# Starting off



## ben franklin

JalenLJ36 said:


> Hey can someone help me out with this?? I've been into electrical things for a while and im needing to find a starting point..where can i start off at..wat needs to be done..im dedicated so it will get done


A school would be a start...


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## Majewski

JalenLJ36 said:


> Hey can someone help me out with this?? I've been into electrical things for a while and im needing to find a starting point..where can i start off at..wat needs to be done..im dedicated so it will get done


http://ibewlocalone.org/ is a great place to start. You can call or browse online. Starting out in the IBEW as an apprentice would be an AWESOME start.

Another great start for some is schooling.
Here's another link http://www.stlejatc.org/home.phtml.

Here's some local info for you.
http://www.stlouisco.com/yourgovernment/countydepartments/publicworks/licensing

This link will specifically show you what it takes to gain a license.
http://www.stlouisco.com/Portals/8/...rcement/licenses/elect/elect-comm-lic-req.pdf

Working with/for local EC electrical contractors can be a good "in" also, as long as they are on the up and on and log your hours.

Welcome to the forums!


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## JalenLJ36

Thanks guys i'll look into them..starting off in the next 2 months how long before i take the next step?


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## Majewski

That's going to depend on you and whoever you go with next. Union, school, private or all of the above. What do you WANT to do?


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## MechanicalDVR

Welcome aboard! Search 'apprentice' threads and bring yourself up to speed.


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## JalenLJ36

But dont i have to have atleast school experience to be an apprentice


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## MechanicalDVR

JalenLJ36 said:


> But dont i have to have atleast school experience to be an apprentice


You need a clean record and some visible energy and ambition.


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## JalenLJ36

A clean record like what?


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## MechanicalDVR

JalenLJ36 said:


> A clean record like what?


No felonies on your rap sheet.


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## Electrozappo

In ca there's plenty of felons. 
You do school while you work


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## JalenLJ36

Electrozappo said:


> In ca there's plenty of felons.
> You do school while you work
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Wat is ca


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## MechanicalDVR

JalenLJ36 said:


> Wat is ca


C a l i f o r n i a ! The big crappy west coast state full of illegals, liberals and cancer causing materials and processes !


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## JalenLJ36

So what about missouri? I have a minor s.i.s conviction..will that hurt? I think its able to get expunged off my record


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## MechanicalDVR

JalenLJ36 said:


> So what about missouri? I have a minor s.i.s conviction..will that hurt? I think its able to get expunged off my record


See a lawyer, spend the money, remove the record.


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## Electrozappo

MechanicalDVR said:


> C a l i f o r n i a ! The big crappy west coast state full of illegals, liberals and cancer causing materials and processes !




That about sums it up. But we have the beach too and for that I cannot leave. 
You forgot insane taxes btw


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## t-rex747

Majewski said:


> That's going to depend on you and whoever you go with next. Union, school, private or all of the above. What do you WANT to do?


Nice dog Majewski


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## MechanicalDVR

Electrozappo said:


> That about sums it up. But we have the beach too and for that I cannot leave.
> You forgot insane taxes btw
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have no knowledge of Cali taxes but I can imagine them in nightmares...

You know there are other beaches? You have the Gulf Coast, the East Coast, then there are plenty of islands........


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## Electrozappo

MechanicalDVR said:


> I have no knowledge of Cali taxes but I can imagine them in nightmares...
> 
> 
> 
> You know there are other beaches? You have the Gulf Coast, the East Coast, then there are plenty of islands........




I forgot to mention the wife's family. 
Their here. Hawaii is very tempting too. There's a few gulf coast towns in Texas that have waves too. 


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## MechanicalDVR

Electrozappo said:


> I forgot to mention the wife's family.
> Their here. Hawaii is very tempting
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Get out while the getting is good. Take the in laws, keep the wife happy.

I hear that whole place could break off and fall into the pacific the next good earthquake. Imagine if Rosie O and Michael Moore were diving to get a dropped oreo at once.


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## t-rex747

Electrozappo said:


> I forgot to mention the wife's family.
> Their here. Hawaii is very tempting too. There's a few gulf coast towns in Texas that have waves too.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I Left California last year and cost of living has been way cheaper. Fun thing is family can come visit a new place.


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## Electrozappo

We see them every day. It's not a bad thing I love them, I'm very fortunate to have such sweet, caring in laws but the tight unit makes for an impossible move especially when my father in law is #4 in one if the biggest merit shops in the LA area. 
I like it here it's just the place I go to work everyday is full of a bunch of wackos 


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## Majewski

Hawaii!!!


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## MechanicalDVR

Majewski said:


> Hawaii!!!


Bermuda, New Zealand, Belize, Bahamas....


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## Majewski

No no no, I want to stay USA. Plus now I'm very bias against Bahamas lol.


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## Electrozappo

Yeah man Hawaii rules! Shaka!


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## MechanicalDVR

Electrozappo said:


> Yeah man Hawaii rules! Shaka!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Hawaii has a higher cost of living than Cali......just saying...


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## Electrozappo

MechanicalDVR said:


> Hawaii has a higher cost of living than Cali......just saying...




True but a great local community


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## macmikeman

Sorry, we are building a wall right now and can't come to the phone. Leave a message.


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## TGGT

macmikeman said:


> Sorry, we are building a wall right now and can't come to the phone. Leave a message.


The hell you need a wall for? The messicans ain't swimming the pacific.


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## Majewski

But I know a guy!


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## MechanicalDVR

TGGT said:


> The hell you need a wall for? The messicans ain't swimming the pacific.


obozo is sailing them in, they can't be the only refugee state....


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## sbrn33

MechanicalDVR said:


> Bermuda, New Zealand, Belize, Bahamas....


Cabo san lucas


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## MechanicalDVR

sbrn33 said:


> Cabo san lucas


Yup, you got the idea. My original life plans included retiring into a scuba instructor position on just such a destination location.


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## t-rex747

Electrozappo said:


> We see them every day. It's not a bad thing I love them, I'm very fortunate to have such sweet, caring in laws but the tight unit makes for an impossible move especially when my father in law is #4 in one if the biggest merit shops in the LA area.
> I like it here it's just the place I go to work everyday is full of a bunch of wackos
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


What's a merit shop?


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## TGGT

t-rex747 said:


> What's a merit shop?


It's an ideology where performance equates to compensation.


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## sbrn33

MechanicalDVR said:


> Yup, you got the idea. My original life plans included retiring into a scuba instructor position on just such a destination location.


I go to cabo for about 3 to 4 weeks every year. If I could figure out a way to make a living I could definitely see myself living there. 
Problem is, an american cannot do any work that a local can. So I could own a bar but I can't clean the tables or serve drinks. So being an electrician is out of the question. I sure as **** don't want to sell timeshares.


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## Electrozappo

TGGT said:


> It's an ideology where performance equates to compensation.




Hahaha!! [emoji38] that's a good one man. 
If that was true id be better off that union guys. I make 10 less than a hour Union journey man doing Forman work. 
That why I'm about to sign the books. 
Merit shops are a good idea but they just low ball you as much as possible they can't touch union compensation. 


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## MechanicalDVR

sbrn33 said:


> I go to cabo for about 3 to 4 weeks every year. If I could figure out a way to make a living I could definitely see myself living there.
> Problem is, an american cannot do any work that a local can. So I could own a bar but I can't clean the tables or serve drinks. So being an electrician is out of the question. I sure as **** don't want to sell timeshares.


What about dual citizenship or something along those lines?


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## MechanicalDVR

Electrozappo said:


> Hahaha!! [emoji38] that's a good one man.
> If that was true id be better off that union guys. I make 10 less than a hour Union journey man doing Forman work.
> That why I'm about to sign the books.
> Merit shops are a good idea but they just low ball you as much as possible they can't touch union compensation.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


There are many here that have been saying that since this forum began and more here that don't want to hear it or see it.


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## TGGT

Electrozappo said:


> Hahaha!!  that's a good one man.
> If that was true id be better off that union guys. I make 10 less than a hour Union journey man doing Forman work.
> That why I'm about to sign the books.
> Merit shops are a good idea but they just low ball you as much as possible they can't touch union compensation.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Sounds great doesn't it? There are a lot of people that believe in it, and much fewer that thrive in it. I'm surprised they haven't started calling them Freedom Shops, or Liberty Shops. The anti-union folks love those terms.


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## MechanicalDVR

TGGT said:


> Sounds great doesn't it? There are a lot of people that believe in it, and much fewer that thrive in it. I'm surprised they haven't started calling them Freedom Shops, or Liberty Shops. The anti-union folks love those terms.



If only the word 'progressive' wasn't so verboten!


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## macmikeman

I would never join a ''merit shop''  even though by their standards I would deserve all the merit. 

I signed 3 largeish permits yesterday. Booked thru 16 solid. This is going to delay the launch of ACME ELECTRIC a bit.


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## Helmut

Electrozappo said:


> Merit shops are a good idea but they just low ball you as much as possible they can't touch union compensation.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Spoken by a true under-achiever.


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## MechanicalDVR

Helmut said:


> Spoken by a true under-achiever.


Sounds accurate to me and I was always in the top 2 or 3 of any shop I ever worked in.


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## Helmut

MechanicalDVR said:


> Sounds accurate to me and I was always in the top 2 or 3 of any shop I ever worked in.


It sucks, cause you can't get paid any more than the lazy sh!t JW who does nothing. And overtime always went to the lazy bastards who had seniority, who did half as much as I did.

Union wasn't for me....I needed more, and I knew I was worth more than the next guy. If I worked harder and better, I needed to get paid better.


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## MechanicalDVR

Helmut said:


> It sucks, cause you can't get paid any more than the lazy sh!t JW who does nothing. And overtime always went to the lazy bastards who had seniority, who did half as much as I did.
> 
> Union wasn't for me....I needed more, and I knew I was worth more than the next guy. If I worked harder and better, I needed to get paid better.


Not sure why everybody seems to think this. Once you get a rep for being a good guy you get paid more than scale and with many companies you get other benefits outside the Union contract minimum. I always did much better than minimum.


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## HackWork

Helmut said:


> It sucks, cause you can't get paid any more than the lazy sh!t JW who does nothing. And overtime always went to the lazy bastards who had seniority, who did half as much as I did.
> 
> Union wasn't for me....I needed more, and I knew I was worth more than the next guy. If I worked harder and better, I needed to get paid better.


Like mentioned above, this simply isn't true. Not even a little.

I have been paid higher than scale.
I have been given X amount of extra (unworked) hours per week in the paycheck guaranteed.
I have been given profit sharing.
I have been given large bonuses.
And the biggest one: I worked for 15 solid years without ever taking more than 2 weeks off in a row. That was during some really bad times that many men were laid off for up to 2 years. 

There is lots of "merit" in the union. Being a good worker will get you far ahead.


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## Helmut

HackWork said:


> Like mentioned above, this simply isn't true. Not even a little.
> 
> .


Would it be safe to say, all 3 of you worked for the IBEW?

Did you ever work in a unionized plant, that wasn't IBEW?


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## MechanicalDVR

Helmut said:


> Would it be safe to say, all 3 of you worked for the IBEW?
> YES for me.
> 
> Did you ever work in a unionized plant, that wasn't IBEW?


Nope, can't say I have other than as a contracted service tech.


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