# How did you get your start?



## glen1971

My first electrical job was a new Dairy Queen. A friend of mine got me in when the company was hiring. I was in college at the time and just started taking my fourth class power engineering. After that I did a few more commercial jobs (2 years), and when things were starting to slow down, a journeyman I was working with (I was a 2nd) got on with an industrial company and they were manning up for a new compressor station.. I went back to commercial once when things got slow in the oilfield briefly.. I jumped at the chance to leave that outfit, as they weren't the most organized I've seen.. Been doing industrial since, with a brief break to work in an engineering firm in contract admin. I think the pace wasn't quite what I was used to, so I got back into industrial. Now after about 23 years in the trade, I've moved into an operating position and am doing less electrical, but am still using my experience to help me in my new role...


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## backstay

I started as a equipment operator at a mill. Went to school while working full time. A spot opened and I got hired. Then moved to another mill. Then got tired of looking busy and quit. Been on my own ever since. That journey started 30 years ago.


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## Southeast Power

Second generation electrician. I thought we had it better than most peers growing up.
Now I know why.


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## chicken steve

I was hatched in a crossfire hurricane....and i crowed at my ma in the driving rain......~C:jester:S~


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## Southeast Power

chicken steve said:


> I was hatched in a crossfire hurricane....and i crowed at my ma in the driving rain......~C:jester:S~


But you are all right now?


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## 99cents

I was driving the delivery truck for an electrical wholesaler trying to figure out what do do with my life when an EC offered me a job. I really wanted to be a cartoonist.


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## splatz

99cents said:


> I really wanted to be a cartoonist.


If it's any consolation I am a cartoon and it's not all it's cracked up to be.


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## chicken steve

Suncoast Power said:


> But you are all right now?


In fact, it's a gas.....:thumbsup:~CS~:thumbsup:


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## HackWork

I was such a cute baby.


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## backstay

99cents said:


> I was driving the delivery truck for an electrical wholesaler trying to figure out what do do with my life when an EC offered me a job. I really wanted to be a cartoonist.


I don't care who ya are. That right there is funny.


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## MechanicalDVR

Suncoast Power said:


> But you are all right now?


Some may say otherwise! :jester:


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## MechanicalDVR

Grew up with both sides of my family in various type construction businesses. Grandfather was a GC, Uncles in masonry, paving, building, mechanical, electrical, and one in government control work. Was taken out to all their jobs as a very young tot. It didn't take long to figure out I liked wiring up boilers and heating plants the most. Stayed with the family on and off for years, then went fulltime Union when I decided to settle down.


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## sbrn33

99cents said:


> I was driving the delivery truck for an electrical wholesaler trying to figure out what do do with my life when an EC offered me a job. I really wanted to be a cartoonist.


That is funny because now it seems like it is the other way around. The SH's are stealing EC's guys. As an EC I would be a bit pissed but I couldn't blame anyone for going for an easier out.


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## sbrn33

HackWork said:


> I was such a cute baby.


Still are


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## micromind

I think I was born into the trades. As a little kid, I always had some sort of electrical gadgetry around the house, always experimenting with something. 

My family has been in the construction trades as far back as anyone can remember. My first job was sweeping floors in my dads cabinet shop. I was about 6 or so. 

When I was 8 or 10, one of our family friends was remodeling his bathroom and came over to the shop with an electrical problem. Sometimes when he turned the wall switch on, the breaker would trip. Sometimes not. My dad had some electrical experience but not much at all. 

He said "Take Rob over, see if he can fix it". It's been over a half-century but I still remember the look on his face........yeah, sure, a 10 year-old is going to get this to work.......

When I got there, the light fixture had a pull-chain and there was a switch on the wall. I had him unscrew the fixture so I could see how it was wired. The pull-chain was connected across the switchleg. I remember not wanting to disappoint him but I also knew that only one switch could be used. He chose the wall switch. 

I also remember when it was all done and he tested it. The look on his face when the light came on and the breaker didn't trip was priceless!!

We stopped for ice cream on the way back to the shop, I got my first triple-decker ever.....lol.

Judging from how much I hated high school, I was pretty sure I wouldn't make it through 4 years of apprenticeship and Oregon required a license to do any sort of electrical work. So I moved to Nevada where no license is required. Side note.....this is why I have such an intense hatred for license requirements. If Oregon wouldn't have been so communistic, I would still be living near my family. (Sorry for the rant, it really hits a nerve with me). 

26 years ago, I went to work for an electrical contractor in Reno. I started as a journeyman and 3 companies later, I still work for/with the same group of guys. We do mostly industrial, some commercial and very little resi. I love it!


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## macmikeman

It was the door prize for riding a really big wave at Waimea Bay one day.


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## wcord

Needed a summer job for tuition for 3rd year university.
Guess, I'm technically still at the summer job ( 46 years later)
Made a ton of mistakes in my lifetime, but deciding to be an electrician was not one of them.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## LarryB

Joined the Navy out of high school, didn't want to go to college. figured I'd learn a trade and get paid for it, in addition to the perks of being able to see the world. Got out as an EM1 and have been doing Industrial Electricity for 20 years now.


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## JRaef

Made the rounds of a small OEM that made large industrial washing machinery for animal cages at hospitals and laboratories. Did janitorial, sheet metal, welding, plumbing and parts desk on the shop floor and even tried drafting for a while (but hated that). The only place in the shop that was air conditioned was the electric shop, I guessed because they didn't want us dripping sweat all over the controls. I never rotated out of that, I did whatever it took to be good enough to stay in there permanently.


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## MechanicalDVR

JRaef said:


> Made the rounds of a small OEM that made large industrial washing machinery for animal cages at hospitals and laboratories. Did janitorial, sheet metal, welding, plumbing and parts desk on the shop floor and even tried drafting for a while (but hated that). The only place in the shop that was air conditioned was the electric shop, I guessed because they didn't want us dripping sweat all over the controls. I never rotated out of that, I did whatever it took to be good enough to stay in there permanently.


That was a 'cool' start, literally.


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## John Valdes

Man- What do you want to do at the railroad.
Me- Anything.
Man- You have no idea of what you want to do here.
Me- No, I am open to any job available.
Man- Okay, I will read off the apprenticeships we have openings in.
Me- Great.
Man- Pipe fitter, Carman, diesel mechanic, electrician.
Me- Stop right there, I'll take the electrical.
Man- Okay be here at 10:00am tomorrow.
Me- okay.


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## TGGT

I was a carpenters helper and a project manager was doing side work. He asked me if I was loyal to the architect that hired me off Craigslist, I said No. He told me all I needed to do electrical was a pair of kleins and a screwdriver. I started the next day and the rest is history.


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## Majewski

I had a pre midlife crisis and ended up job less and couch surfing. Fed up with that I woke up one day and decided I wanted to be a contractor. I made a poor choice. LOL


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## sbrn33

Got out of high school with no clue as to what I wanted to do. My dad was a career plumber so they pushed me towards city/maintenance type jobs, mainly because they knew how big a deal the benefits were. The last thing I wanted to do at that time was go to work full time, hell all I wanted to do was drink beer ride my motorcycle and drag race. 

Well two of my best friends were going to a tech college about 75 miles away from home. My parents said "we will pay for everything if you go and graduate". So I went for a two year degree in maintenance type of stuff. electrical, hydraulic, motion and the rest of the gambit. The first year was electrical in general and I took a liking to it, so I quit the maintenance part and took the 2nd year in electrical. 
Got out in 86 and worked for a few good companies from resi to industrial. Figured out real quik I was good with customers and could fish a wire just about anywhere. Then worked for a guy that did a ton of small industrial.

I loved it and was good at troubleshooting and never minded taking call.(although I did take a girlfriend with me on a late night call at a grain elevator and railed her on the top as it was snowing so that was neat)
So anyway, one day I was kinda bored, single and felt flush with cash as I was making $10 an hour. Thought to myself what the **** it is now or never. 
All the while I was taking all the tests I needed to so that part was easy. I had a BIL that took me under his wing and let me use his secretary to get started. Had a banker that was no nonsense and let me know how hard it was. I don't use that bank any more but 22 years later I still call him with any big decisions I make. 
To this day I am still morphing everyday. One year I did 40 new homes, one year I did some great big commercial jobs. This year I did a large commercial job and 1 decent industrial job and a **** load of small service type work. Did not do one new home for the first time in my career. It is all about morphing into what makes you money and what makes you happy.
Hell I changed a t-stat out today and loved it but the sad part is that is the first time this week I needed my tools, which I miss. 
I could probably go be an inspector or an estimator but this is where I belong.
Heck I could make more money being a union guy or even a safety inspector but no way I would give this up. Do I work a ton of hour? Absolutely, do I love it yes. 
This is a long post for me but I waited a while to post because it means a lot to me to think about when someone wants to go on their own. You go on your own because it is in your blood not because you got laid off or didn't like your boss.


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## cabletie

I think most EC's are gamblers with an electric problem.


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## Southeast Power




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## CGW

Considered the union as my godfather was a lifelong member. But, being young and dumb and an insatiable need to chase tail I made a few rash decisions that led me in a diff direction.

Couple years later I was in school for IT (commercial server deployments, linux, encryption, etc.) when I found out my wife had leukemia. She passed four years later and I had to drop out of school for financial reasons. I was 23. 

Got a job managing a RadioShack who surprisingly worked with me to go back to school for my degree. 15 years later I was splitting time doing deployments for the 14 local school districts and most of the major hospitals in my area when I realized I HATED most teachers I worked around. Most of them were piss poor teachers that were cramming every morning to prepare for the day's lessons. Their biggest concern was they couldn't get on Facebook. FML. I couldn't handle the outright neglect of the students. 

So I re-examined my life and went back to school to brush up on some math classes and went and applied for the apprenticeship I had considered when I was 17. So, here I am. I still love the whole tech thing, but now it's more of a hobby.

I'm very happy I made the switch. No crying about Facebook and I get my exercise.


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## just the cowboy

*Long ago and far away in a land before ******

I got my start in sixth grade on a science experiment.
I took 2 years of electrical shop class in 8th and 9th. grade.
I took 3 years of shop class in Vo-Tec 10-12th grade for industrial repair. 
Served an apprenticeship for 4 years in industrial repair.
Took years of OEM training on equipment. 
58 years old and learning every day.


As for moving in to the trade in-house. When I worked for a large manufacture we trained in-house people all the time for different trades. I liked this method because you new the persons work ethics before you picked them for training.


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## Going_Commando

I took a year of graduating high school and had been doing concrete, building maintenance and such for my old man (he put the electrical biz on hold for a few years). He had me check something in a control panel and i said "this electrical stuff is neat", so i found a tech school that offered an electrical program and decided to do that. After my first year my old man decided to do the electrical biz full time again and here I am. 3rd generation electrician here.


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## jbfan

I was working on video games and pin ball machines in the 80's. Started on the back side of the video game boom. I worked for 3 companies when my BIL called and said they were looking for another electrician at the cotton mill. I was hired because of my electronic background and was taught to be an electrician. We had 600 volts, so when I went to school it was hard to understand the concept of 480.

I have been doing industrial every since.


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## BrettC

Suncoast Power said:


>


Oh man I laughed out loud at number 7. Every single one of these things applies to office life though. I work with an amazing group of people but when I first started here the work/life balance scale was heavily tipped on the work side. Routine 12 hour days with no additional compensation filled with mind-numbing tedium that we all knew could be simplified or automated. I got a promotion and they promptly started closing the stores I oversaw and I thought Hell, the writing is on the wall. I didn't see a future with the company or see myself in this industry long term so I went back to school while continuing to work. 

Two years later and my last day of school was Friday, the company I worked for is bankrupt, and my first day on as industrial maintenance electrician is January 16. Flying up for my physical and uniform fitting Tuesday. I feel like I stepped off a sinking ship onto dry land.


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## Lone Crapshooter

It was back in the fall 82 I just closed my business down after 2 months with NO PHONE CALLS from anyone wanting work done. I went back to the fire alarm company and was put on salary making not much more than minimum wage I finally said the hell with it I have got to find something else. Had 2 friends on the Texas Gulf Coast so in February of 83 I went down for a visit.
I had talked to a large electrical contractor in that ares Gulf States INC and they told me that that had work but were not overrun with work. On a Monday afternoon I walked in to the Gulf States office and ask for the individual that I had been talking to on the phone and he told me that I was talking to him and I told him that I drove a long way to talk to him and we talked for about a half hour. He set up a interview for me with their testing division and 4 days I was working for Gulf States Testing division. In 8 years I worked for Gulf States 5 times but that is the way construction works is. The longest I ever worked for them was 18 months and mom and dad gotten sick and I had to come home in January of 91 . In that part of Texas in the Fall of 85 to the Spring of 87 if you has a construction or heavy maintenance job that lasted 6 days you has a permanent position.

LC


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## sbrn33

I will be honest, this thread really disappoints me. I love seeing how people got to their place in life. A few have been pretty honest and few are just not going to give it up thinking it might give goofballs personal info. 
Hax has a great story, so does Mac and a few others. I think it helps people to know where we all came from.


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## ponyboy

sbrn33 said:


> I will be honest, this thread really disappoints me. I love seeing how people got to their place in life. A few have been pretty honest and few are just not going to give it up thinking it might give goofballs personal info.
> Hax has a great story, so does Mac and a few others. I think it helps people to know where we all came from.




I was being honest about my situation in another thread but Steve cut me down and made me feel bad about myself [emoji20]

Honestly I feel like my story's just getting started.


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## BrettC

Biscuits said:


> Honestly I feel like my story's just getting started.


Same here...I haven't even begun!

Very excited.


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## ponyboy

BrettC said:


> Same here...I haven't even begun!
> 
> 
> 
> Very excited.




It is. I I've gotten my masters and launched a business all within a couple months of turning 30. Ten years ago I would've laughed at just the idea of all this. Between this and planning a wedding I'm hemorrhaging money I don't even have but it's a blast. All it took was a shítty job I thought I wanted and a hard look in the mirror to figure out what I needed to do 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## macmikeman

sbrn33 said:


> I will be honest, this thread really disappoints me. I love seeing how people got to their place in life. A few have been pretty honest and few are just not going to give it up thinking it might give goofballs personal info.
> Hax has a great story, so does Mac and a few others. I think it helps people to know where we all came from.


I told my real story so many times, they should just use a wayback or the search function. A whole bunch of accidental fortunate things in a row. And I got laid a few times in there as well.


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## MechanicalDVR

Biscuits said:


> It is. I I've gotten my masters and launched a business all within a couple months of turning 30. Ten years ago I would've laughed at just the idea of all this. Between this and planning a wedding I'm hemorrhaging money I don't even have but it's a blast. *All it took was a shítty job I thought I wanted and a hard look in the mirror to figure out what I needed to do *
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You should do well. You're head sounds like it's on straight.


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## sbrn33

Biscuits said:


> It is. I I've gotten my masters and launched a business all within a couple months of turning 30. Ten years ago I would've laughed at just the idea of all this. Between this and planning a wedding I'm hemorrhaging money I don't even have but it's a blast. All it took was a shítty job I thought I wanted and a hard look in the mirror to figure out what I needed to do
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That is great, sounds a bit like me 25 years ago. WORDS OF WISDOM. Keep the wife separate from the business. I know you think you will be together forever but no one really knows, but the big thing is when things are stressful then you are both stressed to the max.
Hire someone you trust to do the books or payroll and taxes. Honestly mine can do it in less than four hours a week. 
I can go on but that is what you need to know right off the bat.


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## chicken steve

Biscuits said:


> I was being honest about my situation in another thread but Steve cut me down and made me feel bad about myself
> 
> Honestly I feel like my story's just getting started.



I don't get along well with_ noob braggards_ in this trade Biscuits :no:

~CS~


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## ponyboy

chicken steve said:


> I don't get along well with_ noob braggards_ in this trade Biscuits :no:
> 
> 
> 
> ~CS~




Are you intimidated that I'm a better electrician than you, is that all this is? Steve it's not a big deal. I've put my work up on this site for a long time and I've also seen your work Steve.....I would feel bad asking people for money for the some of the stuff I've seen you post.

On another note- how long do you consider someone a noob? Less than 10 years? I realize you're quite old but you can't compare everybody's experience level up to yours. If you think me with my decade of experience in the trade is still a "noob" than you are nothing more than another get off my lawn electrician that will be dying off with the rest of the old dogs too stupid to change. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## macmikeman

Biscuits said:


> Are you intimidated that I'm a better electrician than you, is that all this is? Steve it's not a big deal. I've put my work up on this site for a long time and I've also seen your work Steve.....I would feel bad asking people for money for the some of the stuff I've seen you post.
> 
> On another note- how long do you consider someone a noob? Less than 10 years? I realize you're quite old but you can't compare everybody's experience level up to yours. If you think me with my decade of experience in the trade is still a "noob" than you are nothing more than another get off my lawn electrician that will be dying off with the rest of the old dogs too stupid to change.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Steve was an ambulance jockey. For what it's worth.


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## MechanicalDVR

Biscuits said:


> On another note- how long do you consider someone a noob? Less than 10 years? I realize you're quite old but you can't compare everybody's experience level up to yours. *If you think me with my decade of experience in the trade is still a "noob" than you are nothing more than another get off my lawn electrician that will be dying off with the rest of the old dogs too stupid to change. *


That kind of attitude made me strive to be the journeyman I wanted to be, I put up with that crap from most of the older guys until I was 30+. Even though I was able to wire up a whole heating plant including burner controls at 10 years old while guys with years in the trade would guess on a three wire stack switch.


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## Going_Commando

chicken steve said:


> Biscuits said:
> 
> 
> 
> I was being honest about my situation in another thread but Steve cut me down and made me feel bad about myself
> 
> Honestly I feel like my story's just getting started.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't get along well with_ noob braggards_ in this trade Biscuits
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ~CS~
Click to expand...

You dont get along with anyone. You just sh*t post and leave. This site was much better when you were banned.


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## chicken steve

That an electrician _does not_ a biz man make is clearly edified through the constant _humblings_ of those noob EC's posting here Mr Biscuit.

Unfortunate that humility is often learned as opposed to being inherent , as it is a key attribute to navigating the heavy swells of small biz. 

And that ocean of capitalism takes no prisoners , fail and your reputation, wife, family, home, truck may _drown with you_

Here, the advantage of 1000 yrs of experience handing you your azz if far less painful, so i would encourage you to suck it up & quit whining

It's rather annoying....

~CS~


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## ponyboy

chicken steve said:


> That an electrician _does not_ a biz man make is clearly edified through the constant _humblings_ of those noob EC's posting here Mr Biscuit.
> 
> Unfortunate that humility is often learned as opposed to being inherent , as it is a key attribute to navigating the heavy swells of small biz.
> 
> And that ocean of capitalism takes no prisoners , fail and your reputation, wife, family, home, truck may _drown with you_
> 
> Here, the advantage of 1000 yrs of experience handing you your azz if far less painful, so i would encourage you to suck it up & quit whining
> 
> It's rather annoying....
> 
> ~CS~




That would be a reasonable response coming from you...if you actually gave meaningful advice to new startups rather than just being an ass to everybody 


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## chicken steve

Biscuits said:


> That would be a reasonable response coming from you...if you actually gave meaningful advice to new startups rather than just being an ass to everybody
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Fair enough Mr Biscuit 

~CS~


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## macmikeman

I smell chicken poop .


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## MCasey

I was born into it, had little choice in the matter. Come from a long line of electrical construction design-build guys.


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## Byte

It was a rainy day in November of 1969. I filled out an application for telecommunications power electrician apprenticeship. The form was messy but I got a call and completed my industrial red-seal j-man in 2975.
Lots of residential and commercial, then I made the jump to real industrial (oil and gas multi-million $ jobs).
Enjoyed that but now it seems I am being forced to retire cause of the downturn. That sucks because we have to move in order to survive. Stay away from the trades and be a politician...it takes no brain-power and you get paid for doing nothing, and lying is an asset.


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## 3DDesign

I was teaching High School Building trades and was asked to teach Residential Electric. I took graduate courses in Electrical and taught it the following year. About six years later I quit teaching and opened my electrical business.


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## DesignerMan

I completed my apprenticeship as an industrial electrician through the United Steel Workers Union. Went back to school and entered into engineering as an electrical designer for another company. When the paychecks stopped coming I figured I'd give it a try on my own. Been a great ride since! :thumbsup:


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## Jlarson

Started out in process and instrument fitting. I'd been welding since I was in elementary and just kinda continued into as I had family and friends involved in the mechanical trades. I got more and more into the instrument side of things and then more into the electrical side of instrumentation. Helped do a lot of pump, compressor and motor installs and swaps too. Every time I got more and more electrical experience in electrical. Finally made the switch and became an electrical/instrument tech in water/wastewater. 

Since then I've done industrial construction, service, project management and service management. When the company I was a part broke up when one owner passed, one moved, one went to a large utility and I went on to be the plant engineer/maintenance manager at a manufacturing plant.

I did that for a few years up until yesterday, came back from the holidays to find out that my services were no longer required and then the last guys I had working for me left after I told them that. Bean counters really know how to **** up a good thing. 

Now I have to decide if I find another gig working for someone or if I expand my consulting biz and start construction services too instead of just doing PLC/SCADA programming and instrument service and calibration.


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## Byte

Jlarson said:


> Started out in process and instrument fitting. I'd been welding since I was in elementary and just kinda continued into as I had family and friends involved in the mechanical trades. I got more and more into the instrument side of things and then more into the electrical side of instrumentation. Helped do a lot of pump, compressor and motor installs and swaps too. Every time I got more and more electrical experience in electrical. Finally made the switch and became an electrical/instrument tech in water/wastewater.
> 
> Since then I've done industrial construction, service, project management and service management. When the company I was a part broke up when one owner passed, one moved, one went to a large utility and I went on to be the plant engineer/maintenance manager at a manufacturing plant.
> 
> I did that for a few years up until yesterday, came back from the holidays to find out that my services were no longer required and then the last guys I had working for me left after I told them that. Bean counters really know how to **** up a good thing.
> 
> Now I have to decide if I find another gig working for someone or if I expand my consulting biz and start construction services too instead of just doing PLC/SCADA programming and instrument service and calibration.


You would think that wastewater management would be a primary concern and would not leave you in the sewer...


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## Jlarson

Byte said:


> You would think that wastewater management would be a primary concern and would not leave you in the sewer...


Yeah, I've always got connections in water, it's the reason I've kept my consulting biz going on the side. I've got friends that work for utilities, operate plants and manage districts all over the state that always need weird control problems fixed, modifications to SCADA and new instruments set up and calibrated.


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## Byte

Good luck Jlarson,
My expertise was a Canadian Red Seal Master Electrician in the oil and gas industry. Jobs have disappeared nd I am scrambling...so be it. It is what it is but rarely what it should be.


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## brian john

I have posted some version of this before but here is my little story.


In high school I was told I was a loser and would never amount to anything, mind you I had told my counselor I wanted to be a trash man in response to what college I wanted to go to. I had a glorious track record of low 1.5-2.0 GPA and hated school so I figured I'd limp through life at some menial job.

At the time I was working in a gas station and knew I did not want to be a auto mechanic, so I took a job doing gutters and downspouts. Day 2 we did an A-frame with no rear deck on a hill 45 feet down, pre-OSHA it seemed like a job destined for a major fall sooner or later, next day was Friday and the lead guy did not come in seemed he missed every day after a pay day on a drunk.

A friend I had worked with at the gas station had taken a job unloading trucks at a very large Washington DC construction job, on July 5, 1970 I applied for the job and started unloading tucks. Mean while my friend had taken a job as a material manager. On my second day there an electrician asked my friend who was the hardest worker and he pointed me out as the hardest working laborer on the crew. Next thing you know I am working as a helper and a whole lot of others are upset that I was “on the floor” as they were unloading trucks in the DC heat. 

Most of the helpers were part time college kids, come my birthday in September I looked around and saw there were me and a few others left, I said DAMN I guess I am going to be an electrician.

In the year that followed I worked on a deck and knew I did not want to be a construction electrician as most of the guys looked spent, worn out and many drank or did drugs. That coupled with mechanics telling me I was a stupid jerk got me reading and trying to learn as much about the trade as I could, with an eye on what I might do other than construction.

I have worked in many aspects of the trade and all in all love working in the maintenance, testing, power quality and trouble shooting portion of our trade I ended up in.

As for my friend, he ended up as the highest rated GSA electrician in Washington DC running all electrical work in the Pentagon. Bob retired a few years back and unfortunatly has some health issues. But I thank my luky stars Bob was my friend and got me started down my career path.


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## micromind

brian john said:


> I have posted some version of this before but here is my little story.
> 
> 
> In high school I was told I was a loser and would never amount to anything, mind you I had told my counselor I wanted to be a trash man in response to what college I wanted to go to. I had a glorious track record of low 1.5-2.0 GPA and hated school so I figured I'd limp through life at some menial job.


Pretty much the same here except I knew I was going into construction. 

One of the reasons I moved to Nevada from Oregon is because Nevada doesn't license electricians and Oregon requires a license to do any kind of electrical work. Judging from how I did in school, I had a pretty good idea of what would happen if I were forced to spend 3 nights a week sitting in a classroom.........

Because it always interested me and I had tons of natural talent, I wanted to be an electrician from a very early age but there was pretty much no way I was going to do so in Oregon. So I moved to Nevada, got hired as a journeyman and 26 years later, still work for the same group of guys. 

So here I am, almost didn't graduate high school (I'm pretty sure the only reason I did graduate is because they didn't want me back for another year.....lol) no formal training and enjoying my trade even at age 60.


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## MechanicalDVR

micromind said:


> So here I am, almost didn't graduate high school (I'm pretty sure the only reason I did graduate is because they didn't want me back for another year.....lol) *no formal training and enjoying my trade even at age 60*.


First wiring I learned to do was power and control circuitry for boilers and associated heating and air conditioning equipment. I could wire up a new boiler install or a replacement at a very young age. It was when I was a little older I worked on resi upgrades with my Uncle's crews. Worked for family businesses in this manner until after high school.

After high school I went on to higher education and military but found part time work in electrical easy to find.

Went back to HVAC/R controls after giving up military contracting. Only formal training I ever got wasn't until I was in my 30s and then on and off for various control systems and specific equipment to do factory service. 

I knew from trying all manners of construction early on electrical was it for me. Of all the trades in my family the electricians seemed to be the top of the food chain, I saw that by 10-11 years old.


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## Frank Mc

Some great stories there....Great trade to be part of to be sure...


Frank


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## brian john

micromind said:


> So here I am, almost didn't graduate high school (I'm pretty sure the only reason I did graduate is because they didn't want me back for another year.....lol) no formal training and enjoying my trade even at age 60.


I barely got out of High School and someone told me I might not go to Penn State but I might find room and board at the State Pen. No formal training but I did read anything I could get my hands on, which was difficult in the 70's compared to today.

The time I spent in residential taught me a lot about trouble shooting, but by far the most fun I had was as a helper in construction, the goofing around and partying with fellow helpers, apprentices and younger electricians.

One guy I worked with when I was 17 was 32 I remember thinking what an old F**K.


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## Frank Mc

brian john said:


> I barely got out of High School and someone told me I might not go to Penn State but I might find room and board at the State Pen. No formal training but I did read anything I could get my hands on, which was difficult in the 70's compared to today.
> 
> The time I spent in residential taught me a lot about trouble shooting, but by far the most fun I had was as a helper in construction, the goofing around and partying with fellow helpers, apprentices and younger electricians.
> 
> One guy I worked with when I was 17 was 32 I remember thinking what an old F**K.


Brian

I recall as an apprentice working with the journeyman fault finding on a machine, he got up from of his knee,s and moaned and groaned, i recall thinking "what the f**k is wrong with him" lol...now i know ...old age lol!!!

Frank


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## MechanicalDVR

Frank Mc said:


> Brian
> 
> I recall as an apprentice working with the journeyman fault finding on a machine, he got up from of his knee,s and moaned and groaned, i recall thinking "what the f**k is wrong with him" lol...now i know ...old age lol!!!
> 
> Frank


Old age combined with all the stress of dealing with noob apprentices and ignorant customers.


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## just the cowboy

*Vision problems?*



Frank Mc said:


> Brian
> 
> I recall as an apprentice working with the journeyman fault finding on a machine, he got up from of his knee,s and moaned and groaned, i recall thinking "what the f**k is wrong with him" lol...now i know ...old age lol!!!
> 
> Frank


When I was in my thirty’s I would ask the guys that worked for me to review my prints, as a second set of eyes. One day we were changing the format of our prints so everyone was in the office reviewing the new print style. Everyone thought they were great, except one guy in his fifties. He said "too small" I can't read them; well the rest of us just looked at him like get glasses. When I hit forty and had to read them same prints I said "too small".
So young guys remember, take care of your self, because.
At 35 you are going to put on 10 pounds and not lose it.
At 40 you are going to need reading glasses.
At 45 you are going to start saying " what did you say".
At 50 you are going to go to open something and find your grip gone.
At 55 you are going to lift that 50 pound bag and say " must put more in there now"
At 60 you are going to what were we talking about.
Have a good weekend


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## Byte

And at 65 you will be glad that you are an old fart and your three favourite words are "leave me alone"


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## micromind

just the cowboy said:


> When I was in my thirty’s I would ask the guys that worked for me to review my prints, as a second set of eyes. One day we were changing the format of our prints so everyone was in the office reviewing the new print style. Everyone thought they were great, except one guy in his fifties. He said "too small" I can't read them; well the rest of us just looked at him like get glasses. When I hit forty and had to read them same prints I said "too small".
> So young guys remember, take care of your self, because.
> At 35 you are going to put on 10 pounds and not lose it.
> At 40 you are going to need reading glasses.
> At 45 you are going to start saying " what did you say".
> At 50 you are going to go to open something and find your grip gone.
> At 55 you are going to lift that 50 pound bag and say " must put more in there now"
> At 60 you are going to what were we talking about.
> Have a good weekend


I hit 60 a couple of months ago.........this list is pretty accurate..........


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## Jlarson

Byte said:


> Good luck Jlarson,
> My expertise was a Canadian Red Seal Master Electrician in the oil and gas industry. Jobs have disappeared nd I am scrambling...so be it. It is what it is but rarely what it should be.


Worst case I load up my milk crate of romex and go out and steal work from the resi guys for a while


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## LGLS

Suncoast Power said:


> But you are all right now?


Not by a long shot, but we like him anyways.


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## LGLS

I went to vocational / technical school for 2 years during high school.Bounced around a few nonunion electrical contractors on Long Island and NYC. Applied to local 3 and waited... and waited... and waited... 

Finally got a call to start classes in September but NOT to quit my job as they would not be dispatching me to a union job anytime soon. Meanwhile, at the same time, I was working for a nonunion shop in NYC doing prevailing rate work, that was being organized by local 3.

In April was sworn in as a Journeyman and quit the apprenticeship. 2 years later I quit that company and contacted the NYC Comptroller and reported the shop for underpaying me for 2 & 1/2 years prior to joining local 3. A few nasty phone calls later got a nice 6-figure check (Had I pursued the claim, that contractor would have lost all their work, and not be able to bid again on PW for 7 years) 

For 28 years I've done everything from trading floors, cubicle farms, data centers, the Fox News studios, retail banks, A lot of outdoor work (my favorite) Highway lighting, traffic control systems, the EZpass system, the INFORM system, Variable message signs, traffic signals (I'm IMSA certified) 

I've worked in landmarks like the old WTC, Rockerfeller center, The Empire State bldg, The Chrysler building, Met Life (The old Pan AM) But the reality is the well known buildings and the unknown are all the same anyway. And it's easier not working in a landmark. 

Did some time at JFK and LaGuardia airports (Hate them)

Spent 10 years planting miles of fiber optic cable all over Manhattan Brooklyn Queens, did 2 projects from Downtown Manhattan to Danbury Connecticut. Learned arc fusion fiber splicing and did a lot of that too, didn't particularly care for it. Did some massive data cable punch-down projects, I'd rather blow my brains out. 

I gotta say the great thing about our trade is the sheer diversity of it, I'm always learning something new. I worked on a 6000a service for a cluster of buildings and my partner "big pipe Billy" taught me everything there was to know about hydraulic benders. I've replaced services in the basements of housing projects surrounded by crack vials, I've done service work in high-society bars nobody knows the location of. 

I drive and operate boom trucks, bucket trucks, cable carriers. I was pressed to get a Haz-Mat endorsement for disposal purposes, couldn't pass the damn DMV test.


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