# Seeking advice / insights from the profession



## Natan (May 27, 2013)

Good day,

I have been surfing this forum and getting some very useful information from it. I have also already introduced myself and I thank again all the people who replied to my introduction.

This time I am seeking some advice, especially from the people who decided to become an electrician "later on" in their life, for whatever reason.

I explain. I have an office job and I work for an assistance company, whose core business is customer service. I am 32 and I have been thinking for years about starting an apprenticeship and learning a manual job that can sort of give me skills that are in demand on the job market also in the future. (I lived in Sydney, Australia for 1 year some years ago and also in Australia trades professions are in demand, it is a worldwide trend for sure)

This is not the only reason of course, often time, I am bloody tired of sitting at a desk in from on the computer and I feel like one of those chicken who are kept in a tight cage that are fed by someone and have just to eat and make eggs, to make that "someone" rich or even richer.

Another reason is that some office jobs might be moved to India or China, like it happened with many manufacturing jobs.

I have a university degree (bachelor of arts), but this does not mean nothing, except having some culture and having some knowledge and a mindset that makes me always ask myself questions and be careful and alert when someone tries to screw me.

I would like to hear from those who decided to become an electrician "later on" in their life if it was worth it and any feedback/insight of the profession you guys can give me.

I have understood pretty much how the apprenticeship works now, mainly thank you to this forum and some of the people on here, but I cannot make my mind up.

If I decide to go for the apprenticeship I will definitely do it in Miami/Ft Lauderdale or South California (most likely San Diego). I have seen in this forum and by talking to other people that in Florida the hourly rate for an electrician journeyman is not that much and this is making me really doubt about starting the apprenticeship and in San Diego the hourly rate for a journeyman is about $37/hour, which is better. Of course cost of living between Miami and San Diego might be different, I took into consideration that, just FIY. It looks like in Florida you do not get as much because it is a right-to-work State, so "they" managed to break the Union and make labour cheaper (competition is not always a good thing).

I have also spoken to an electrician here in Chicago and he told me here the Union is strong and they get $43/hour, which is about $80,000/year if you calculate 40 hrs per week. HE also told me the Union in San Diego is strong and weak in Florida, which matches with what is said in this forum. 

I would appreciate some opinions from those who changed their career and decided to become an electrician. I know you cannot give me answers, but your opinions and advice would definitely help me to make up my mind.


----------



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Someone posted this yesterday it may help you..

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/santacruz/ci_23996304/daniel-gilbertson-learning-trade-opens-doors

........

At 32 your just a kid..:laughing: ,,,, at least to me you are , but if you've got some bucks in the bank and in good shape then you should have no problem jumping into the trade,,,in 5-6 years you'll be a seasoned Journeymen Electrician and you'll be very happy you jumped in today....just do it and don't ever look back,,,,,,Good luck..:thumbup:


----------



## Roger123 (Sep 23, 2007)

HARRY304E said:


> At 32 your just a kid..:


I couldn't agree with this any more! This is my second career and I was older than 32.


----------



## big2bird (Oct 1, 2012)

I would try and get in Local 11 in L.A. San Diego is the weakest so. cal. union.


----------



## Natan (May 27, 2013)

HARRY304E said:


> Someone posted this yesterday it may help you..
> 
> http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/santacruz/ci_23996304/daniel-gilbertson-learning-trade-opens-doors
> 
> ...


Hi Dad  Just joking Harry 

Thank you for the link. A nice and successful story. Thank you also for the advice.


----------



## Natan (May 27, 2013)

Roger123 said:


> I couldn't agree with this any more! This is my second career and I was older than 32.


If you consider that most men do not get to 90, then 32 is beyond one third of the life expectancy.


----------



## Natan (May 27, 2013)

big2bird said:


> I would try and get in Local 11 in L.A. San Diego is the weakest so. cal. union.


Thank you, this is useful information.


----------



## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

Check for a age requirment. Back in the 70's local 98 in Phila. had a age limit of 30 I think it was


----------



## big2bird (Oct 1, 2012)

just the cowboy said:


> Check for a age requirment. Back in the 70's local 98 in Phila. had a age limit of 30 I think it was


I believe that is illegal anymore.


----------



## Natan (May 27, 2013)

big2bird said:


> I believe that is illegal anymore.


And Roger 123 (see his post) started at older than 32.


----------



## ElectricCarnival (Oct 12, 2013)

Hi Big2Bird, 
I'm new to the board and I'm debating whether to pursue an apprenticeship with IBEW or ABC. Someone else on here mentioned that the IBEW in San Diego had too much downtime and in the post above you mentioned it is a weak union. What is it about the union that makes it weak?

Thank You


----------



## big2bird (Oct 1, 2012)

ElectricCarnival said:


> Hi Big2Bird,
> I'm new to the board and I'm debating whether to pursue an apprenticeship with IBEW or ABC. Someone else on here mentioned that the IBEW in San Diego had too much downtime and in the post above you mentioned it is a weak union. What is it about the union that makes it weak?
> 
> Thank You


You ask good questions.


----------



## Tony30280 (Oct 13, 2013)

ElectricCarnival said:


> Hi Big2Bird, I'm new to the board and I'm debating whether to pursue an apprenticeship with IBEW or ABC. Someone else on here mentioned that the IBEW in San Diego had too much downtime and in the post above you mentioned it is a weak union. What is it about the union that makes it weak? Thank You


I am a IBEW electrician now. When i started in the trade i work 4 years as an ABC apprentice. Going through IBEW apprenticeship was the best decision I ever made.


----------



## ElectricCarnival (Oct 12, 2013)

Tony30280
So from my understanding, you started with ABC for four years and transferred to IBEW for the last year? I was actually curious how skills learned in other shops transfer over to a new shop.


----------



## Tony30280 (Oct 13, 2013)

ElectricCarnival said:


> Tony30280 So from my understanding, you started with ABC for four years and transferred to IBEW for the last year? I was actually curious how skills learned in other shops transfer over to a new shop.


When I started with IBEW I started over.


----------



## PipeMonkey134 (Sep 24, 2013)

I am a 5th year Local 134 Chicago Apprentice. 32 is probably the average age for an apprentice here in Local 134 Chicago. Most of the apprentices are college graduates or have some college. One guy in my class was in his late '40s when we started as 1st year apprentices. Local 134 doesn't discriminate. Oh yes in Local 134 Chicago, NOTHING you did before becoming a Local 134 apprentice counts. Doesn't matter if you have a Chicago supervising electricians license (known as a master electricians license in other parts of the US), you must serve an apprenticeship to become a full fledged Book 1 "A" card JW. The local used to grant book 1 status to travelers who had enough hours, but when work got slow they revoked all book 1 status.


----------

