# What's a first year union apprntce supposed to know?



## ngrego (Aug 1, 2013)

I am in the same boat. I just finished up 2k hr non union. I took the local 11 test on August 28th. But I have not heard back yet.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

Apply and ask the training director at the local where you are applying. Chances are you will be starting from the beginning.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

uhmmm, yeah.....not to be a ****, but you could learn to spell *Apprentice* correctly, if you're going to be filling out any paperwork.....:whistling2:~CS~


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## calispark (May 26, 2013)

Um yea don't worry man I ace spelling tests. I simply get a lil lax with the spellcheck cuz its a Forum, not an email. U still fully understood my question that's all that matters.


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

calispark said:


> Um yea don't worry man I ace spelling tests. I simply get a lil lax with the spellcheck cuz its a Forum, not an email. U still fully understood my question that's all that matters.


O yiz eye undirstend wen u tipe lyk diz


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## xdr5 (Aug 21, 2013)

Learn and accept that you are at the bottom of the food chain, step one.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

You have two ears and one mouth.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

Carry **** and how to write like a grown up are my top two


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

xdr5 said:


> Learn and accept that you are at the bottom of the food chain, step one.


Based on this reply I think that hasn't been mastered yet. 



calispark said:


> Um yea don't worry man I ace spelling tests. I simply get a lil lax with the spellcheck cuz its a Forum, not an email. U still fully understood my question that's all that matters.


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## calispark (May 26, 2013)

Give me a break guys. Ok my fault for not typing things out correctly. Could I please get a legitimate answer to my honest question if it's not too much trouble? See that was better.lol

By the way. I fully understand that I am at the bottom of the food chain. I am okay with that and am constantly eager to learn. But that statement really does nothing to answer my question. I have every right to inquire about challenging first year if I have the hours and knowledge do I not?


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

eejack said:


> Apply and ask the training director at the local where you are applying. Chances are you will be starting from the beginning.


I think this is good advice. The training director will be able to answer your questions.

Pete


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## SparkyDino (Sep 23, 2013)

when I was a cub.......

the JW's said I was lower than whale sh*t, & that's at the bottom of the ocean.

the JW's said to hand dig that trench [while they sat in the backhoe] I did.

the JW's said to carry his tools, I did.

the JW's said to wash his truck [on company time] I did.

the JW's then said I paid my dues, and learned me everything I've forgotten over the last 30 years. :blink:


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

calispark said:


> Just wondering cuz Ive decided to get the ball rolling to go uniom amd apply at my local. I'm non union apprentice right now goin through ABC. Even though I was in a corp job before this I have studied and learned quite a bit and the foreman for the job I'm at has me all over the place on this job from running and bending pipe and pvc to making up lights and boxes and pulling wire. The journeyman on our site have told us several times that me and another A1 are doin way more than most at our level. My foreman even gave me one of his full sets of prints once to look over cuz he could tell I enjoy learnin which my journeyman buddy helped me look over.
> 
> ANYWAYS! To my point I was gona apply at my local and by the time I get round to say the interview I will be close to 2k hours and so I wanted to know how to challenge not having to start all over after goin union and jus start 2nd year..
> 
> Anybody know what first year union apps are expected to know so maybe I can get an idea of what's on the challenge test?


I did the same as you but did two years ABC, I also had my military basic E&E before that.
They allowed me to clep first year. I was happy because ABC was paying $7 at the time and 2nd year union was paying $10.41

Now for the test. Back then first year test on Ohms Law.


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## calispark (May 26, 2013)

Thx jrannis. In ABC they dnt even touch ohms law til 2nd semester i think? but I been goin over it since I started so hopefully I'll know more than enough for the test.


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## brownie525 (May 15, 2010)

talk to the training director at your local, here they dont let guys skip years, every one starts as a first year. first year is alot of dc theory some code and some pipe bending.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

calispark said:


> Um yea don't worry man I ace spelling tests. I simply get a lil lax with the spellcheck cuz its a Forum, not an email. U still fully understood my question that's all that matters.



many here didn't have_ spell check_ starting out. 

in fact , we didn't have calculators , cell phones, wifi, or computers either

our upbringing in this trade entailed much _johnny on the spot_ figuring

and yeah, now we've all these modern conveniences at our fingertips to dial the math in to the.00000 decimal 

but it tends to loose that theory savey that used to be 2nd nature due to lack of them all

~CS~


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

DH ELECTRIC said:


> when I was a cub.......
> 
> the JW's said I was lower than whale sh*t, & that's at the bottom of the ocean.
> 
> ...


Same experience here. I'm glad I had recently been to Parris Island, those guys were not that far from being drill instructors back then. 
Some were just p ricks, some did it out of tradition.


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## CFL (Jan 28, 2009)

DH ELECTRIC said:


> when I was a cub.......
> 
> the JW's said I was lower than whale sh*t, & that's at the bottom of the ocean.
> 
> ...


I wouldn't advise anyone to put up with stupid shhiit like that. Tell that JW to ****k off and put him in his place. No man needs to take that kind of crap. Stand up and put them in their place early on and avoid being their bitch.


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## uconduit (Jun 6, 2012)

jrannis said:


> Same experience here. I'm glad I had recently been to Parris Island, those guys were not that far from being drill instructors back then.
> Some were just p ricks, some did it out of tradition.


It seems like lot of union people have served in the military... Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines... Coast Guard even and foreign militaries too.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

CFL said:


> I wouldn't advise anyone to put up with stupid shhiit like that. Tell that JW to ****k off and put him in his place. No man needs to take that kind of crap. Stand up and put them in their place early on and avoid being their bitch.


Comical.

Since you have shown you cannot learn you don't get taught. You don't get the vast experience offered to you, nor do you get the contacts that serve you later in life.

Every social network has an initiation, don't participate and you don't get to join.


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## Rochsolid (Aug 9, 2012)

CFL said:


> I wouldn't advise anyone to put up with stupid shhiit like that. Tell that JW to ****k off and put him in his place. No man needs to take that kind of crap. Stand up and put them in their place early on and avoid being their bitch.


You would be gone off our sites with an attitude like that! There Is a stack of applications on the bosses desk of guys waiting to get a shot.


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## SparkyDino (Sep 23, 2013)

CFL said:


> I wouldn't advise anyone to put up with stupid shhiit like that. Tell that JW to ****k off and put him in his place. No man needs to take that kind of crap. Stand up and put them in their place early on and avoid being their bitch.


No it was more of a game I think.

At 16 years old these guys basically were saying to me "take care of me & I'll take care of you. Do you want to learn or not? Prove to me you want to learn this stuff. Just like college boy, you're getting hazed to be part of the club. I did it, you do it. Here's a bucket, I'm parked over there"

They became best friends for life, I still talk to the ones that are alive today.


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## shortcut (Sep 26, 2013)

If you're trying for local 11, they will give you hours credits for your work experience. You will not skip any of the 5 years of the school program. But those hour credits are nice to get your raises instantly every 6 months.


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## sopranocaponyc (Nov 24, 2008)

calispark said:


> Give me a break guys. Ok my fault for not typing things out correctly. Could I please get a legitimate answer to my honest question if it's not too much trouble? See that was better.lol
> 
> By the way. I fully understand that I am at the bottom of the food chain. I am okay with that and am constantly eager to learn. But that statement really does nothing to answer my question. I have every right to inquire about challenging first year if I have the hours and knowledge do I not?


To be honest with you, as a 1st year Apprentice you will be required to know the basic tools, how to take and correctly give the coffee orders out, how to negotiate with your local deli on how to get your food free and most importantly you are just required to be on time, listen to your partner and or Forman and always have an open mind. If you can do all of that it will go a long way to many more years.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

Im working with 1st years that are complete ******s and some are really good.


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## ngrego (Aug 1, 2013)

Correct me if I'm wrong. 

All the stupid stuff they have us apprentices do proves to them that we really really want to be there. And it teaches us to be resourceful. 

That's the way I look at it. But I might just be a stupid brainwashed apprentice.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

Apprentices that are willing do what they are told show they can be trusted to follow instruction. If you can't wash my car properly, I certainly am not giving you a power tool to try and use safely, or an expensive piece of material to install.

Sometimes you figure out pretty quickly when someone is gonna be in the pulling gang a lot.


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## Bigssweet (Oct 10, 2013)

calispark said:


> Um yea don't worry man I ace spelling tests. I simply get a lil lax with the spellcheck cuz its a Forum, not an email. U still fully understood my question that's all that matters.


We represent the IBEW, you should use proper English. We don't cut corners on something as simple as texting because of laziness either. I understand you're 1st year, don't get discouraged by my post, we're about doing things the right way. Taking a little time to write correctly is not that hard, things get a lot more complicated than simple texting procedure. Take this as constructive criticism and best of luck.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

calispark said:


> *What's a first year union apprntce supposed to know?*


This is all you need to know:

1) S**t flows down hill.
2) Payday is on Friday.
3) Don't chew your fingernails.










Wait, no, no, that's plumbing apprentice. 

You will need trigonometry. When I did my apprenticeship, transcripts with a passing trig class in was a requirement California.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

five.five-six said:


> This is all you need to know:
> 
> 1) S**t flows down hill.
> 2) Payday is on Friday.
> 3) Don't chew your fingernails.


4) Wash your hands *before* taking a piss.


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## big2bird (Oct 1, 2012)

CFL said:


> I wouldn't advise anyone to put up with stupid shhiit like that. Tell that JW to ****k off and put him in his place. No man needs to take that kind of crap. Stand up and put them in their place early on and avoid being their bitch.


That would be a poor decision. Apprentices that act like that do not do well.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

eejack said:


> 4) Wash your hands *before* taking a piss.


I do that anyways, generally I keep my **** a hell of a lot cleaner than my hands.


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## brownie525 (May 15, 2010)

CFL said:


> I wouldn't advise anyone to put up with stupid shhiit like that. Tell that JW to ****k off and put him in his place. No man needs to take that kind of crap. Stand up and put them in their place early on and avoid being their bitch.



ya that's real good advise, have the new first year apprentice go in with an attitude and thinking hes above grunt work. :no:


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

I still remember my first 2 weeks, digging a trench, by hand, in shale, on a slope because it was too steep for the backhoe to get to. Then there was a month of sorting buckets and buckets of various connecters straps and couplings. I hated the berating I took every time I had to chase down a JW to tell me what the latest connector I found was. By the end of that month I knew what they all were.


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## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

CFL said:


> I wouldn't advise anyone to put up with stupid shhiit like that. Tell that JW to ****k off and put him in his place. No man needs to take that kind of crap. Stand up and put them in their place early on and avoid being their bitch.


In Every organization u pay ur dues and have tradition... Fire service, masonic lodge, hell even congress... Its called tradition and most things teach u something! Like going for parts.... If ur runnin strut racks with 3/8" hardware and ur jw asks for nuts, he prob meeds washers and locs... U learn to be a good apprentice by these tasks and in tern a productive jw..


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## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

eejack said:


> Apprentices that are willing do what they are told show they can be trusted to follow instruction. If you can't wash my car properly, I certainly am not giving you a power tool to try and use safely, or an expensive piece of material to install.
> 
> Sometimes you figure out pretty quickly when someone is gonna be in the pulling gang a lot.


Guess these kids never seen the orig karate kid...


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## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

Always have a lighter(for jws smoke) and change for a buck!


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

I served a four year IBEW apprenticeship.
I guess I got lucky because the journeymen respected the younger guys and did not expect them to do things they would not do themselves. There were some exceptions.

Of course I ran for coffee. It was "I buy, you fly" type of deal with most of them.
Also got all the grunt work as it should be.
I had journeymen ask for me personally many times as I was respectful and hard working. It was a very fun time of my life. It was not easy, but it was fun.

When I finally became the jw, I treated the younger guys the same way I was treated. With respect.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

Even when I was in a gang I didnt treat prospects as bad as some apprentice stories Ive heard, who was the wanker that made the apprentices line up and do jumping jacks with their rigs on to laugh at their tools falling out?


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## Eddy (Feb 16, 2011)

I have had a good experience since the first day of work. I find that if you are willing to listen and learn, most people will take the time to teach you what they know. Just show discipline and respect people will give you the same treatment you give them.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

If your JW gives you too much crap, noalox the inside of his car door handle. Never, and I mean NEVER admit to having done so. :laughing:


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## Bigssweet (Oct 10, 2013)

it

Its tough being an apprentice, and as a 1st or even 2nd year you are being tested on your willingness to learn the trade from us JW's. don't tell your JW you're not gonna do something unless its illegal or immoral, that's what I was taught by older hands who trained me. That being said, JWs can be tough, or than can be laid back, but they're responsible for everything that you do. If you feel that your JW is really just being tough on you, I say take it and show him you're a grown man with thick skin, but don't do anything you feel is unsafe, immoral, or illegal. Or wormy. We're not only putting in the job, were training future JW's to keep us going strong. I wish you luck. Any real issues you have, find your steward, the least he can do is talk to the man, or even transfer you to another JW, but that'll only work once or twice. If problems continue it may be you, I wish you well brother.


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## Hacksaw (Jan 26, 2013)

CFL said:


> I wouldn't advise anyone to put up with stupid shhiit like that. Tell that JW to ****k off and put him in his place. No man needs to take that kind of crap. Stand up and put them in their place early on and avoid being their bitch.


Apprentices like that get sent to the ditch work.


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## SparkyDino (Sep 23, 2013)

Hacksaw said:


> Apprentices like that get sent to the ditch work.



I love the duct bank crew! :thumbup:





View to an Electric Duct Bank


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## Cl906um (Jul 21, 2012)

Hacksaw said:


> Apprentices like that get sent to the ditch work.


stay in texas. that mentality belongs there.


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