# Starting a Electrician job



## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

Welcome. Listen twice as much as you speak on the job. Save some of your questions for us here, we’ll lead you in the proper direction.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Welcome to the forums Jake, and to the industry.
Be safe - go home every night, on your own 2 feet!


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## mywire (Oct 14, 2021)

Appreciate the warm welcome! I am looking forward to learning and excelling in this career!


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## 210860 (Apr 12, 2021)

A wealth of information is posted in here Jake.. Welcome to the Forum and the Industry.. *Rarely a dull moment in either, and a ever-changing industry.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

mywire said:


> Greetings everyone!
> 
> I just got hired at a local electrical company and will be starting out my electrical career on Monday, 10/25. I am currently a transportation dispatcher (have been doing this for 10+ years) but I have been thinking about getting out of this industry for quite a few years but being a family man I didn't have a good opportunity to make a move until now. I was always interested in HVAC and Electrical.
> 
> ...


Welcome
A few things, 
First where are you located at, we can give better advice that way if we know.
Second Keep track of your hours worked and what you did, this is your responsibility not your employers.. W2 or paychecks may not be enough.
Depending on the area you live is whether you need school or not to get a license.
Lastly ask question on here and read others posts, this is the place to learn real life.

Cowboy


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## u2slow (Jan 2, 2014)

As I'm learning, every state seems to do their own thing for apprenticeships. The norm here is to be laid-off to attend school (and collect employment insurance) for ~10 weeks per year, or some larger companies will pay your wage while you attend school.

Do figure out how to properly log your hours toward your certification. You don't want to be several years in, begging for an apprenticeship, to find out you can only go back 6 months (for example) in counting your time.


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## Quickservice (Apr 23, 2020)

mywire said:


> Greetings everyone!
> 
> I just got hired at a local electrical company and will be starting out my electrical career on Monday, 10/25. I am currently a transportation dispatcher (have been doing this for 10+ years) but I have been thinking about getting out of this industry for quite a few years but being a family man I didn't have a good opportunity to make a move until now. I was always interested in HVAC and Electrical.
> 
> ...


WELCOME! There are many, many guys on here with tons of experience who are more than willing to help you. ET has about weeded out the trolls who loved to pick on the new guys like yourself.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

mywire said:


> Appreciate the warm welcome! I am looking forward to learning and excelling in this career!


Learn the materials, always be the guy organizing materials, keeping a hasty inventory, knowing where everything is, sweeping up. Volunteer for the hard work, don't be afraid to get dirty, go home tired every day.
Keep your head on a swivel, be aware of any hazards. Construction sites are dangerous and not made for casual occupation. Be respectful of those senior to you. Learn what you can from this shop and be prepared to move out to move up for more pay. Study, get every certification you can, get your OSHA 30, get CPR certified, do CERT training, get a commercial driver's license with air brakes and bus endorsement. Learn a little welding but, don't ever do it for a living.


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## mywire (Oct 14, 2021)

In order to make my hours officially count do I have to be enrolled in a apprenticeship program? What is the recommend method of keeping track of hours? Is their a special notepad book or a logging in a spreadsheet?


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## ZacharyBob (May 3, 2020)

mywire said:


> In order to make my hours officially count do I have to be enrolled in a apprenticeship program? What is the recommend method of keeping track of hours? Is their a special notepad book or a logging in a spreadsheet?


As Cowboy mentioned, a lot depends on your location. As a general rule, if your state has approved apprenticeship programs then they're not optional.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

mywire said:


> In order to make my hours officially count do I have to be enrolled in a apprenticeship program? What is the recommend method of keeping track of hours? Is their a special notepad book or a logging in a spreadsheet?


Keep all paystubs. No it is nothing special. Log it as something like.
10/25/21 Cut and mounted conduit. 8 hours
5/2/22 Bent conduit for breaker panel. 3 hours
12/25/22 Laid out job and ran all conduits. 16 hours
8/7/23 Ran wires to breaker panel and landed all wires, checked all circuits. 7 days.
5/5/24 Troubleshot faulty circuit in main panel 2 hours.

You get the idea it is so someone knows you are well rounded not just a wire puller or pipe guy.

I recommend a note pad with fixed pages for a few reasons.
1. If you right it down on paper you don't lose it when a phone/computer dies or gets lost.
2. If you are writing it down on your phone it can be misconstrued as being on the phone during work hours.
3. If you keep the book with you you can also put notes in the back on how to do something later.
4. When you write it down it shows it is not pencil whipped like a print out will be, you never know you is on a review board.

Cowboy


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

Southeast Power said:


> Learn the materials, always be the guy organizing materials, keeping a hasty inventory, knowing where everything is, sweeping up. Volunteer for the hard work, don't be afraid to get dirty, go home tired every day.
> Keep your head on a swivel, be aware of any hazards. Construction sites are dangerous and not made for casual occupation. Be respectful of those senior to you. Learn what you can from this shop and be prepared to move out to move up for more pay. Study, get every certification you can, get your OSHA 30, get CPR certified, do CERT training, get a commercial driver's license with air brakes and bus endorsement. Learn a little welding but, don't ever do it for a living.


Listen to this ^^^^^^ it is key.


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