# A pointless debate



## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

It depends on the audience that the person is speaking to. 

Your the engineer speaking to me on the job telling me what you require. 

My apprentice is speaking to the drywaller on my behalf, he’s the electrician doing the talking. 

An apprentice speaking to another electrician is obviously an apprentice.


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## stiffneck (Nov 8, 2015)

There's an old saying; "Sticks and Stones may break my Bones but Words will never hurt Me.
I wouldn't be to concerned about it. Unless you're in the Military and U need to know rank and protocol. I'm "Civil Service" so U can imagine the kinds of words, titles, respect I get/have got over the years, especially from the Inbreds. One of my favorites is being referred to as "Electrical Labor" and not "Electrician". At one point in the past, we where expected to stop what we're doing, go to their location, open a manhole and pump it down, so they could enter and run Communication cable between buildings. I will have the opportunity any day now to return the flavor. Part of the fun this time is when I'm asked what to do. I will hand this J/Off local-1 Foreman a business card :vs_laugh: from the local AEC-57 (St. Louis Carpenter's Union started Electrical Union here) Electrical Contractor and let the local-1 J/Off know if he doesn't know his job, give them a call, because they're on runway 12L-30R and doing an excellent job, without any need of me.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I think electrician helpers and apprentices should call themselves "pointless debaters" ..................:vs_cool:


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

During their 4th year they may refer to themselves as Master Debater.


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## The_Modifier (Oct 24, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> I think electrician helpers and apprentices should call themselves "pointless debaters" ..................:vs_cool:


Sorry, couldn't find the love this post button. I'm struggling on how to find this a debate- is the apprentice licensed? No? Then not a *licensed* professional.:vs_cool:


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## The_Modifier (Oct 24, 2009)

LawnGuyLandSparky said:


> During their 4th year they may refer to themselves as Master Debater.


Minus the "De" :vs_laugh:


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

The_Modifier said:


> Minus the "De" :vs_laugh:


I thought they worked on fishing boats.


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## stuiec (Sep 25, 2010)

joebanana said:


> I thought they worked on fishing boats.


fishing boats, bathrooms, back alleys, behind a tree, under the deck, dark corners, light corners, front seat, back seat.....


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## canbug (Dec 31, 2015)

I think this is silly. I've always called myself an electrician and depending on who was asking I would go further. I'm and apprentice, I'm a journeyman, I'm a master, whatever.
When asked, I'm an Electrician, do you want me to pull a permit? I can do that because I'm a Master.lain:


Tim


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

stuiec said:


> fishing boats, bathrooms, back alleys, behind a tree, under the deck, dark corners, light corners, front seat, back seat.....


Oh....OH..Those guys. The Pee Wee Herman's of society. Don't you first you have to be an apprenticebator?


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

After nearly 20 years of industrial E&I work im not sure if im a electrician as i do not have a journeyman's card. 

My helper (can not call him a apprentice unless im qualified to teach him) is confused that the journeymen working on a control project seem to be lost with out consulting me or waiting for the engineer to show up. (hes even more confused if im showing the engineer)

Hes under the impression that a journeyman should be able to understand how it works and have no problem working with vfd's/plc's. Hes also amazed that half the guys have admitted that they have never worked on a life system and are uncomfortable doing the testing.

Ive explained that the title electrician covers a wide array of skills and these guys are the installation crew. 

So is a electrician someone who works with electricity or something else.

The only reason i ask is my helper asked what his job title was and to be honest i have no idea.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

gpop said:


> After nearly 20 years of industrial E&I work im not sure if im a electrician as i do not have a journeyman's card.
> 
> My helper (can not call him a apprentice unless im qualified to teach him) is confused that the journeymen working on a control project seem to be lost with out consulting me or waiting for the engineer to show up. (hes even more confused if im showing the engineer)
> 
> ...



He's a master debater...........


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## Martine (Jan 26, 2018)

if i'm talking to someone on the jobsite or in the trades, i'll say i'm an apprentice.

any joe blow on the street, i'm an electrician. 

Most people seem to not know what an apprentice is and they think i work for free as an intern or something.


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## stiffneck (Nov 8, 2015)

Martine said:


> if i'm talking to someone on the jobsite or in the trades, i'll say i'm an apprentice.
> 
> any joe blow on the street, i'm an electrician.
> 
> Most people seem to not know what an apprentice is and they think i work for free as an intern or something.


About 50 years ago or so around here, "apprenticeship" positions of any Trade starting disappearing. Partly due to all the "Plant" closures. Now they're so rare, people just don't know what they are. Plus club locals like "1" kept "theirs" strictly in the familia.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

stuiec said:


> fishing boats, bathrooms, back alleys, behind a tree, under the deck, dark corners, light corners, front seat, back seat.....


So do you seek them out regularly?


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

The word electrician is a portmanteau of words electrical and magician and dates back to the early days of electrical experimentation. Electricians were people who used electricity to basically perform magic tricks for an audience. So given that we all work with the magic of electricity and do things most people don't understand, we're all electricians. Apprentice or journeyman or master are modifiers that clarify someone's level of experience or certification. 

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk


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## stuiec (Sep 25, 2010)

MechanicalDVR said:


> So do you seek them out regularly?


:brows:


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