# Considering Career Change ?



## gptechelec

Just out of curiosity, how many of my fellow electricians are considering changing careers? I, myself, have watched this recesssion reduce this once great., lucrative trade to a bargain, basement flea market. It is really sad to see how much it has deteriorated over the last couple of years. For those hoping for a rebound, do not hold your breath. Recessions do not pass without a price. It will take years for us to be able to make reasonable profits once again.


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## BuzzKill

I'm at the end of my rope, changing career-wise. Done it a few times already; too old to do anything else.


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## gptechelec

buzzkill said:


> i'm at the end of my rope, changing career-wise. Done it a few times already; too old to do anything else.


i have an appointment next week with lincoln tech to enroll in their diesel mechanic program. It is 2 years 3 nights a week. I figure, i am not working steady, now as it is. I am sure the demand for diesel mechanics are always there. Also, i am sure pay is comparable.

I too am so sick of this business


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## caveman

Electrician's Pay Scale
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Electrician/Salary



A couple of options I've considered in the past.

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Information_Technology_Specialist/Salary

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Electrical_Engineer/Salary


Became a contractor instead.
Now my pay scale is less than the electrician's pay scale.


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## BuzzKill

whynot move into the electronics industry? Get a 2 year tech school degree? I've thought of that, maybe when I can't crawl around in attics anymore.


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## gptechelec

buzzkill said:


> whynot move into the electronics industry? Get a 2 year tech school degree? I've thought of that, maybe when i can't crawl around in attics anymore.


i too have looked into electronic engineering. Unfortunately, the community colleges do not have good night schedules for this program. My only other option would be to take it on line. I do not feel that i can learn well this way. Also, the electronic engineers do not make great money. Money is not everything.

With that being said, i am gonna give it a try as a diesel mechanic i think. They make so much more that a regular mechanic. Also, if our economy picks up, i always have a backup trade.


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## BuzzKill

gptechelec said:


> With that being said, i am gonna give it a try as a diesel mechanic i think. They make so much more that a regular mechanic. Also, if our economy picks up, i always have a backup trade.


 Alwasy an excellent idea!:thumbsup:


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## oldman

I tried pornstar. I failed miserably.


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## paul d.

gptechelec said:


> i too have looked into electronic engineering. Unfortunately, the community colleges do not have good night schedules for this program. My only other option would be to take it on line. I do not feel that i can learn well this way. Also, the electronic engineers do not make great money. Money is not everything.
> 
> With that being said, i am gonna give it a try as a diesel mechanic i think. They make so much more that a regular mechanic. Also, if our economy picks up, i always have a backup trade.


when/if you start the diesel school check with some of the generator service /repair companys; a strong electrical background might help ( wont hurt ). cummins ,cat, kohler for example good luck.


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## John

gptechelec said:


> Just out of curiosity, how many of my fellow electricians are considering changing careers? I, myself, have watched this recesssion reduce this once great., lucrative trade to a bargain, basement flea market. It is really sad to see how much it has deteriorated over the last couple of years. For those hoping for a rebound, do not hold your breath. Recessions do not pass without a price. It will take years for us to be able to make reasonable profits once again.


I have an extra "Meal Ticket" in my pocket that I acquired a few years ago. I was working on a waste water treatment plant and was offered a job as an operator. I got my Waste Water Treatment operator's license from the job and I keep it current....just in case. These types of jobs pay well and are steady but undesirable to most.


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## wildleg

mmmm, wastewater. can you smell what the rock is cooking ?


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## Magnettica

Diesel mechanic?! I think there's way more of a demand for an electrician than there is for diesel mechanics. Maybe you need to relocate because as slow as things were in November/ December, things definitely seem to be picking up around here. Good luck to you, I hope things work out for you.


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## John

wildleg said:


> mmmm, wastewater. can you smell what the rock is cooking ?


Yep and it smells like.....A Dead Rat


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## Magnettica

Probably smells like the results of the Boston area sports this past year.


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## user438

Yeah I agree with you GTP, Trade is going and has been going downhill for a while. Once I get out of the hole I am in I will be looking for other types of work.

Seems like all the guys contracting electrical work today have no clue, working out of the garage and using the wifes health insurance seem to be the norm now. Employee's ? what employee's just 1099 them even though they know dam well they aint got workmans comp ins. How about the workman's comp terrorism tax ? ( most clowns reading this will think I am joking...It is a real tax they put on us 3 years ago)

Just got letter unemployment taxes are increasing 100%, who needs this nonsense. I'll go hang a set of kitchen cabinets for $8000 and look like a hero cause I can find a stud and use a drill.


Here is an example :

At a customers house a few weeks back doing some small stuff, upgrading kitchen outlets to GFI's etc... They hired a contractor to install a netting type baby fence around the inground pool. Guy drilled about 20 holes into deck and put in fre fab fence and was in and out in 2 hours.....cost $975.00 i know the fence which are made in standard size netting panels and have 2 alum. post on each cost about $350.00 max. They paid it without blinking an eye.

Here is my scenario, I came back about a week later and quoted them $980 to install 3 ceiling fans on existing sheetrocked ceilings (old work) Included running wiring and switch legs with decora type switches and fan braces, assembling and hanging fans. I spent 7 hours doing this work sweating may ass off in attic for 3 of those hours, had easily $200 in materials and got the old " well I should have been an electrician " comment when I gave them the bill ( which they knew up front )


I don't know the reason why it is like this and I gave up trying to figure it out a year ago, All that I do know is it will get worse as government keeps increasing the taxes on us and more unemployed electricians enter the market which is already overcrowded


Anyway I gave them DipsyDoodles phone number to do any future fans ...let's see 7 hours x $28 = 196 so lemme double it for performace bonus = $392 Plus I gotta factor in the heroin fee ( cause my dudes are heroin addicts ), $50 plus gas for the old beat up 1978 El camino's they show up in $39. Plus I gotta subscribe to Sex Offender site to make sure they clean for the week $29.95

So let's see, your total estimate comes too........... $510.95


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## Southeast Power

Rich,
We had ice yesterday!!
I took the day off again.
Im going to hit it hard today and try to catch up.


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## gptechelec

Magnettica said:


> Diesel mechanic?! I think there's way more of a demand for an electrician than there is for diesel mechanics. Maybe you need to relocate because as slow as things were in November/ December, things definitely seem to be picking up around here. Good luck to you, I hope things work out for you.


Glad to hear things are picking up for you. There will always be a demand for heavy truck/equipment mechanics. They make way more than a grease monkey car mechanic. Take a look in job classified. They are always looking for diesel mechanics and most make very good money. I figure it is good as a backup career.


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## gptechelec

Rich R said:


> Yeah I agree with you GTP, Trade is going and has been going downhill for a while. Once I get out of the hole I am in I will be looking for other types of work.
> 
> Seems like all the guys contracting electrical work today have no clue, working out of the garage and using the wifes health insurance seem to be the norm now. Employee's ? what employee's just 1099 them even though they know dam well they aint got workmans comp ins. How about the workman's comp terrorism tax ? ( most clowns reading this will think I am joking...It is a real tax they put on us 3 years ago)
> 
> Just got letter unemployment taxes are increasing 100%, who needs this nonsense. I'll go hang a set of kitchen cabinets for $8000 and look like a hero cause I can find a stud and use a drill.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is an example :
> 
> At a customers house a few weeks back doing some small stuff, upgrading kitchen outlets to GFI's etc... They hired a contractor to install a netting type baby fence around the inground pool. Guy drilled about 20 holes into deck and put in fre fab fence and was in and out in 2 hours.....cost $975.00 i know the fence which are made in standard size netting panels and have 2 alum. post on each cost about $350.00 max. They paid it without blinking an eye.
> 
> Here is my scenario, I came back about a week later and quoted them $980 to install 3 ceiling fans on existing sheetrocked ceilings (old work) Included running wiring and switch legs with decora type switches and fan braces, assembling and hanging fans. I spent 7 hours doing this work sweating may ass off in attic for 3 of those hours, had easily $200 in materials and got the old " well I should have been an electrician " comment when I gave them the bill ( which they knew up front )
> 
> 
> I don't know the reason why it is like this and I gave up trying to figure it out a year ago, All that I do know is it will get worse as government keeps increasing the taxes on us and more unemployed electricians enter the market which is already overcrowded
> 
> 
> Anyway I gave them DipsyDoodles phone number to do any future fans ...let's see 7 hours x $28 = 196 so lemme double it for performace bonus = $392 Plus I gotta factor in the heroin fee ( cause my dudes are heroin addicts ), $50 plus gas for the old beat up 1978 El camino's they show up in $39. Plus I gotta subscribe to Sex Offender site to make sure they clean for the week $29.95
> 
> So let's see, your total estimate comes too........... $510.95


WHAT YOU DESCRIBED IS THE REASON, THAT I WANT OUT OF BUSINESS. PROBLEM IS THERE ARE TOO MANY GUYS LAID OFF DOING SIDE WORk. THEY WILL WORK FOR BEER MONEY AND DO NOT REALIZE THAT THEY ARE KILLING INDUSTRY.


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## user438

jrannis said:


> Rich,
> We had ice yesterday!!
> I took the day off again.
> Im going to hit it hard today and try to catch up.


 
Yeah the past 4 days have been miserable, I don't know why but 30 degrees down here feels worse than 0 zero up north, I grew up in the north east. This cold down here just cuts right to the bone.

I have been putting off outside jobs for the past few days also


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## jbrookers

Rich R said:


> Yeah the past 4 days have been miserable, I don't know why but 30 degrees down here feels worse than 0 zero up north, I grew up in the north east. This cold down here just cuts right to the bone.
> 
> I have been putting off outside jobs for the past few days also


 I told my wife we were going to move to FL if this weather doesn't stop...then I turn on the news and see its freezing there also. We need some globel warming stat.


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## nitro71

Change? To what? Unless you want to be in the medical industry there isn't any area that is booming. By the time you get trained up and ready to go that career field might be tanking. I'm sticking with electrical. It's do or die. Gonna get my own business going on the side.


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## nitro71

jbrookers said:


> I told my wife we were going to move to FL if this weather doesn't stop...then I turn on the news and see its freezing there also. We need some globel warming stat.


 
Global Warming(whatever the cause) is probably the reason for some of the extreme weather we've had recently in the country. Jetstreams move. More moist air.


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## jbrookers

nitro71 said:


> Global Warming(whatever the cause) is probably the reason for some of the extreme weather we've had recently in the country. Jetstreams move. More moist air.


 When will it make the earth warmer? That's what I am interested in right about now.


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## nitro71

Good question.. All I know is the climate is warming and creating weather changes.


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## JohnSham

*Montana*

We pray for Global warming here in Havre, Montana.


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## nitro71

JohnSham said:


> We pray for Global warming here in Havre, Montana.


I bet you do!


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