# Apprenticeship ranking not disclosed?????



## titleist219 (Jul 19, 2011)

Hello all. I went through the process of applying to the Local 697 apprenticeship, starting last year November with the test, and finishing up in April with the committee interview. After several attempts, they are unwilling/unable to provide me my status/ranking on the apprenticeship list. It makes a HUGE difference if I am #9 or #90 on the rankings. If I am ranked high, I am willing to pass up on my current job offerings since I would be in the next class or two. But if I am ranking like #90 or 100, then I clearly am not getting into the Local, and would take another job now.

So why would a union not tell its applicants where they stand so they can move on with their lives if they have no chance of getting in??? I understand my ranking could change if someone interviews better then me, but still, why not tell me where I currently stand so I can decide to wait for the apprenticeship, or move onto another job. I know I aced the aptitude test, have a college degree, and did very well on interview, so I am optimistic that I am ranking fairly high. But its incredibly frustrating that after going through the application process, paying $40.00, getting referrals, interviewing, taking the test......I can't find out where I stand in the process.

Any thoughts or advise?? Thanks!!!


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## al13nw4r3LC76 (Apr 6, 2009)

You can do what I did. Call em up and tell them you are going to join the carpenters local if they don't let you in. You'll get a call the next day. :whistling2:


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## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

The apprenticeship may not tell you, and I am not arguing right or wrong on that. But if you applied anywhere else would they tell you anything unless hired? No they would not.

Not really different. Call and ask, if you need to make other choices do so. If you get a call later make a decision if it is worth it to go or not.


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## titleist219 (Jul 19, 2011)

@ S Kelly, thanks for the reply. 

In response to you, any other job you apply to, you will know whether you got the job or not. They won't put you on a list for 2 years, leaving you no idea where you stand. You either get hired, or your don't. As a former department manager myself, it was policy to tell candidates who were not hired, the reason for not choosing them if they inquired. 

What is frustrating is being told to continue adding to your employee file by taking electrical college classes, adding referrals, and do anything that you might 'think' will improve your ranking on the list. But seriously, if I am #150 on the list, it would be a complete waste of time and money to go take additional college courses, or have people write additional letters of recommendation if it would not help my chances of moving up into the top 10 or 20. But if I KNEW I was #30 or 40, then the additional education would be worth it.

Applicants should be told where they stand, so they know what to work on, or so they know they have no chance of being an electrician. It isn't really normal to have people spend $40 bucks, take multiple tests/interviews, provide transcripts, get referrals, and then give absolutely NO FEEDBACK. 

I truly feel I would make a great electrician, and hope to follow in my fathers footsteps. He was a union guy for 30 years. But this process is so annoying because I have no clue if I am wasting my time or on the cusp of getting into the apprenticeship since I have no idea where I stand. 

Think of it in these terms.....the union wants to hire the absolute best candidates, right? So what if the top ranked candidates (who don't know they are the top ranked candidates) decide to take positions somewhere else, simply because they had no idea they were 1st in line for the next apprenticeship class???? That means the union has to go to lower ranked people instead. That makes no sense. As an employer/union, it seems obvious you would want the absolute best candidates, so why not tell them they where they are ranked to avoid them from going elsewhere????

Again, thanks for the input.


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## HellzBellz (May 22, 2011)

*Helper*

Are you working as a helper? In my local if you pass the test and get accepted for an interview you are given the option of working as a helper in order to better your chances at the interview. 

If there is something that will move you up the list that will, plus you will be working. Not sure if every union does it that way at their training center though. Regardless you should be able to go to your training center and fill out an application to be a helper, and most likely you will be getting a call, because helpers keep the labor cost down.


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