# Apprenticeship in the RGV/Texas (IEC or IBEW)



## John Valdes

I have never heard of any upfront costs on the IBEW apprenticeship. I do think the apprentice is responsible for books.
I also never heard of there only being a one night per week class. Its always been two night a week. 4 hours per night.
And you never get hired by the employer first. You must get accepted to the union/local, then you get sent to a job.
Where did you get this information?


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## TGGT

IBEW hands down. Nonunion might give you a decent dollar sooner bit IBEW will be better looooong after your apprenticeship is over.


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## Jerryp1212

I called the local and spoke to someone there. They said it would be $300 per year for the class. And they did say class was on Fridays for 4 hrs. I'll be going by to speak with them in person so maybe will get more information but that is what I was told.


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## Jerryp1212

TGGT said:


> IBEW hands down. Nonunion might give you a decent dollar sooner bit IBEW will be better looooong after your apprenticeship is over.


Thanks for your input.


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## JoelAndrews

I am currently working as an apprentice in a non Union shop. I have spoke to a few of my journeyman about the union and its pros and cons. From what they tell me, they say that the pay is good and benefits but that from their experience they couldn't stand it because of two things. 
1: you are laid off a good amount of time through out the year which means you can't provide for your family
2: there's not a lot of incentive to work hard when the schmuck next to you who is slacking off is getting paid the exact same as you
How do you guys feel about these reasons? Any truth to them?


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## TGGT

JoelAndrews said:


> I am currently working as an apprentice in a non Union shop. I have spoke to a few of my journeyman about the union and its pros and cons. From what they tell me, they say that the pay is good and benefits but that from their experience they couldn't stand it because of two things.
> 1: you are laid off a good amount of time through out the year which means you can't provide for your family
> 2: there's not a lot of incentive to work hard when the schmuck next to you who is slacking off is getting paid the exact same as you
> How do you guys feel about these reasons? Any truth to them?


All the slugs I've seen never stayed on the job once layoffs came around. So what if they're making the same as you if you're making more than you would otherwise?

Remember the "rate" is a minimum not a maximum. I've know quite a few good journeymen quickly made foreman and general foreman and keep that scale even when not working in that capacity.

Plus not having to renegotiate wages moving to a different company is liberating. Not risking health insurance and retirement is a great stabilizer especially if you have a family.


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## JoelAndrews

Remember the "rate" is a minimum not a maximum. I've know quite a few good journeymen quickly made foreman and general foreman and keep that scale even when not working in that capacity.

Plus not having to renegotiate wages moving to a different company is liberating. Not risking health insurance and retirement is a great stabilizer especially if you have a family.[/QUOTE]

What about the part they say about not being able to keep work all year?


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## TGGT

JoelAndrews said:


> Remember the "rate" is a minimum not a maximum. I've know quite a few good journeymen quickly made foreman and general foreman and keep that scale even when not working in that capacity.
> 
> Plus not having to renegotiate wages moving to a different company is liberating. Not risking health insurance and retirement is a great stabilizer especially if you have a family.


What about the part they say about not being able to keep work all year?[/QUOTE]
Depends on your area. I've worked almost 4 years straight besides a 2 week furlough and 2 short vacations. But my area is booming with work.


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## Southeast Power

JoelAndrews said:


> Remember the "rate" is a minimum not a maximum. I've know quite a few good journeymen quickly made foreman and general foreman and keep that scale even when not working in that capacity.
> 
> Plus not having to renegotiate wages moving to a different company is liberating. Not risking health insurance and retirement is a great stabilizer especially if you have a family.


What about the part they say about not being able to keep work all year?[/QUOTE] 

35 plus years in the IBEW, I have always worked when I wanted to. Right now, my brother is working 58 hours on a union job that is needing 200 electricians. I would ignore what the "have nots" have to say. 
You don't want to be outside of the candy store looking in.
That $300 will be long forgotten when you make that much more in a week than those that didn't.


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## icdubois

Which program are you looking into the 5 year or the ce/cw. I know my local has a tuition fee for the ce/cw but, also I don't think your in the union, your just using them a a school to get your hours. Now the 5 year apprentice should be no cost cost except for books. Which I have been told run a few hundred. Maybe that's what your seeing. If given the change to go with the 5 year I would do that. You'll be a signing member of the hall and will have a much better education than if you went ce/cw. IMO

My problem currently is oven been accepted in to the 5 year program as a third year but there's no work. So I'm stuck being a delivery driver for the Time being. But come September I will start taking classes wither I'm working or not. I still have to buy the books, but my local is trying to workout something with my local workforce center to cover the costs of them as they are a trade school.


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## John Valdes

Jerryp1212 said:


> I called the local and spoke to someone there. They said it would be $300 per year for the class. And they did say class was on Fridays for 4 hrs. I'll be going by to speak with them in person so maybe will get more information but that is what I was told.


What local and what kind of apprenticeship are you talking about. I never heard of these requirements or lack thereof.



JoelAndrews said:


> I am currently working as an apprentice in a non Union shop. I have spoke to a few of my journeyman about the union and its pros and cons. From what they tell me, they say that the pay is good and benefits but that from their experience they couldn't stand it because of two things.
> 1: you are laid off a good amount of time through out the year which means you can't provide for your family
> 2: there's not a lot of incentive to work hard when the schmuck next to you who is slacking off is getting paid the exact same as you
> How do you guys feel about these reasons? Any truth to them?


The journeyman saying those negative things might know nothing about the union and might just be talking out their asses.
Nothing is perfect, but I can tell you the union offers so much more.
Good luck no matter what you do.


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## MechanicalDVR

JoelAndrews said:


> I am currently working as an apprentice in a non Union shop. I have spoke to a few of my journeyman about the union and its pros and cons. From what they tell me, they say that the pay is good and benefits but that from their experience they couldn't stand it because of two things.
> 1: you are laid off a good amount of time through out the year which means you can't provide for your family
> 
> In 23 years I was laid off once and worked as long as I desired.
> 
> 2: there's not a lot of incentive to work hard when the schmuck next to you who is slacking off is getting paid the exact same as you
> How do you guys feel about these reasons? Any truth to them?


Once I became known by my BA I made more than scale per hour and when I went to other contractors this was always a factor to entice my taking the job. Even when I went to other states my pay rate was over scale.


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## Southeast Power

MechanicalDVR said:


> Once I became known by my BA I made more than scale per hour and when I went to other contractors this was always a factor to entice my taking the job. Even when I went to other states my pay rate was over scale.


Interesting.
I only took foremans pay and only took a buck and a truck when I did service.
I just thought it was kinda wormy when guys asked for or took more than scale just working with their tools.
I would take a guaranteed 40 or a paid holiday.
I could usually work as much as I could tolerate so, a couple of dollars or so to stroke my ego didn't much do it for me.
I did quit a job to make 50 cents more an hour just to say I did it.


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## MechanicalDVR

Suncoast Power said:


> Interesting.
> I only took foremans pay and only took a buck and a truck when I did service.
> I just thought it was kinda wormy when guys asked for or took more than scale just working with their tools.
> I would take a guaranteed 40 or a paid holiday.
> I could usually work as much as I could tolerate so, a couple of dollars or so to stroke my ego didn't much do it for me.
> I did quit a job to make 50 cents more an hour just to say I did it.


The least I ever got was $1.50 an hr over scale and fulltime use of the van. The best I ever got was $4.50 an hour over, dental/vision coverage from company,  2 week paid company vacation, 3 holidays over contract, paid jury duty time, use of van, and any class (time/tuition) I asked for. 

Best benefit, a boss that treated you like family. I've had that at two companies. Still keep in touch (more than family).


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## CGW

Jerryp1212 said:


> I called the local and spoke to someone there. They said it would be $300 per year for the class. And they did say class was on Fridays for 4 hrs. I'll be going by to speak with them in person so maybe will get more information but that is what I was told.


This is interesting. I've never heard anyone ever make this claim. We had to pay $25 for the application fee, and I took the optional NJTAC math course that cost $125 (one time), but other than that there was no charge. What local is it?


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## MechanicalDVR

CGW said:


> This is interesting. I've never heard anyone ever make this claim. We had to pay $25 for the application fee, and I took the optional NJTAC math course that cost $125 (one time), but other than that there was no charge. What local is it?


I had to pay $100 at the time i got in but that was at Journeyman level. $300 sounds really high for an apprentice to me.


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## CGW

MechanicalDVR said:


> I had to pay $100 at the time i got in but that was at Journeyman level. $300 sounds really high for an apprentice to me.


Yeah, I agree. Unless that covers all books, etc., but even then that's steep.


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## MechanicalDVR

CGW said:


> Yeah, I agree. Unless that covers all books, etc., but even then that's steep.


I hate to say it but it rings of someone lining a pocket of greasing a palm.


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## Dan the electricman

Here, it's $30 to apply, and $550 per year registration fee, which includes all books.


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## CGW

What's the starting wage?


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## Dan the electricman

CGW said:


> What's the starting wage?


Here, it's $13.92 per hr, and they'll put you to work as soon as you pass the aptitude test, and interview. You get a few raises during the next 4 years.

When you pass your journeyman exam (about 4 years in), you make 33.00, plus all benefits and retirement.

State requires a small number of hours of training, every year, to renew the license.


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## CGW

Hmm...I'd pay it. But I get how some would think that's a lot. It's a write off if nothing else, plus it would pay off in the end. And def cheaper than college.


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## MechanicalDVR

CGW said:


> Hmm...I'd pay it. But I get how some would think that's a lot. It's a write off if nothing else, plus it would pay off in the end. And def cheaper than college.


Translates roughly to working one week a year for free.


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## CGW

It's def better than $15k/year for college, and you're working somewhere in the meantime to pay for that too..


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## Aggies12

CGW said:


> This is interesting. I've never heard anyone ever make this claim. We had to pay $25 for the application fee, and I took the optional NJTAC math course that cost $125 (one time), but other than that there was no charge. What local is it?


I know this is an old post BUT they’re still charging $289 at this local with no real vetting of experience. Everyone I’ve talked to also said this charge is odd. Get this - they’re asking for cash up front. How would you recommend going about finding out if they’ve been swindling people out of their money for a very long time?


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## Aggies12

John Valdes said:


> I have never heard of any upfront costs on the IBEW apprenticeship. I do think the apprentice is responsible for books.
> I also never heard of there only being a one night per week class. Its always been two night a week. 4 hours per night.
> And you never get hired by the employer first. You must get accepted to the union/local, then you get sent to a job.
> Where did you get this information?


I know this is an old post BUT they’re still charging $289 at this local with no real vetting of experience. Everyone I’ve talked to also said this charge is odd. Get this - they’re asking for cash up front. How would you recommend going about finding out if they’ve been swindling people out of their money for a very long time?


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## Aggies12

CGW said:


> This is interesting. I've never heard anyone ever make this claim. We had to pay $25 for the application fee, and I took the optional NJTAC math course that cost $125 (one time), but other than that there was no charge. What local is it?


I know this is an old post BUT they’re still charging $289 at this local with no real vetting of experience. Everyone I’ve talked to also said this charge is odd. Get this - they’re asking for cash up front. How would you recommend going about finding out if they’ve been swindling people out of their money for a very long time?


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## Wardenclyffe

3 for 3


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## Aggies12

How can one put a stop to this ?


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## Jsal90

Aggies12 said:


> I know this is an old post BUT they’re still charging $289 at this local with no real vetting of experience. Everyone I’ve talked to also said this charge is odd. Get this - they’re asking for cash up front. How would you recommend going about finding out if they’ve been swindling people out of their money for a very long time?


I called a while ago and that's also what they told me. Right now the IEC is taking applications for the program. Did you join either the IEC or IBEW? The RGV doesnt seem like a place where the IBEW would have many projects for it's members.


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## Aggies12

Jsal90 said:


> I called a while ago and that's also what they told me. Right now the IEC is taking applications for the program. Did you join either the IEC or IBEW? The RGV doesnt seem like a place where the IBEW would have many projects for it's members.


IBEW - & correct. The RGV doesn’t really have much work locally.


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## Jsal90

Aggies12 said:


> IBEW - & correct. The RGV doesn’t really have much work locally.


You joined the IBEW? I'm heading back to the RGV from North Carolina working as an electrician, but even though I was making good money I'll never get my journeymen license here. Where did they send you to work?


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