# So I got the union apprenticeship.



## Gilaskoram (Aug 24, 2014)

Let me start off by saying I've done electrical work non union now for a little over 2 and a half years, and usually fill the roll of electricians helper. Although I do pretty much everything the other "electricians" do. Now I've applied for a union apprenticeship for the past 3 years, as it seemed like the right thing to do to further my career.

However, now that I've been accepted into the apprenticeship, I'm getting a bit of cold feet. The potential lay offs and signing my ability to find a job myself over to someone else has got me a bit worried.

During orientation last week, the director had told us how last year the apprentices had to wait a little over a year before they found them a job for their OJT. The director assured us that this year was going to be better, that he was guaranteed he'd have all of us a job within 1-2 months. Now I'm currently employed with a fairly big electrical company right now doing commercial work on a hospital. It worries me that if they find me a job in 1-2 months and I quit the company I'm with, that the union job they find me will last a couple months and then I'll sit the bench for + 6 months. Without the ability to actively find myself another job to tide me over. I won't have the option that a journeyman would to just relocate to another union that has work at that time.

Just looking for a little input and advice about my situation. Maybe someone who has dealt with the same situation or similar. Electrical is what I wanna do with my life.


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

Gilaskoram said:


> Let me start off by saying I've done electrical work non union now for a little over 2 and a half years, and usually fill the roll of electricians helper. Although I do pretty much everything the other "electricians" do. Now I've applied for a union apprenticeship for the past 3 years, as it seemed like the right thing to do to further my career.
> 
> However, now that I've been accepted into the apprenticeship, I'm getting a bit of cold feet. The potential lay offs and signing my ability to find a job myself over to someone else has got me a bit worried.
> 
> ...


Congratulations and welcome to ET....:thumbup:


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

Gilaskoram said:


> Let me start off by saying I've done electrical work non union now for a little over 2 and a half years, and usually fill the roll of electricians helper. Although I do pretty much everything the other "electricians" do. Now I've applied for a union apprenticeship for the past 3 years, as it seemed like the right thing to do to further my career.
> 
> However, now that I've been accepted into the apprenticeship, I'm getting a bit of cold feet. The potential lay offs and signing my ability to find a job myself over to someone else has got me a bit worried.
> 
> ...


Be your own man, do not let anyone control you. Ay 2.5 years in you've got 1.5 to be a journeymen so do not let anything control you.

Make it happen for you first............:thumbsup:


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## Gilaskoram (Aug 24, 2014)

Just worried about passing up an opportunity I might regret later on in life when I've got 10 years plus in the trade and making half of what union guys are making.


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## rlc3854 (Dec 30, 2007)

Gilaskoram said:


> Just worried about passing up an opportunity I might regret later on in life when *I've got 10 years plus in the trade and making half of what union guys are making*.


If work is good you will make more money, if not you will make less money than non-union. What other skills to have to carry you though the tough times?


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## Gilaskoram (Aug 24, 2014)

I'm told one way to counteract the rough times when it's in your area is to travel. The director I've been talking to says he used to travel and do nuclear shutdowns and make big money.


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## Gilaskoram (Aug 24, 2014)

Am I shooting too high hoping I'd be able to work myself I into the middle class with a union job?


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## knomore (Mar 21, 2010)

The guys that tell you that working union means being laid off are more than likely not worth a crap. I worked for 10 years solid for other contractors before I started my own company, and I never had to worry about work. The day I got laid off was they day the other contractors would put in a call trying to get at me. I had contractors from out of state calling the hall asking if I was on the book trying to get me. Bust your ass, do a damn good job, and you will never have a problem working. Or be the guys friend, lazy, slow, and fit right in with the rest of the guys riding the book for years at a time... Your choice.


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## lannjenks (Feb 4, 2014)

Worked union for 21 years and never been laid off. Work hard and it will pay off for you.


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## Gilaskoram (Aug 24, 2014)

Thanks guys, that's the conclusion I've come to. The bad opinions I'm hearing are the ones that only put so much into it, and expected way more. It's just like life, you get out what you put in. I don't think I'll have a problem, I've always had supervisors and owners praise me for my work ethic.


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## butcher733 (Aug 4, 2012)

working hard and smart in the union means two things, you will be hated by the people that can't keep steady work and you will be constantly employed.


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## danhasenauer (Jun 10, 2009)

Work hard and learn your Trade, especially controls and special systems. You will never be unemployed...


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## Gilaskoram (Aug 24, 2014)

I've been doing electrical for a while now, and jump at the chance to learn anything new. Like fire alarms, it wasn't my job but I went home and read all the little manuals I could get my hands on and came back and was basically in charge of hooking the system up.


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## danhasenauer (Jun 10, 2009)

Keep it up and welcome to the Trade! Dig into access control and temp. control/building automation whenever you get the chance. And photo-voltaic (solar) too.


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## Smid (Jul 9, 2014)

As an apprentice you should be fine. I started the apprenticeship this year also and everyone wants to use me on their jobs at the company I'm with because appretices are the cheap labor. You'll really have a leg up having experience already. 

And to the guy posting above about traveling, I don't think it's quite that easy as you have classes to go to weekly


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## JourneymansGF (Jan 24, 2013)

I got in 8yrs ago... But with not knowing enough people, I've been laid off 6x in 6 years... That was with the promise of being a foreman right before. Basically what happened is a guy wanted to do what I was doing, was told no, got mad, called a Shoppie & reported the contractor for working an apprentice 1st shift & 3rd shift... He was my apprentice on 1st shift & just trying to be friendly I'd warned him that he might get in trouble for working so many hours as an apprentice & to just be careful. Well that apprentice was good friends with the Foreman working him both shifts & when the Shoppie showed up, they assumed it was me who reported the company, when it was the other guy who'd called because of them not giving the guy the area I was in... It was definitely a bad set of circumstances!!! Needless to say they laid me off that week, stating there wasn't enough work, after telling me there was at least 1+ years worth of work with a definite chance of promotion for me... What sucked is the layoff came 4 days after buying a $35k truck. Which I bought only after inquiring with said Foreman about how work was looking.. So I got screwed pretty badly... & that same guy who was the real guy who reported the company went around & tarnished my name... I got branded a rat. Which I'm absolutely not, I love working with the new apprentices because I remember what it was like & like helping them learn. It was a hard pill to swallow when that happened because years later a fellow Electrician Buddy was hired onto that job and they were still talking about me & he was actually the 1 who had found out why they laid me off, because until I was told I'd still been so confused the day I got the double check (my walking papers)...

But best of luck to you man!!! Hopefully you get under a great guy who'll take pride and initiative in taking you under his wing!!


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