# Residential Electrcian



## NC Plc (Mar 24, 2014)

I would apply to local plants doing maintenance. I'd assume there are some things you're going to need to learn, just as I would be lost trying to rope a house at first.


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## Bootss (Dec 30, 2011)

night school for industrial type electrical or electronics

part time job at electric moTor shop

apply for entry level electrician job at industrial facilities


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Plan on starting on the bottom just like everyone else. You should have a leg up on getting in, but not on pay and such.

In theory with the experience you have you should climb the ladder faster than the other green guys. I think that as long as you are humble and willing to take the cut in pay and respect, you should be able to get in somewhere.


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## ButcherSlayer (Oct 4, 2013)

Thanks fellas i really appreciate all the advice.


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## Bootss (Dec 30, 2011)

ButcherSlayer said:


> Thanks fellas i really appreciate all the advice.


On second thought do both industrial and industrial electronics it will keep you out of trouble.
:laughing::laughing:


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Are you licensed?
I always got my jobs by touting experience before I was licensed. Then I touted both.

What I'm trying to say is, if you are an electrician, you can apply for electricians jobs.
Just tell them you can do anything they ask and tell them your a very fast learner.
Just sell yourself and you can work anywhere.

I took a job once that was bending 1/2 EMT all day long, every single day.
I had never bent EMT or any other conduit.
I faked it until I could actually bend pipe pretty good.
They did not get what they were paying for the first couple days. But after that, they got their moneys worth.


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## Tony S (Jan 27, 2014)

ButcherSlayer said:


> Hi guys im a residential electrcian been doin this mostly since i started but i dont want to stay stuck doin this forever. My goal is to become a plant electrician an have steady work an steady hours. Their any tips u industrial guy can give me? How can i get in the industrial?


Dream on if you’re covering breakdowns. I warned my wife to be not to expect me home at the end of a shift. Breakdowns override home life.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

There are ups and downs about any career path. Like most guys, I started in construction. The upside is that the schedule was very reliable, the downside is that it could be monotonous.

In industrial maintenance you get a ton of variety, but if you want a 9-5 job then that definitely isn't for you: I just got done doing 70 hours in 5 days.


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## ButcherSlayer (Oct 4, 2013)

Big John said:


> There are ups and downs about any career path. Like most guys, I started in construction. The upside is that the schedule was very reliable, the downside is that it could be monotonous.
> 
> In industrial maintenance you get a ton of variety, but if you want a 9-5 job then that definitely isn't for you: I just got done doing 70 hours in 5 days.


Thats surprising i didnt think it was like that. But to tell you the truth i rather have that time to time then only getting 2 hrs a day for weeks. Depending on customer calls or jobs sucks


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## Ultrafault (Dec 16, 2012)

The schedule is what is keeping me out of industrial right now. I am living the easy 7:30 to 4:00 at a botanical garden. I still get to dabble in contol and automation but 60 percent of my job coild be done by a carnie. When I am sone with school I will be rejoining the real world. I am sure it will be a shock.


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## Jabberwoky (Sep 2, 2012)

In southeastern and central lower Michigan the area is hurting for industrial maintenance personnel. Many places are hiring auto mechanics and offering to train them in everything else. Our facility even pays your hourly rate while at school. Specialized robotics and PLC training all covered 100% by the company. I have been in this field for 16 years now. I have not seen companies so desperate in this area.

This also means you will probably working 10-12 hrs a day 7 days a week including all holidays. I took a good size pay cut to work just 50 hrs a week on average. I still have mandatory holiday shutdowns.


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## ButcherSlayer (Oct 4, 2013)

Jabberwoky said:


> In southeastern and central lower Michigan the area is hurting for industrial maintenance personnel. Many places are hiring auto mechanics and offering to train them in everything else. Our facility even pays your hourly rate while at school. Specialized robotics and PLC training all covered 100% by the company. I have been in this field for 16 years now. I have not seen companies so desperate in this area.
> 
> This also means you will probably working 10-12 hrs a day 7 days a week including all holidays. I took a good size pay cut to work just 50 hrs a week on average. I still have mandatory holiday shutdowns.


Holy **** u gotta b kidding me. I wish it was like that in jersey.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

John Valdes said:


> Are you licensed?
> I always got my jobs by touting experience before I was licensed. Then I touted both.
> 
> What I'm trying to say is, if you are an electrician, you can apply for electricians jobs.
> ...


I carried a clipboard supervising for over a year on one job......

As long as one maintains a certain posture , and _b*tches_ about the arhcy, engineer, and/or claims to be late for a meeting when confronted, clipboards are the way to go

I also had a number of apprentices that never manned a bender , showed 'em a few things , and told 'em it was 'art'.....

the _$$ talks BS walks_ factor was thick enough to require the jaws of life ......:laughing:


~CS~


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## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

Tony S said:


> Dream on if you’re covering breakdowns. I warned my wife to be not to expect me home at the end of a shift. Breakdowns override home life.


hit that nail right on the head:laughing::laughing:
and you when you are on call you can always depend on something breaking down at the same time you are putting your tools away


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## Jabberwoky (Sep 2, 2012)

ButcherSlayer said:


> Holy **** u gotta b kidding me. I wish it was like that in jersey.


It just got worse. We were going to expand some more next year and add three more lines. Apparently there is not enough qualified labor in the area to support it. $100M+ investment just got shipped out of the state.


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## Disciple (Dec 19, 2015)

Find a local college that has an Industrial Electrical course and it should prepare you for the industrial world.


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## Disciple (Dec 19, 2015)

Just joined and my name is Danny. I live in Southern California, happily married and with 3 kids. I am a Born Again Christians and Fellowship at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside Ca. As I stated in my post I went back to school and took an Industrial Electrical coarse, upon completion of my schooling was promoted to an Industrial Mechanic. I am going back to school to get my Refrigeration Certifications. I work for a Food Distribution and run the Refrigeration System. The more knowledgeable you are in the field the easier your work becomes. This is just a small introduction of myself. God Bless.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

ButcherSlayer said:


> Thats surprising i didnt think it was like that. But to tell you the truth i rather have that time to time then only getting 2 hrs a day for weeks. Depending on customer calls or jobs sucks


Its not like that every week and sometimes you may go for some time without to much overtime.
I hated overtime and spent half my career in industrial. So, if I could do it, anyone could do it.



Disciple said:


> Just joined and my name is Danny. I live in Southern California, happily married and with 3 kids. I am a Born Again Christians and Fellowship at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside Ca. As I stated in my post I went back to school and took an Industrial Electrical coarse, upon completion of my schooling was promoted to an Industrial Mechanic. I am going back to school to get my Refrigeration Certifications. I work for a Food Distribution and run the Refrigeration System. The more knowledgeable you are in the field the easier your work becomes. This is just a small introduction of myself. God Bless.


Welcome Danny


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## Disciple (Dec 19, 2015)

Thanks


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## pjholguin (May 16, 2014)

Welcome to the club!



Disciple said:


> Just joined and my name is Danny. I live in Southern California, happily married and with 3 kids. I am a Born Again Christians and Fellowship at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside Ca. As I stated in my post I went back to school and took an Industrial Electrical coarse, upon completion of my schooling was promoted to an Industrial Mechanic. I am going back to school to get my Refrigeration Certifications. I work for a Food Distribution and run the Refrigeration System. The more knowledgeable you are in the field the easier your work becomes. This is just a small introduction of myself. God Bless.


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## Disciple (Dec 19, 2015)

Thank you


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## fanelle (Nov 27, 2011)

I am an industrial electrician in south jersey. If you know the fundamentals of conduit bending, the code book, and how to troubleshoot and make repairs, and can sell your skills you should be able to get into a plant around here. I have been doing industrial for over a decade. I am the only technician for entire company and I go to a lot of our customers plants when they are having a problem. It's insane how few qualified guys there are to fill these positions


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## Disciple (Dec 19, 2015)

fanelle said:


> I am an industrial electrician in south jersey. If you know the fundamentals of conduit bending, the code book, and how to troubleshoot and make repairs, and can sell your skills you should be able to get into a plant around here. I have been doing industrial for over a decade. I am the only technician for entire company and I go to a lot of our customers plants when they are having a problem. It's insane how few qualified guys there are to fill these positions



Fanelle, thank you for the invite but as of right now I am not looking into relocating, but will keep it in mind.


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## icdubois (Nov 16, 2013)

Big John said:


> There are ups and downs about any career path. Like most guys, I started in construction. The upside is that the schedule was very reliable, the downside is that it could be monotonous.
> 
> In industrial maintenance you get a ton of variety, but if you want a 9-5 job then that definitely isn't for you: I just got done doing 70 hours in 5 days.


John sent ya a pm.


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## Disciple (Dec 19, 2015)

It is a busy career, but if you enjoy doing this kind of work, the hours don't really matter. Here in Southern California, it is a 40 hr week schedule with some overtime. Right now I work 5-8 hr shift but starting the new Year we will transition to a 4-10 hr shift with 3 days off. So just little different base on what State you live in.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Resi work keeps the lights on at the chicken electric international headquarters 

It's not simple, there's a lot of detail to it , if you wanna A+ :thumbup:

But it's the '_people'_ end of it that gets old , methinks many of you understand 

That said, i just picked up a good sized 480V3Ph pipe job w/ EE's and PLC guys , and what appears to be the cast of the muppet show....:thumbup:










~C:jester:S~


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## V-Dough (Jul 22, 2014)

I've worked in resi/commercial and service most of my apprenticeship and first year licenced. I've got into industrial maintenance about 9 months ago. Best job ever! The hours are steady - 44 ours on day shift, 48 on nights plus voluntary weekends. The job is a lot different than construction. Especially where I work we're not segregated into electrical-mechanical. Electricians teach millwrights what they know and vice versa. You're expected to learn to handle everything from PLCs, to welding and changing air fittings  The work is about keeping the line running - answering calls. Any major repairs are done after shift if necessary or scheduled on weekends. Other than that its running checks and PMs.
Word of advice:try to get into a big company. Bigger is better


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