# industrial electrician



## jwimes2 (Jun 26, 2012)

if i got into the inside wiring program, will i eventually work in a factory during my apprenticeship?


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## nolabama (Oct 3, 2007)

Maybe. Are there any factories in your area? And by working in a factory you don't mean on the line do you?


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## Amish Electrician (Jan 2, 2010)

"Inside wiremen" do not usually see true factory maintenance work during their apprenticeship. Industrial electricians do not usually join the IBEW, though they may be represented by a 'shop' union.

Inside wiremen do often enter industrial plants to perform construction work. Many 'heavy' industries use contractors for their periodic shut-down maintenance and the like.

Your apprenticeship will cover basic motor controls.


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## nolabama (Oct 3, 2007)

You described my situation to a tee Amish electrician. I thought maybe a shop would go in and rework a line or something like that.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

Union is a dirty word in the big factories round here


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## MollyHatchet29 (Jan 24, 2012)

80% of my jobs have been in factories. I've seen how cigarettes, film and magnet wire have been made. It's kick ass and something most people will never see in their life. As said above, most have their own maintenance crew but you never know; you might end up having the head maintenance guy as your JW.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

MollyHatchet29 said:


> 80% of my jobs have been in factories. I've seen how cigarettes, film and magnet wire have been made. It's kick ass and something most people will never see in their life. As said above, most have their own maintenance crew but you never know; you might end up having the head maintenance guy as your JW.


Indeed. I get to watch generators, pressure sprayers, earth movers, and popular farm machinery come to life


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## big2bird (Oct 1, 2012)

ponyboy said:


> Union is a dirty word in the big factories round here


Of course. Big time profit margin, stock holder dividends is sweet. Paying a living wage is evil.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

big2bird said:


> Of course. Big time profit margin, stock holder dividends is sweet. Paying a living wage is evil.


never said i agreed with it, just the way these guys are. i could less how they affiliate as long as i keep getting paid that easy money:thumbsup:


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

jwimes2 said:


> if i got into the inside wiring program, will i eventually work in a factory during my apprenticeship?


The term " inside wireman " couldn't be farther from the truth , lol ! Whether its a house , a school , a manufacturing facility , or an office complex , they all come out of the ground the same way without shelter . They call it " inside " , but a whole lot of time is spent " outside " . Do you want to work in a factory during your apprenticeship ? If you hook up with a good company ( or union ) that does a wide variety of work , you'll get to see and do a lot . Best of luck !


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

ponyboy said:


> Union is a dirty word in the big factories round here


Union is a dirty word in any industry in the state of SC.
When you have a governor like Nikki (blow job) Haley in office, it got even worse. But to the complete delight of the inhabitants.
I know people still sick over the election.
My sister in law called and asked us to go to my BIL's house to cheer him up.
I told her we were celebrating and had no time for LOOSER's. :laughing: He was actually so shocked the pubs lost. They were Sooooo certain. LOL LOL!


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## Pompadour (Mar 19, 2011)

in michigan, JIWs do get to rework a lot of factory lines. not usually at ford, though. only new work ,usually, at ford.

the big jobs have to be done in a set amount of time or the factory is losing thousands per minute. so they need us for those jobs that the maintenance guys cannot do.

the maintenance guys will screw you over in a heartbeat. they will take the parts of a job that they want, if they can get away with it. never answer a maintenance electrician's questions about how to do a job or code. they may yank the job and do it themselves. just tell them to talk to the foreman. be courteous to them in their house, but tell them nothing. always defer to the foreman. a single question could lead to a job going "in house".


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## marksimon112 (Aug 20, 2013)

MollyHatchet29 said:


> 80% of my jobs have been in factories. I've seen how cigarettes, film and magnet wire have been made. It's kick ass and something most people will never see in their life. As said above, most have their own maintenance crew but you never know; you might end up having the head maintenance guy as your JW.



True!!


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## Michigan Master (Feb 25, 2013)

Pompadour said:


> in michigan, JIWs do get to rework a lot of factory lines. not usually at ford, though. only new work ,usually, at ford.
> 
> the big jobs have to be done in a set amount of time or the factory is losing thousands per minute. so they need us for those jobs that the maintenance guys cannot do.
> 
> the maintenance guys will screw you over in a heartbeat. they will take the parts of a job that they want, if they can get away with it. never answer a maintenance electrician's questions about how to do a job or code. they may yank the job and do it themselves. just tell them to talk to the foreman. be courteous to them in their house, but tell them nothing. always defer to the foreman. a single question could lead to a job going "in house".


Usually the jobs we contract out are things we either do not have the time, or do not have the manpower to do while still keeping everything else running (or it is simply something we don't want to do because it's a sucky job and therefore you get it). :laughing: Steal your job… :no:


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## Ozzy1990 (Jan 24, 2013)

fwiw Im an "inside wireman" and have been in the ditch since I first got there in april.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

Ozzy1990 said:


> fwiw Im an "inside wireman" and have been in the ditch since I first got there in april.


That's where the high GPA apprentices belong


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

ponyboy said:


> That's where the high GPA apprentices belong


Hah. I graduated with the highest gpa in my degree program (3.87) and spent a large portion of my apprenticeship in trenches, attics during the summer, outdoors or unheated buildings in the winter, and often by myself :laughing:


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## iwa (Jun 26, 2010)

I worked at aerojet/ ampac fine chemicals as a 5th year apprentice and it was fantastic. Almost every pipe run was rigid or PVC coated rigid (ocal) which was excellent experience. It just depends on where your local is and what company you work for. I've been involved in airports, schools, wineries, rocket test sites, morphine factories, underground, dental clinics, hospitals, etc.


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## mr hands (Sep 15, 2013)

maintenance men have no idea how to route and bend conduit. Some barely know how to pull wire. They are faker extraordianires, except when it comes to troubleshooting. And when it comes to troubleshooting, inside wiremen are the fakers. Most touch a meter just several times a year.


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## big2bird (Oct 1, 2012)

mr hands said:


> maintenance men have no idea how to route and bend conduit. Some barely know how to pull wire. They are faker extraordianires, except when it comes to troubleshooting. And when it comes to troubleshooting, inside wiremen are the fakers. Most touch a meter just several times a year.


For the most part this is true. I have been lucky enough to do both sides of that fence.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

John Valdes said:


> Union is a dirty word in any industry in the state of SC.
> When you have a governor like Nikki (blow job) Haley in office, it got even worse. But to the complete delight of the inhabitants.
> I know people still sick over the election.
> My sister in law called and asked us to go to my BIL's house to cheer him up.
> I told her we were celebrating and had no time for LOOSER's. :laughing: He was actually so shocked the pubs lost. They were Sooooo certain. LOL LOL!


I thought SC was doing pretty good as far as jobs. Less that 8% unemployment doesn't seem that bad in a southern state.


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