# Which is better? 442A or 309A? Please advise



## Sayantan (Oct 9, 2019)

Hey guys,

I am wondering which one is better and please give me your reasons? My current employer wants top change my class to 309A and he is saying that 442A has no value any more. I just wanna know the pros and cons of each and if 442A really doesn’t have any value. 


Please advise !!


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

Sayantan said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I am wondering which one is better and please give me your reasons? My current employer wants top change my class to 309A and he is saying that 442A has no value any more. I just wanna know the pros and cons of each and if 442A really doesn’t have any value.
> 
> ...


Jump on the 309A like a fat kid on a smartie :biggrin:

Boss is wrong, 442A "has no value anymore" .... It NEVER did.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

What are we talking about here.


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

Dennis Alwon said:


> What are we talking about here.


442a is Industrial Electrician
309a is Maintenance and Construction electrician.

Canuck thing, but only a 309A can pull a permit/ become a contractor etc...


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## Cosmorok (Jun 3, 2019)

emtnut laid it out, only thing to add is some people will get their 309A then go back to get their 442A to pad their resumé. A few extra classes, I don't know if it's worth it but I haven't given the idea much thought because I'm not almost done my apprenticeship.


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## Incognito (Apr 14, 2019)

309A can work everywhere, residential, commercial and industrial. 
442A can only work in industrial.

It’s a no brainer


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

Cosmorok said:


> emtnut laid it out, only thing to add is some people will get their 309A then go back to get their 442A to pad their resumé. A few extra classes, I don't know if it's worth it but I haven't given the idea much thought because I'm not almost done my apprenticeship.


Some guys will write the 442A after, the only people it makes any difference with is the HR staff. I know some gov't places require it. Possibly some of the auto mfr's ?? 

309A is the license to get ... 442A looks nice on the resume for white collars that don't know the difference.


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## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

emtnut said:


> 309A is the license to get ... 442A looks nice on the resume for white collars that don't know the difference.


Agreed. The issue is that most HR people don't know that the 309A is more flexible then the 442A. They just get told we need an industrial electrician, so they look it up and see 442A is just that.

Additionally the 442A is a unregulated trade, you really don't even need it to work in a plant environment; it is more liability mitigation then anything else for the employer to show / prove "competency" when the maintenance man blows himself up.

The issue is that you cannot get a 309A apprenticeship in a factory... you need the construction hours.

Cheers
John


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## billymac93 (Apr 4, 2015)

*442A versus 309A = no brainer - 309A everytime*

My take on this...I've had the 442A for 35+ years and would trade it in a minute for a 309A...the 442A was developed at industry's request because most electricians "way back when" had no formal training in the industrial applications of the electrical field - motor control,ladder logic, PLCs etc. The politics of the day allowed this development PROVIDED 309A license holders were: handed a new 442A license, or not restricted from working in a factory environment. To the best of my knowledge, one can still get the 309A while working in a factory - two guys that apprenticed with me did just that. If anything the 442A license restricts the ability to move from place to place because the "training" provided by the employer is, naturally, to his applications


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## shockme123 (May 13, 2009)

I wanted to apply for an Industrial position in Ontario but I only have construction experience. Most of the job ads I see explicitly state a 442A license or an "Industrial Electrician" license. I'm not even sure how to get my foot in the door. I don't care too much about doing construction anymore. I want something more stable which is why working in a plant is going to be my end goal.


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## phamousgrey (Mar 22, 2018)

i applaud you for that shockme123 , i myself am looking into a mining maintenance electrician job. however they didnt provide a salary jist, so im going into with the idea/thought process, if they cant provide for at least 75k a year minimum at 36hrs a wk ie 4days a wk and overtime with benefits etc...i'l proly turn it down. lmfao,[i proly wouldnt turn it down even if it was 65k...


at the end of my apprenticeship...just before i quit[after finishing it of course], overall i was only making about 27k a year. thats around the poverty line up here. after i quit, i charge for the jobs i do anywhere from 40-60bux n hour depending on the job which is at least 2x the amount i was making working for my boss as a 5th yr.,


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