# Outside vs inside



## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

Which area is easier to break into? I'm going outside... Where I really want to be... But I was just curious if inside might be easier to get my foot in the door! I know they don't cross paths. Hopefully my interview Friday goes well.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Outside as a lineman? Overhead or underground? 

I have immense respect for linemen as they keep the power on but I'd sonner have a sister working in a cathouse than a son that was a lineman.

Unless you specialize, as in becoming a relay tech
Takes little or no brains but lots of brawn.
You do not need to know much about electricity
Hard, hot, wet, cold, windy, overtime comes when the weather is the worst.

Those are the positives now for the negatives.....


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

In jersey local 351 they train apprentices overhead, underground, traffic lights, street lights, everything from the power plant to the meter and everything in between. Wherever needed they place you as far as I know. As an apprentice they try to give you training in as many different aspects as they can. That's what I've gotten out of it anyway. I do outdoor construction right now, at heights, in the rain, snow, heat, cold. I have my interview this Friday in front if the committee. I went ahead and got my class A, first aid CPR aed, and DOT physical taken care of prior to the interview. All they want is a class B permit. Hopefully my extra steps I took places me ahead of the game.


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

3 1/2 year apprenticeship broken down per 1000 hour 7 step program. Official title would be outside lineman apprentice.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

go in as an inside sewer rat

http://www.wvdhhr.org/phs/sewage/howtoinstall.asp


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Jbowyer24 said:


> In jersey local 351 they train apprentices overhead, underground, traffic lights, street lights, everything from the power plant to the meter and everything in between. Wherever needed they place you as far as I know. As an apprentice they try to give you training in as many different aspects as they can. That's what I've gotten out of it anyway. I do outdoor construction right now, at heights, in the rain, snow, heat, cold. I have my interview this Friday in front if the committee. I went ahead and got my class A, first aid CPR aed, and DOT physical taken care of prior to the interview. All they want is a class B permit. Hopefully my extra steps I took places me ahead of the game.


And as a young man outdoors seem all nice and rosey, you hit 48, in New Jersey and your bones will say he tried to tell you go indoors. I figured this out when I was 18 working on a deck in the butt cold.

Traffic lights, street lights and others offer some challange, underground would just be MOSTLY grunt work.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Jbowyer24 said:


> 3 1/2 year apprenticeship broken down per 1000 hour 7 step program. Official title would be outside lineman apprentice.


Indoors is 5 years in most places.


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

All very good points it does get pretty brutal in the cold. Inside is 5 years, honestly I just want a shot at a great career and have always been interested in electrical work. I heard there is a serious shortage of lineman so decided to head that route to see what it offered.


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

Maybe checking out the inside wouldn't be such a bad idea.


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## big2bird (Oct 1, 2012)

Jbowyer24 said:


> All very good points it does get pretty brutal in the cold. Inside is 5 years, honestly I just want a shot at a great career and have always been interested in electrical work. I heard there is a serious shortage of lineman so decided to head that route to see what it offered.


Want to learn all about electricity? Inside
Want to make a **** load of money? Outside


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

I'm pretty much balls deep in the outside application process, passed the aptitude with flying colors, now have an interview Friday. I just didn't even consider inside because of how difficult I heard it could be to get in, lack of work, etc. but also didn't think of how I'd feel in 25 years.

At this point I'm going to follow through, hopefully I end up where I meant to go!


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Jbowyer24 said:


> I'm pretty much balls deep in the outside application process, passed the aptitude with flying colors, now have an interview Friday. I just didn't even consider inside because of how difficult I heard it could be to get in, lack of work, etc. but also didn't think of how I'd feel in 25 years.
> 
> At this point I'm going to follow through, hopefully I end up where I meant to go!


We need outside workers. Good Luck


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

If I could do it over again [and I have said this many times] I would have looked into:

www.neat168.org


I'm getting close to the 50 yr mark and I still enjoy the outdoors....more so when it's cold than hot.


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

NEAT is the program I entered through! 

They ask for a class B so I obtained an A... Send you to a test, did mine march 15. I received my letter of interview three weeks back for this Friday. If all goes as planned ill pass that stage and head to boot camp. 

The neat program seems pretty clear cut and straight forward on what they offer and where you could go with the career.


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

Celtic, what local are you in? I see you're from jersey. I would get placed in 351, my test was at 456 in New Brunswick and my interview is at local 400 in Wall. I'm extremely nervous.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Jbowyer24 said:


> NEAT is the program I entered through!


:thumbup:



Jbowyer24 said:


> They ask for a class B so I obtained an A... Send you to a test, did mine march 15. I received my letter of interview three weeks back for this Friday. If all goes as planned ill pass that stage and head to boot camp.


Good luck and I hope you see it through to the end :thumbsup:




Jbowyer24 said:


> The neat program seems pretty clear cut and straight forward on what they offer and where you could go with the career.


I think you are going to busy for awhile....have you any idea when NJ's [or the North East states] have had their electrical infrastructure upgraded....or even adequely maintained?

I'll give you a hint....sometime between Edison and never :laughing:

351 has ACE [Atlantic City Electric] as the power utility [POCO], right?


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Jbowyer24 said:


> I'm extremely nervous.


Nothing to be nervous about....some guys will ask you some serious questions, and you will answer with some gibberish that makes little to no sense. :blink:


...by the time you relax enough to answer a question properly - it'll all be over. :laughing:


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

They have ACE and PSEG. I have an in in upper management through PSEG but he told me get into the union first and then he would be able to request me out of the hall for benefit and retirement reasons. I'm not sure how soliciting works in IBEW though so I'm not sure how that could work. 

I'm excited and I plan on seeing it through. Everyone tells me you have to be a certain sort of crazy to do this work. I've been working at heights since 18, I'm 24 now. I'm looking forward to the opportunity, extremely nervous for the interview though.


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone has just told me I'm nuts to want to go outside. I'm glad to have your point of view.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Jbowyer24 said:


> I have an in in upper management through PSEG but he told me get into the union first and then he would be able to request me out of the hall for benefit and retirement reasons. I'm not sure how soliciting works in IBEW though so I'm not sure how that could work.


Don't concern yourself with any of that for the time being....
eggs before they hatch and that sort of thought process....
get through your interview w/o dropping any names.




Jbowyer24 said:


> I'm excited and I plan on seeing it through. Everyone tells me you have to be a certain sort of crazy to do this work. I've been working at heights since 18, I'm 24 now. I'm looking forward to the opportunity, extremely nervous for the interview though.


High work takes a certain kind of crazy that not everyone is comfortable with.....all that matters is that you can perform SAFELY at that elevation..

Those monopoles, wheels and ropes didn't get up there by magic or sorcery!











Lattice towers?










Edison technology....










...Cut 'em down.










Monopole coming through!


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Jbowyer24 said:


> Thanks for the encouragement, everyone has just told me I'm nuts to want to go outside.


secretly....
:shifty:




They wish they could
:jester:






Jbowyer24 said:


> I'm glad to have your point of view.


:thumbup:


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

As I have said before an electrician can do data, telcom and line work, data, telecom with the right tools and linemen, telecom and data can do electrical work with proper training and tools.


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

Thanks for all the info guys ill keep it updated on how the interview goes Friday.


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## mm11 (Sep 14, 2012)

Good luck with your interview. I'm an inside wireman, and would not trade my job for that of a lineman, but I have much respect for linemen. It's a very difficult job, in harsh conditions sometimes, but also has a lot of opportunity to make lots of money being a storm chaser and soaking up all that OT.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Inside guys work outside too.

So just because you apprentice for inside wireman, does not mean you are going to work inside.
In fact the whole time I spent in the union was as an inside wireman.
I never worked inside one day.
I worked on the slab. Outside. Everyday.


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

I'm just referring to outside lineman vs inside wireman not necessarily indoors/outdoors


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

Well... Wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. I also received my test score... 6/9 we needed a 3 to get in, and I was second in my test class. They told me I definitely wouldn't be at the bottom of the list to get picked!


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Congrats!
Stick with it....
You'll make money today and also tommorrow.


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## Jbowyer24 (Apr 7, 2013)

Thanks man! I'm looking forward to this opportunity hopeful I get a call sooner than later!


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