been one of the best decisions I've ever made.
There are tons of things that you can do as an electrician. Some are more physically demanding while others aren't. Your apprenticeship might be a little tricky while you don't typically have much of a say of what you're doing/ where you're working. Once you're journeyed out, you can pretty much do whatever you want, and as I said before, there are lots of less physically demanding things that you can do/ specialize in.
You can also look into becoming a low voltage electrician too. They don't typically make as much, and their license is limited, but the majority of what they do isn't very physically demanding.
Here's a link to a video I made where I cover the three types of different licenses you can get as an electrician (Inside Electrician, Low Voltage, and Residential): ua-cam.com/video/KeU4jALVU5c/v-deo.htmlsi=dma3ACAtL-JCGQyz
Hope all of that helps. Feel free to reach out with any more questions! ⚡️
What would you advise for someone who is thinking to start his own electrical,HVAC, plumbing company and his goal is to hire 15 technician every year. Btw his age is 25
Whoever is trying to start a business in any trade must have years of experience in that trade. So if you’re trying to start a business that does multiple trades you must have multiple years in each trade and thats a lot of years.
@@joeshmoe8952 ok and ? Lets saw i will start my business after having 10 years of experience then? Do you think expanding 12 to 15 tecs a year is possible?
I guess it would be biased for me to answer. But....I would do some coaching with The 360 Electrician. Lol just kidding... odds of being able to scale that fast will be a huge challenge. There is no way to answer that at this point until like it was said you have or get people around you with experience. I coined the tag line "Were all good at the trade, but we suck at business". To open shop I would argue being better at business (Sales,Management, Finances) is more i.portant then trade knowledge. I've been off the field for 14 years, yet everyday I get numerous calls from my Journeyman and Masters about what to do on the field. Why, I was a helper, apprentice, Journeyman, Master and before all that I owned 3 other businesses all not having to do with electrical. And that's still no guarantee. So in short if you have #1 enough capital, #2 Buy yourself enough time to ride out a few years of ups and dows, and #3 Get the right team together then maybe you have a chance. BTW each number has 300 other issues under them.
@@The360Electrician thank you so much for answering it definitely helped me I m thinking to start with HVAC cuz yk in Toronto Canada its cold asf so heating and cooling is in demand but yea thank you so much sir
@@The360Electrician how much capital do a person need any rough estimate?
How do you deal with layoffs and being out of work for possibly 3 months at a time?
I've never been laid off, though it's always good to prepare for them just in case. You need to make sure that you have your finances in order, and the best way I've been able to do that is by following Dave Ramsey's baby steps.
After paying off any debt you owe (other than your mortgage), he recommends saving up 3-6 months of expenses. This is a great emergency fund to help get you through a tough time like a layoff. You'll be receiving unemployment during a layoff too which will help you not drain your emergency fund so quickly.
Easier said than done, I know. That's what I personally recommend doing though. Look into him if you haven't read his books or listened to his podcast. Solid practical advice that has stood the test of time ⚡️
Diversity of skills and keeping an eye out for similar work in related fields like home automation, access/security/surveillance, corporate or custom home AV integration. At some point all the things we use every day involve delivering both energy and data to points of use. Or you could use that time to make videos about being an electrician. Can you get unemployment compensation if you take continuing education training in your trade during the down time?
It's also called a Widow Maker
How much are your union dues?
My biggest struggle is being smarter and more talented than the competition. Lots of snakes in IBEW 353, lots of people that cast stones but are guilty of what they accuse you of. Lots of people who can't take their own medicine. Lots of people who try and smother your name when you worked for what you have. Dispatchers giving you false information. Lady behind the counter at the hall saying "What classes? What do you mean courses?" When the hall obviously has a whole directory of classes they offer. When you defend yourself you get in trouble and are called sensitive, but when you ask people to do simple things that they said they know how to do but lied about it all, they get mad at you instead. IBEW 353 is a demonic entity and is a place where these people thrive.
Sounds like you should switch locals
Considering I have a 2 year association degree in electrical construction and maintenance, and having about 3 months of non union construction experience…
My biggest struggle right now is the wait time for my local IBEW. It’s been a year of waiting ever since I applied and still waiting for that bootcamp call.
Can you relocate or commute to a less-competitive local?
@@Environmenthrall yeah, I’m thinking of doing that since I’m hearing the work is kinda slow at the local I’m going for, and there’s only going to take a handful people. Thanks for the advice
I think if you made some right calls to certain people you might be able to expedite the process. It took me 5 years to get in because of certain things. I had failed the entrance exam. I failed to get a good score on my first interview. Covid. During the pandemic I ended up taking 2 college classes in order to get my second interview. During that time I ended up receiving my Electrical Craft Helper certificate from LADWP and that helped me with the remaining process. I called and called until somebody was able to take my paperwork and put it in the pile that was ahead of the list. I applied in April 2017 and got the call for the boot camp on January 2022. Don't get discouraged.
@@williamcruz7976 woah now that’s dedication. I’m assuming you are going for local 11 as well, congrats on reaching bootcamp.
As of now I already have a Poe ranking of 73, so I’m unsure calling someone would expedite the process. So I’ll just have to wait it out.
And best of luck during bootcamp, I heard stories of people getting kicked out for the littlest of things.
It can be a challenge for sure, especially as not every local is always bringing on new apprentices. I'd definitely first look into reapplying as re-interviewing will likely increase your ranking.
Here's a few things you might consider doing.
1) Get your foot into the door by becoming a material handler. This is likely going to mean taking some sort of a pay cut in the meantime, but you'll already be a part of the IBEW Local so you'll have have a huge advantage over other applicants (if you re-interview after you've been working as a material handler for a little while).
2) Continue working your current job while making yourself a better candidate for the apprenticeship in your spare time. (Taking electrical courses/ gaining various certifications, getting more hands on construction/ electrical experience and documenting it for your portfolio, etc). The point of this will be so that when you go re-interview, you'll be the obvious choice for the apprenticeship.
3) Join the non-union and go through their apprenticeship (eventually transferring into the IBEW apprenticeship program as an apprentice or waiting until you get your license and then simply going to the IBEW Local union hall and signing the books and starting to work for the union that way).
4) You can always see if there are any other locals that aren't too far away that might be worth commuting to in order to start your apprenticeship with them.
Basically, if you really want to make this happen, there's ways, it just might take a little bit of creativity and a lot of dedication. If you haven't yet, check out my How to Become an Apprentice Electrician playlist. I give tons of tips and advice on how to get accepted. The video quality isn't very good and my into was obnoxiously long, but the advice is still sound.
Hope all of this can offer a bit of guidance! I'll be creating more helpful resources at MadElectrician.com, so make sure to sign up for my newsletter if you haven't yet. Maybe some of the stuff that I release soon will be helpful for you.
Thanks for watching and wishing you the best of luck! ⚡️
The people, from tafe queensland, tradesman and supervisors to the apprentice co ordinator, majority are selfish, uncaring people who like to bully and disencourage apprentices, they are a disgrace to the industry... But unfortunately they seem to be the majority in mining towns
Does a electrician job require alot of updating in learning new things? Thanks
I suppose I have a similar story which inspired me to look into the trades. To make a long story as short as I can, I went to college where I got my BA in history only to find out the only thing it's really good for is teaching. Sadly, from other educators I've spoken to, teaching isn't the same job as it once was as kids today are rotten little shits and teachers are often underpaid, underappreciated, and underfunded. When I graduated college, I looked into joining the military but was sadly declared medically disqualified (4F) from both the Army and Navy on the count of my vision not meeting the standards. Not colorblind for the record, just a bit nearsighted and I have to wear glasses to counter that. As a result, without any prior job experience whatsoever, (college is a bitch. Same with covid) employment was hard to come by as the only thing that was available in my area where mostly retail and fast food jobs.
What got me interested in trades was ultimately the fact a plumber who has worked for my family for a number of years pointed out that tradesmen are always looking for apprenticeships. Truthfully, I never thought about the trades in any real sense and I have no experience whatsoever. Maybe it's just in my blood but just lied dormant for a generation as my great grandfather was an electrician. I guess my concern is that I may be getting into this trade for the wrong reasons. Like if I'm only doing it for the job security and pay. But maybe I'm just overreacting. I'm sure i can't be the only one who probably went through the same dilemma when they decided to get into the trades. Particularly becoming an electrician.
So Why isn’t there schooling to teach more about the trade so you aren’t green an at a disadvantage in this field.
Same can be said for Automotive... except to get the top top pay . It seems you need to be a 1 trick pony at a high end dealership. Jaguar, BMW etc.. I heard if you are dedicated to ONE brand you can earn around 200k/year... ALSO you gotta suffer for about 1 year.. BUT don't be like me and work for 4 different dealer brands and hop from shop to shop, you will never be a top performer. Just some guy who can work on a lot of complex shit..
I have interest in becoming an electrician but i also do have a fear of upcoming challenges..that will i able to do it?😅
hot stick is a lineman's tool. never head it called that
Do you think someone with glasses can be an electrician?
There are a lot of awesome questions in here. Thanks for this video, it's helping people get into the trade! Union can be such a mystery if you don't have someone to guide you or tell you the in's and outs. I think the IBEW could use a spokesperson name MAD!
You flatter me, Jeff! It was a mystery to me too before I got in! I make all of my videos for the Stephen of 2016, who was looking into joining the IBEW but didn't know the first thing about it. ⚡️
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