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[demon]

I'm 33 and have spent forever trying to figure out what I want to do career-wise. I have a degree but it's beyond useless and I've spent the past several years working low-level positions at a bank in Madison WI, the majority of which in a call center making less than $14/hr. I absolutely need to make more money. At most I've had very vague ideas about what I want to do, usually fantasizing about doing "something creative" whatever the hell that means, but I think I've come to accept that's a pipe dream, especially if I want to make good money.

I've occasionally pondered the idea of electrician but never seriously until recently. I have practically zero experience with it, but then again I have zero experience in anything that would lead to a good career. It's a really tempting idea in a lot of ways.....good money, great job security, unionized, and a fantastic skillset to have outside of the job. Plus I imagine that fixing and building things would be more rewarding than the kind of crap I'm doing now and other possibilities I've thought about. The two things that kind of put me off from the idea are electrocuting myself and what seems to be fairly low pay for the first few years or so, but it is what it is. I'm also aware that it can be a physically demanding job, but you know what also takes its toll on the body? Acquiring the posture of a jumbo shrimp and burning my retinas staring at a screen in a chair 8 hours a day.


What does becoming an electrician and being an apprentice generally entail? What's the best route to go for training? What kind of pay can one expect as an apprentice? One program I've looked at is through a popular local college, here. It says the training lasts 5 years which seems a bit longer than what I've read elsewhere.

Any thoughts, opinions, suggestions or advice?

 

[Deleted member 47027]

My buddy, who worked in a bank in Madison WI, the same one you worked at (we've talked about this before, it's crazy) quit a few years ago and said it was the best decision he's EVER made. He's now working for a college and is super goddamn happy.

You should quit and move to SOMETHING, and you can.

 

[demon]

My buddy, who worked in a bank in Madison WI, the same one you worked at (we've talked about this before, it's crazy) quit a few years ago and said it was the best decision he's EVER made. He's now working for a college and is super goddamn happy.

You should quit and move to SOMETHING, and you can.

LOL, I don't even remember that.

 

[thefit]

Go for it you can even join a union.

 

[jblank83]

You can make money "doing something creative", but you have to take it seriously. It's not spending all day smelling flowers. It can be grueling hard work.

For that you'd need to do the same thing as becoming an electrician, which is to get into a legitimate program at a school.

 

[Eos]

i think becoming an electrician is cool, i heard the pay is great
i guess just go to a trade school and become an apprentice afterwards?
i think you have to write an exam to show that you were certified in that state

 

[Randolph Freelander]

I know nothing at all that can help you, but I say go for it. Maybe I'm not very imaginative, but there will never come a day when we do not need electricians, plumbers, and professions like that. Most of us sitting behind desks can be outsourced tomorrow, but guys and gals with a real vocation who do good work will always have a job.

 

[FinalStageBoss]

Go for it. Certainly better than working at a bank.

 

[shadyspace]

What is your beyond useless degree in, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Sectorseven]

Wiring up new construction projects isn't too bad from what I've heard. I don't know if there are electricians who specialize in that, but it seems like the ideal gig.

 

[Ivieto]

I am not sure how it works in the US, but as an electrical engineer, for the love of good please pay attention to wiring plans. Yes, sometimes we make unreasonable demands because we don't really know how hard bending #8 wire is around a corner, but we chose #8 instead of #12 for a reason. If you cannot get it to follow the schematic, come talk to the engineer and figure out something, don't just wing it and forget it.

 

[Ol No Bones]

I'm applying for an apprenticeship Monday. I want to learn a trade while I work. If I get in it will be a four year apprenticeship that includes a class every other friday. Im also in school but I heard that in the interview to make sure they think you are in it for a lifelong career. The pay during the internship isnt great in my situation. It starts at 13hr which is a pay cut for me but I will come out the other end being a certified electrician. I hear it can pay decent and isnt too bad a gig.

 

[DiegoXJ]

Sparky here.

Look for your local IBEW for your areas electricians union and apprenticeship program.

Union is usually where the money is at when you arent self driven / owner / contractor. Unions do tend to be cliquey and knowing someone does help. Not to say that you cant excell in an union, but there are alot of cogs in that machine.

Small shops are usually lower pay than union and training varies.

Apprenticeships are usually 4 years and you work and go to class concurrently.

Also it can be very physical work specially starting off, pulling wire, bending conduit, crawling, climbing, lots of high places.

Im actually kinda over all that stuff and will probably return to school for some kind of engineering. Only part i still enjoy is troubleshooting.

 

[The Lamp]

I'm 33 and have spent forever trying to figure out what I want to do career-wise. I have a degree but it's beyond useless and I've spent the past several years working low-level positions at a bank in Madison WI, the majority of which in a call center making less than $14/hr. I absolutely need to make more money. At most I've had very vague ideas about what I want to do, usually fantasizing about doing "something creative" whatever the hell that means, but I think I've come to accept that's a pipe dream, especially if I want to make good money.

I've occasionally pondered the idea of electrician but never seriously until recently. I have practically zero experience with it, but then again I have zero experience in anything that would lead to a good career. It's a really tempting idea in a lot of ways.....good money, great job security, unionized, and a fantastic skillset to have outside of the job. Plus I imagine that fixing and building things would be more rewarding than the kind of crap I'm doing now and other possibilities I've thought about. The two things that kind of put me off from the idea are electrocuting myself and what seems to be fairly low pay for the first few years or so, but it is what it is. I'm also aware that it can be a physically demanding job, but you know what also takes its toll on the body? Acquiring the posture of a jumbo shrimp and burning my retinas staring at a screen in a chair 8 hours a day.


What does becoming an electrician and being an apprentice generally entail? What's the best route to go for training? What kind of pay can one expect as an apprentice? One program I've looked at is through a popular local college, here. It says the training lasts 5 years which seems a bit longer than what I've read elsewhere.

Any thoughts, opinions, suggestions or advice?

These kinds of technical jobs usually pay very well by the hour, but they don't have the benefits of a salary wage so things like insurance will need to come completely out of pocket.

Sounds like a good idea, but training for 5 years? Do you get paid in the meantime? If not, you should instead consider an engineering degree, like electrical engineering, although that is far more theoretical than the depth of knowledge an electrician would ever reach. Electrical engineering is also one of the hardest college majors in existence, though.

 

[Ishida]

You are in for a shocking experience.

 

[demon]

These kinds of technical jobs usually pay very well by the hour, but they don't have the benefits of a salary wage so things like insurance will need to come completely out of pocket.

Sounds like a good idea, but training for 5 years? Do you get paid in the meantime? If not, you should instead consider an engineering degree, like electrical engineering, although that is far more theoretical than the depth of knowledge an electrician would ever reach. Electrical engineering is also one of the hardest college majors in existence, though.

Yes it sounds like the 5 years of training is pretty much all paid on-the-job training. From what I've read it sounds like you get paid something like ~40% of what the person you're working under is paid. I really don't think I have it in me to go back to school for an engineering degree.

What is your beyond useless degree in, if you don't mind me asking?

*groan*

Spoiler

art history.

I nearly dropped out but my parents urged me to stick with it so I went with a backup major.


Anyways thanks for the feedback guys, keep it coming!

 

[RELAYER]

Jobs are plentiful in big cities and it's the type of thing you can make a career out of.
I have a friend in Atlanta who got a job with a utility company. He knew nothing about being an electrician. They started him at $17 an hour and fully trained him for 3 months.

 

[VoidVR]

Well, you can still be creative in this field but you'll need an electrical engineering degree. PCB design, wiring schematics, etc., but it's a really hard degree to get. I'm a 31 year old guy and I went back to school this year for a Mechatronics Engineering degree and we're also doing a lot of electrical engineering. It's pretty hard, lots of math and physics and weird equations that resemble an alien script (and make just as much sense ).

 

[JBourne]

My dad's an electrician and he loves it. His company actually pays the expenses to sent him to Haiti once a year to do volunteer work. Started doing it a few years ago and it totally changed his outlook on life. The job never made him rich, but he lives a comfortable life.

 

[ThankYouDaletech]

My dad is an electrician and I've worked for him on and off for years. A few thoughts.

- very good money under the right circumstances, but you have to be very skilled and experienced before you're making $60+ an Hour.

- if you want super easy gravy work it doesn't get much easier than wiring New houses, demoing and remods are easy too.

- if you do industrial stuff (maintaining and installing assembly line equipment, security systems etc) you can make more money, almost always have work and you will never be bored.

Ymmv depending on where you live and your work effort, but it can be a lucrative and interesting job if you do it right. It's physically demanding and can grind you into dust, but if you're skilled and network well you can make a lot of money doing some neat things. My dad went from typical electrical work to installing 3D printers in hospitals.

edit: forgot to say and worth noting that he works mostly solo and runs his own business.

 

[HORRORSHØW]

Apprenticeships are usually 4 years and you work and go to class concurrently.

Also it can be very physical work specially starting off, pulling wire, bending conduit, crawling, climbing, lots of high places.

lmao i did this for a year working under my friend's uncle. grunt work, to be sure, but surprisingly fun.

 

[GrizzleBoy]

I mostly do electrical inspection as a self employed person or subcontractor.

Can get anywhere from £15/h as a general minimum to around £18-20/h at the upper limit.

Depending on the hours you put in, you can be doing a grand a week.

My uncle who is also a Sparky is lining me up with some inspection at a local data center where he said he was taking home £3000 a week. Don't know how much that is an hour but yeah. Hope it comes through!!!

I started training with a cousin in 2008 and was fully qualified by I think 2012.

If you get the right contacts and contracts, it can definitely be a winner. Being self employed of course has the risks of dry seasons, but if you're at it hard enough, you'll be alright.

 

[BennyBlanco]

I know some electricians who do well for themselves and some who are always struggling to find work.

I mostly do electrical inspection as a self employed person or subcontractor.

Can get anywhere from £15/h as a general minimum to around £18-20/h at the upper limit.

Depending on the hours you put in, you can be doing a grand a week.

My uncle who is also a Sparky is lining me up with some inspection at a local data center where he said he was taking home £3000 a week. Don't know how much that is an hour but yeah. Hope it comes through!!!

I started training with a cousin in 2008 and was fully qualified by I think 2012.

If you get the right contacts and contracts, it can definitely be a winner. Being self employed of course has the risks of dry seasons, but if you're at it hard enough, you'll be alright.

Nepotism is a big thing in the trades as illustrated above. So if you know people that will help.

 

[lifa-cobex]

Jump!

I've been a mechanic for six years or so and I fucking hatted it.
(mainly because of the company I was working for)

For the past three years I've been saving to move up north to train as a sparky (I also have zero experience or knowledge in the trade).

My final day was just over a week and my missus is tomorrow.
Really excited. I've never got on with working for company's so in years to come i'm hopping to be self employed.

 

[ido]

I've been doing electrical work for over a decade now, and my advice is get a maintenance job. Best decision of my life.

I work at a university in the maintenance department. I've worked my way up to running the Energy Management division, so I'm not truly an "electrician" anymore, but maintenance is the way to go, imo. Typically laid back, no traveling to different job sites, more stability, way less stress, etc.

All of my friends who used to work for a contractor and went maintenance said it was the best decision they ever made.

We call it a retirement job, because usually once people get them they retire in them.

Hospitals, colleges, etc. It's worth a mention!

 

[Phobophile]

How good are you at troubleshooting and on-the-fly problem solving? Are you a very spacial thinker? These are very critical in determining whether you'll be a great electrician or some chucklehead with a set of linemans pliers.

My dad was an electrician and he was a smart guy. He used to say that people would tell him that he should have been an engineer, but my dad acknowledged he didn't have the full math skills for it but he loved geometry so he's had that spacial critical thinking skill pretty well. And I think he was just too hands-on to be a desk jockey.

It's a very noble profession. You'll always need electricians. If I didn't go to college to be an engineer, I would have followed in his footsteps. I used to go on jobs with him to be his helper and I picked up a few things along the way. I'm far more confident with home wiring than plumbing.

 

[MikeDown]

electrical offers great pay and there is always a need; read up on it, learn the basics and familiarize yourself with terms and such and then check out a tradeschool or internship or something

 

[Snkfanatic]

I made terrible money doing electrical work but then again it was for a tiny company and we were not part of a union.

I really enjoyed the new construction work, during certain times of year it was great to be outdoors doing stuff like that. Residential and service calls were a bit different. I do not miss crawling under someone's nasty house or fixing a outlet in a greasy kitchen.

 

[GrizzleBoy]

I do not miss crawling under someone's nasty house or fixing a outlet in a greasy kitchen.

Hahaha yep, good times.

The best part is when there are lights or spurs/fcu on top of kitchen cupboards that need looking at and you make the critical mistake of thinking that you can rat your hands on any part of the cupboards upper surface without getting sticky yellow mess all over your hands.

Or finding dead rates under floorboard crawl spaces.

Good times.

 

[AngryCanadian]

I will echo what Diego said, go into your local IBEW hall and see what training options are available to you. I am an apprentice who has only been in the field for a couple years but the work can be really rewarding and while it can be hard, I enjoy it.
I've been on mostly new constructions and watching something like a hospital go up before your eyes and know that you were there and contributed to it was really rewarding

 

[MuggerMD]

Go for it, buildings trades are great careers that are unfortuntaly not pushed to our youth. Personally going through high school I never even thought of them as a viable option, it was always 'go to college, get a degree'.

After going through some college and a technical(IT) trade school I wasn't having luck finding a good career so I picked up a job working in the shop of a commercial HVAC company. After a year in the shop I moved into the field and started a 5 year apprenticeship through the Plumber and Pipefitter Union for HVAC and haven't looked back. It's a great career and it's crazy how their are kids out of high school that get into it and are nearing 6 figures by the time they are 25.

Couple tips I could give ya; (again this is coming from a HVAC guy, may be slightly different for electricians)

-like others have said try for union, they'll 'pay' for your schooling and Union is where the money is. You get raises as you move through the program so it keeps you motivated. Union will also keep you in the commercial sector.

-paying for a tradeskill tech college or JC program will help open doors, but most Union contractors will still have you go through the Union training school. So you could end up putting in a couple years for a technical school then moving to the Union and putting in another 4-5 years in their apprenticeship program.

-learn the Service side of the business, new construction is great and you will learn how to build from the ground up, but it is also very dependent on the economy and if developers are building. On the other hand Service is much more consistent and more technical. You will be troubleshooting/maintaining existing systems. Personally I always found Service to be more rewarding.

-dont worry too much about the starting pay, again In the Union new apprentices make anywhere from 11-18 an hour, and usually you'll get raises every 6 months or so and they are very decent. A couple bucks an hour jump.

-lastly, consider the HVAC industry!

 

[Mikey Jr.]

I'm an apprentice electrician.

I was in your position too and worked in an office. You literally feel the minutes passing by.

As an electrician, hours fly by when you are doing shit. Time is the last thing on your mind.

It has great job security too. Society is pushing higher education like there is no fucking tomorrow, so you get people working at McDonald's with a bachelors degree. It's fucked. There is still this stigma with trades, that if your in a trade, you are probably not very bright and probably smell like grease all day.
But, don't worry, you'll be the last one laughing, because there is always a demand for tradespeople.


Anyways,i would read up before you start looking around. Have a basic idea how electricity works, especially ohms law which is critical. Also, it helps to think of electricity as water in a pipe when you're starting out. Helped me. Current is the water, and voltage is the pressure.

Also, don't worry about electrocuting yourself. Like everything, it's about safety first. Always have your meter with you and make sure there is no voltage in the wires.

 

[dofry]

My friend has been a LVI-guy (heat-water-air) for a few years and he is happy as hell. Took the courses to become one after being miserable for years.

Do what you like, do not worry about how long it takes. Make the best out of it.

You the man!

 

[Ingeniero]

I work with A LOT of electricians in the construction business.
It's a good job with decent pay, but the construction risks are an important point.
Maintenance is probably the way to go as mentioned on this thread, but you will be doing the same thing over and over and can be boring.
Construction Projects are always different.

Good luck OP.

 

[ido]

Maintenance is probably the way to go as mentioned on this thread, but you will be doing the same thing over and over and can be boring.

Depends on where you go, really. On a college campus, there are dozens and dozens of buildings so every day can always be something new, and the scenery is really nice. It keeps me feeling young(31) to always be surrounded by college students.

I plan to retire here.

Also with maintenance positions you tend to get better benefits. I have full health insurance and me, my wife and my kids can all attend the college for free as a benefit. It's a private university, so that is a LOT of money saved once my kids are of age.

I really love my job. Would highly recommend a maintenance position.

 

[demon]

Man I'm starting to wonder why I didn't do this 5-10 years ago.

 

[MuggerMD]

Man I'm starting to wonder why I didn't do this 5-10 years ago.

Never too late, figure you put 30 years into the union. You'll be 65 and have a pension and sweet retirement.

 

[demon]

So I think I'm very seriously considering doing this. I'm having a hard time thinking of reasons not to, especially considering I can't come up with any other ideas. I just have a few questions...


-Are there any good resources, either online as free courses or good books etc, for an introduction to the kind of knowledge you'd need to be an electrician? I bought the book "The Electrician Trade Demystified" but it's not quite what I was hoping for, it seems to assume you already have some electrical knowledge and access to a copy of the NEC and uses a bit too much technical terminology for a complete newbie.

-If I were to start an apprenticeship through the IBEW, would I have to stick with it at that particular IBEW or can you transfer to somewhere else fairly easily a couple years in or whatever? I just wasn't thinking at first about the fact that doing this would probably mean committing to living here another several years and I don't know how much I love that idea.

-When you're an apprentice and you're assigned to work under someone, is it typically the same person for the 4-5 years or do you work under different people?


Thanks again for all the feedback.

 

[kingwingin]

I took a pre employment course for 1st year apprentice and could not find a job in my city, half way through the course we had a union rep. Come in and say all these awesome things about it and a bunch of us went down to sign up and we were turned around since the waiting list for work was already overflowing.

Any job posting wanted red seals or 3 year apprentice. I had people who knew people but they turned me down too.

That was in 2010 tho and things may have changed in my city but I stopped trying awhile ago

 

[GillianSeed79]

Man, this thread is eye opening. I've always said that if I had to do it all over again, I'd go to trade school to be a plumber or electrician or something instead of going to college. Like the OP, I'm in my 30s - 35 exactly - is this something you think that is still viable at my age?

 

[Krejlooc]

Becoming an electrician is difficult - you'll really need to have someone take you on as an understudy and you'll want to take some classes at a trade school. BUT it's also lucrative comparatively, and if you become a master electrician you can get some great work.

33 isn't too old, but you'll need to start learning right away.

 

[demon]

Are paid online courses/certifications worth looking into before or while applying to apprenticeships at all? I'm sure it would help in terms of getting a jump start on the kind of things I'd be learning in the classroom but would it be worth anything at all when applying for an apprenticeship position?

 

[betweenthewheels]

Have you had any luck getting an apprenticeship?

This seems to be the hardest part without taking a pre-apprentice course of some sort.

 

[Mohonky]

Man, this thread is eye opening. I've always said that if I had to do it all over again, I'd go to trade school to be a plumber or electrician or something instead of going to college. Like the OP, I'm in my 30s - 35 exactly - is this something you think that is still viable at my age?

On the construction site I was on, we had plenty of apprentices in things like boiler making who were in there 30's, even some 40's. One of the lads there was a steel fixer who took up an electrician apprenticeship when the steel fixing was basically done, he was late 20's.

Any work involving a trade can usually bring big bucks if you're in the industrial construction field or doing shut downs. At least they are in Australia. Tradesmen on big construction jobs are pulling anywhere from $150k + per year AFTER tax. I cant imagine its exactly like that in places like the states or europe but I would imagine its still damn high.

I'm 32 and currently teying to get into a traineeship in non-destructive testing.

 

[demon]

Have you had any luck getting an apprenticeship?

This seems to be the hardest part without taking a pre-apprentice course of some sort.

I haven't applied yet. I'm still waiting to obtain something I need to apply, and getting time off work is difficult. I'm still seriously considering it though, and trying to read some materials that may prepare me for it.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

People will never NOT need electricity in our lifetimes.

It's a good field.

 

[ScottSullivan]

People will never NOT need electricity in our lifetimes.

It's a good field.

Yea that's a good point. i'd imagine it's something you would have to be good about staying up on your certifications, training, and new technologies, but it's not something that's ever going to be done by a robot, at least in our lifetimes.

 

[jon bones]

My father in law is an electrician. He works for a union and he is never in shortage of work. He seems to like it, makes a good living and is super handy around his home as a result.

If you're willing to work hard, it seems like a good long-term career option.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

Go for it demon. Electricians get paid well and will always have a job. I wish you all the best.

You're good people.

 

[Captain Tuttle]

Go for it, you can't outsource trade jobs

Good honest work