# Lineman work in Houston? (CenterPoint Energy)



## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

im not a lineman, but my poco Entergy of louisiana is i think related to your poco
here they have cut staff so much that they hardly ever get to scheduled things any sooner than 2 weeks
this suggests to me that they have no idle time
so im just wondering if or when Center point may follow suit ?
just a thought


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## SeaDoo (Aug 23, 2020)

Why do you think they're cutting staff? You'd think Louisiana would be none stop with work from all the abuse they seem to get with weather. I figured they do nothing but hire hire hire


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## wiz1997 (Mar 30, 2021)

I've known a few linemen here in the Houston area.

Their biggest complaint is having to travel to other places to assist with rebuilding some place devastated by a natural disaster.

Single guys didn't have a problem with it, but the married guys, and guys with kids had problems.

Often staying away from home for weeks on end can cause problems with relationships.

Often basically "living" in the truck, since no places to stay are available after a disaster.

Doesn't happen very often, but it does happen.

Otherwise they enjoyed their job.

Your results may vary.


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## SeaDoo (Aug 23, 2020)

Interesting. I have no family, single. I'm not a fan of traveling though, but I can make sacrifices from time to time. Would it be a smarter idea to try and land a position as some sort of inside wireman, someone who does testing and things of that nature. No idea what that would be, but someone who isn't traveling all the time and working 80 hours a week while doing it. I'm not trying to sound nitpicky, anything is better than the situation I'm in now. At the end of the day I trust I'll get used to it just suck it up, but still curious. Or is the only way in to just become a lineman and seniority fills those other spots up?


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## wiz1997 (Mar 30, 2021)

Not all "plant" work involves dangerous chemicals.

Over the last 20 years I've worked in various "plants" as an Electo/mechanical Technician doing electrical, and mechanical troubleshooting on machinery.

Electrical involves everything from the main service equipment to the PLC's that control the machines.

Didn't see any dangerous chemicals in the water bottling plant I worked in.

Don't see any dangerous chemicals in the food processing plant I currently work in.

That's a very broad statement about plants and dangerous chemicals.

Any work, any where has its dangers.

Perhaps you should get out of the dangerous electrical trade.


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## SeaDoo (Aug 23, 2020)

wiz1997 said:


> Perhaps you should get out of the dangerous electrical trade.


I understand every field and aspect of the electrical trade has its dangers. I just know that my local POCO takes safety as a #1 priority, which in part is why I started to lean towards it. I'm too much of a try hard in my current position, I take naïve risks as an electrician. Not like I used to, but still I do take risk sometimes. I also work alone half the time, which adds to it. Not blaming my company, I actually enjoy working alone and request it on half the jobs I do. I won't be leaving the electrical field though, I have a real passion for it.

I've never worked in a chemical plant, I'm just going off of what I hear. You're right that it was a broad statement. I think it's because there's a ton of oil refineries where I live, which can be considered a type of chemical plant. Sorry this is what I was more or so referring to. Maybe still a poor assumption for people to make. I just hear it can be potentially dangerous working in these types of plants, which is what you see a lot in my area. I shouldn't have listed that as a reason why I'm not choosing that route, b/c yeah everything in this trade has a level of danger regardless of how safe you might try to be. I'm okay with this. If I could land a position in a water bottle plant, well then yeah I'd prefer this lol

Let me ask, what are hours, travel, and pay like as a Electo/mechanical Technician? That industry will only get more demanding as the years go by, it's not a bad option at all. It's a great one. I was originally going to pick this route until I heard what my local POCO pays and what their benefits were. So I completely shifted my focus.


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## wiz1997 (Mar 30, 2021)

I work a bit of an odd shift.
At one time it was called the "Dupont schedule".

Work two days, then off three, work two days, then off two, then work three days, off two, repeat.
So in a 14 day period you only work 7 days, but they are 12 hour days.
One week is 48 hours the next is 36.
84 hours on a paycheck. 76 hours straight time, 8 hours OT.

Wage about $75,000/year. 

No travel.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

SeaDoo said:


> ... It's at a Service Center about 35 mins away. There are other Service Centers much closer to me but no job listings. 35 minutes isn't the end of the world,* but just curious if it's worth applying to whatever I can apply to and then would it be possible to easily transfer over to a closer location down the road? *
> ...
> I'm not trying to sound nitpicky, anything is better than the situation I'm in now. At the end of the day I trust I'll get used to it just suck it up, but still curious.
> ...


Do your homework, but don't OVERDO your homework. You can reduce the unknowns but you can't eliminate them, not even close. It might be time to stop thinking and start doing. I'd apply for the job that's currently available, immediately.


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