# What state is best for an apprenticeship?



## wheezewiz (Jun 3, 2015)

My son is interested in applying for an apprenticeship in a union program (my brother was a union electrician and my father was in the Carpenters Union and ran apprenticeship programs). Lots of useful information on this forum but I still have a few questions.

Where to do the apprenticeship? It seems like most union work is on the west coast, the northeast, and across the northern tier. Should he try to do the apprenticeship in one of those states, or is Florida just as good? We are in Florida but thinking about moving to the state of Washington, anyhow.

How about supervised hours required to make journeyman? I read a thread about this but lost track of it. The gist of it seemed to be that hours in one state don't necessarily count in another state. There was a link to a really nice map of states that recognize each other's hours (California, Oregon, Washington, New Jersey, New York, Michigan as I recall). Does anyone have a link to that map? Do hours worked as an apprentice count?

Thanks!


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## Bad Electrician (May 20, 2014)

I cannot address what state is best, the best state would be one were you could get a job and keep it. Which in construction can be tough.

Having said that I can tell you no matter how bad it gets in the country my Local 26 Washington DC always has some work. Think internet and Uncle Sam

Many men never miss a day from start of apprenticeship until retirement.

Now the further north you go the higher the wage typically BUT there is all so the 52 weeks of work a year issue.

I can tell you PERSONAL PREFERENCE. Florida would be my last choice, just not a flat lander, my dad lived in Palm Bay and other than the beach you can keep the place. I also love living in the Washington DC area, plenty of work and things to do. 

Of course you can buy a house near you for under 100,000 up here starter homes are 300,000 and up.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

> What state is best for an apprenticeship?


Vermont !

because it's such a _'small pond'_ , and your 4th yr instructor will still be alive 30 yrs later, know your installs by sight, get your attention in the local choke/puke coffee shop, and give you grief about some inane issue you apparently didn't_ 'get'_back in the day.....~CS~:no:


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

wheezewiz said:


> My son is interested in applying for an apprenticeship in a union program (my brother was a union electrician and my father was in the Carpenters Union and ran apprenticeship programs). Lots of useful information on this forum but I still have a few questions.
> 
> Where to do the apprenticeship? It seems like most union work is on the west coast, the northeast, and across the northern tier. Should he try to do the apprenticeship in one of those states, or is Florida just as good? We are in Florida but thinking about moving to the state of Washington, anyhow.
> 
> ...


GOOGLE your exact wording in your thread.


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## Michigan Master (Feb 25, 2013)

I would recommend looking for an apprenticeship program that is registered through the USDOL and/or going through the IBEW.

Here's a nice map showing registered apprenticeship opportunities.
http://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/find-opportunities.htm

As Bad mentioned, the best states would be ones where work is steady and pay is good. I'd probably also look for a state that has a strict state-wide licensing requirement for journeyman. I've heard FL doesn't rank well with pay or licensing of j-man.

As far as states recognizing hours earned in a different state... that can get a little complicated, because not all states have the same requirements and documentation needed to obtain a journeyman license. I'm guessing the map you saw probably showed which states have reciprocal licensing for journeyman.


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## wheezewiz (Jun 3, 2015)

*Apprenticeship*

Thank you for the tips. When my brother was alive and still working as an electrician he mainly worked up north, returning to Florida when he was out of work. When I was growing up in Miami, unions were very strong. That has certainly changed. Again, thanks!


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## JW Splicer (Mar 15, 2014)

Washington is booming right now, Seattle has something like 167 tower cranes up right now. No end in sight either. Wages are high, double what you'd make in Florida, maybe more.


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## henderson14 (Oct 23, 2010)

Avoid the south. The wages are horrible. West coast is good. Parts of the midwest are also good.


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## Michigan Master (Feb 25, 2013)

EC&M article this month, _The Top 5 Highest Paying States for Electricians_.
http://ecmweb.com/contractor/top-5-...3bb3d72db17576f88#slide-4-field_images-118471
.


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## Dillinger4 (Feb 8, 2014)

No surprise wages are highest in New Jersey & New York because the cost of living is the highest in the nation. Average annual property taxes in NJ are $8,500. To be honest I would rather work and live down south.


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## Divecoz (Jun 23, 2015)

As others have said in one fashion or another.... Wages for UNION Electricians follow COL for that area.. Honestly The Hot Spots for Good Wages seem to move around every 10 to maybe 20 years.. Up until 1980 The Tri-cities Washington was HOT HOT HOT.. Literally Thousands of IBEW Travelers and most of us were working 5/10's & 8 to 7/12's I did Hanford Res. for Fischbach and Bechtel and IIRC?? its was WGS&H @ Boise Cascade Paper Mill Wallula.. Then it ALL died.. Now Its ALL Vine Yards and The New Wine Country..Chicago Land has been hot!! on and off for Decades.. On and Off..hummmm : ( I spent 3 years working out of Dover NH / Seabrook again for The Fish :: ) Seattle is BOOMING! Humm where is the next BOOM?? Those who have BTDT for a few decades can tell you an area can go from Open Call at the hall and contractors fighting for men O/T Weekly Free Buffets Raffels if you made it a month and worked just every week your standard 40 hours hahaha.. to NOTHING in ONE YEAR! Local 112 Kennewick Hands were traveling.. JSYK Every Local IN The USA is now reciprocal with benefits There are ZERO Non Union Contractors who recepricate Benefits.. Down Side to all this news is I have NO REASON to believe a local in another state will accept your son as an APP.


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