# electrician? or linemen?



## Localchevyguy88

So I am at a crossroad. My buddy back home is a union guy and he is a lineman and I want to become an electrician. I am super nervous because i am 28, just got out of the Navy and i don't have a college degree. I want to make sure that I am choosing the right career path or if I should just go to college. I need some advice guys for real help me. Any info, professional advice or man to man advice is appreciated! Thanks you guys.


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## 99cents

Both are good careers. You should jump at the first opportunity. Linesmen work outside. I don't know if that concerns you but, up here, I don't like freezing my @ss off  .


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## Going_Commando

You'll make more money as a lineman, but I hope you like ungodly overtime, hard work, and working in nasty weather. I chose to become an electrician because of the long game. Ive talked to tons of lineman who have missed a bunch of family events and holidays due to storm calls and whatnot, and I decided that long term I didn't want to miss that stuff when I have a family. I'd be a journeyman lineman by now making serious money, but money isnt everything. Any trade has its pluses and minuses.


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## Bird dog

Getting a degree these days doesn't guarantee you a job. Where do your strengths lye? What did you do in the Navy? Don't get into debt you can't get out of for a "degree".


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## Glock23gp

For me it was a matter of do I want:

A...

- A chance to work inside part of the time.
- Be home with family every night
- Choose where I want to live and work (lots of lineman I know here have had to move out of the area to get into a pre-apprenticeship to get their foot in the door and/or move out of state for a few months to do a special school (might not apply in your area)...)

Or B...

1. on call 24/7
2. Be forced to leave my family during nasty storms when the wind is blowing 100 mph+ and the rain is horizontal not vertical and there is no power to go out in a boom truck 40' in the air while trees are literally blowing over.... (which I have done before as a volunteer firefighter and have no desire to do again)

General Journeyman for me. 

No regrets!!!


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## Localchevyguy88

Going_Commando said:


> You'll make more money as a lineman, but I hope you like ungodly overtime, hard work, and working in nasty weather. I chose to become an electrician because of the long game. Ive talked to tons of lineman who have missed a bunch of family events and holidays due to storm calls and whatnot, and I decided that long term I didn't want to miss that stuff when I have a family. I'd be a journeyman lineman by now making serious money, but money isnt everything. Any trade has its pluses and minuses.


Yeah those are exactly the reasons i got out of the Navy. For electrician though from what i hear your income is all up to you and that overtime happens quit a bit. Its just kind of scary i guess. I want to be successful and get into something that i can move up in ya know. Not just another body like the military.


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## Localchevyguy88

Glock23gp said:


> For me it was a matter of do I want:
> 
> A...
> 
> - A chance to work inside part of the time.
> - Be home with family every night
> - Choose where I want to live and work (lots of lineman I know here have had to move out of the area to get into a pre-apprenticeship to get their foot in the door and/or move out of state for a few months to do a special school (might not apply in your area)...)
> 
> Or B...
> 
> 1. on call 24/7
> 2. Be forced to leave my family during nasty storms when the wind is blowing 100 mph+ and the rain is horizontal not vertical and there is no power to go out in a boom truck 40' in the air while trees are literally blowing over.... (which I have done before as a volunteer firefighter and have no desire to do again)
> 
> General Journeyman for me.
> 
> No regrets!!!


This is awesome and super uplifting! thanks man. Do you find yourself being able to pay the bills, not struggle and do nice things for your family and yourself?


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## Glock23gp

I have always made ends meet. 
When the economy crashed in '07 the residential market here left lots short on work so I made the choice to travel as an IBEW electrician so I spent almost 2 years on the road working some incredibly large jobs that had 2k electrican on each job.

Every jurisdiction pays differently. Scale here is $36.28 per hr. California wages are over $50 an hr.

Main thing I have learned is its not the job IT'S YOU. 
Don't live beyond your means. Stash money for rainy days and enjoy life.

I actually work as a maintanance electrician at an industrial facility working 4 days on 4 days off. I make a little over $100k here but I'm bored off my a $$ So I started my own business last year and work for myself on my days off with a goal to do it full time in the next year or two.


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## Localchevyguy88

Glock23gp said:


> I have always made ends meet.
> When the economy crashed in '07 the residential market here left lots short on work so I made the choice to travel as an IBEW electrician so I spent almost 2 years on the road working some incredibly large jobs that had 2k electrican on each job.
> 
> Every jurisdiction pays differently. Scale here is $36.28 per hr. California wages are over $50 an hr.
> 
> Main thing I have learned is its not the job IT'S YOU.
> Don't live beyond your means. Stash money for rainy days and enjoy life.
> 
> I actually work as a maintanance electrician at an industrial facility working 4 days on 4 days off. I make a little over $100k here but I'm bored off my a $$ So I started my own business last year and work for myself on my days off with a goal to do it full time in the next year or two.


thats awesome man, I think being a maintenance electrician for an industrial facility would be AWESOME! that is exactly the sort of job i would LOVE to have for real!


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## Maple_Syrup25

Be a lineman. Good money and they treat you well. Most guys get 4 10 hr days then overtime and rotate service hours. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Sparky Girl

I am a retired JW. In my career I've had JWs and linemen on my crews. I've done underground, street lighting, cell towers, residential, industrial and commercial projects.

From my view, I was glad I chose to be a JW. I guess it wasn't a choice but rather dumb luck. When I called the IBEW phone numbers I found in the phone book looking to become an electrician, it was the JW local that answered the call. Lucky me cuz I didn't know the difference back then.

The linemen I have had working for me did anything from being dropped down from a helicopter to a 600' tower, to operating a beat up old trencher for street lighting cable. That lineman from the 600' tower was 64 when we hired him and still had a full head of hair. Go figure. For some, this is the life. You will only know when you do the research.

JWs can do anything from installing 12.8Kv distribution in a high rise to installing row after row of fluorescent lights drilled into a concrete ceiling. I've done both. 

I always said if I died and found myself doing the latter, I would know I was in hell. 

The more you know about yourself, the better choice you will make in the pursuit of you career. Don't let money be your guide. You have to love what you do. 

What's that saying? "When you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life."

It's true.

Look at the opportunities the different paths offer. Do you see yourself doing this when you're 50? Or 60? Or do you want this to be a path to something else? 

These are the questions you need to ask yourself. No one here can answer them for you.


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## sbrn33

Localchevyguy88 said:


> So I am at a crossroad. My buddy back home is a union guy and he is a lineman and I want to become an electrician. I am super nervous because i am 28, just got out of the Navy and i don't have a college degree. I want to make sure that I am choosing the right career path or if I should just go to college. I need some advice guys for real help me. Any info, professional advice or man to man advice is appreciated! Thanks you guys.


If you want to retire well be a lineman. If you want to live a good life and someday own your own business become an EC


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## Paultaylor1235

The electrician is better than linemen... secured career opportunity along with the good scope.

and rest is up to your interest.


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## splatz

I don't have a good sense of how far apart lineman pay is from electrician pay in different parts of the country. I know linemen in a few fairly average or below average areas that make GREAT pay, way more than electricians. I know a couple in more high-dollar areas and I don't think they don't make that much more. 

It's a lot easier to start your own business as an electrician, and WAY easier to find side work for supplemental income, obviously. But starting your own business looks a lot better the less you know about it. The more you fully understand what's involved, the more people will change their mind about owning their own business. 

Crystal ball wise, I'd say the future prospects for line work look great, even if electric cars don't catch on, the population will grow and the grid will need work. But you never know. 

Electrical work prospects on the other hand will always fluctuate with construction trends. Even if you do service work, the labor supply will wax and wane with the construction trends.


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## MechanicalDVR

Maple_Syrup25 said:


> Be a lineman. Good money and they treat you well. Most guys get 4 10 hr days then overtime and rotate service hours.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Maybe up where you are that's true, sure isn't a universal thing. Where I moved from there were huge rifts with the way management was treating the guys and safety issues with things not being done. They spent a very long time in arbitration over many factors. I won't even venture a guess with how long they were in dispute. My cousin was the head of the main local dealing with all this so I heard much of it first hand.


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## MechanicalDVR

In my opinion i think there are more pluses to being an electrician for a young guy looking to raise a family. Many have pretty much the same feelings.


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## Maple_Syrup25

MechanicalDVR said:


> Maybe up where you are that's true, sure isn't a universal thing. Where I moved from there were huge rifts with the way management was treating the guys and safety issues with things not being done. They spent a very long time in arbitration over many factors. I won't even venture a guess with how long they were in dispute. My cousin was the head of the main local dealing with all this so I heard much of it first hand.




Hydro one out of Ontario is what I was talking about. I have some friends who work for them. I think if rather work for them than take over the reigns in two years. Way lees stressful to work for someone else than run a Company and a bunch of guys making close to the same amount a year 


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## Localchevyguy88

Thanks you guys all this seriously helps. I am way more confident in becoming an electrician now. A few of my buddies says its a very rewarding job, there always work and its fun. I am very hands on and i love building things and putting projects together so i think this career is going be a good one for myself! Thank you everyone for all of your opinions!


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## MechanicalDVR

Have you heard of the Helmets to Hardhats program? Check it out:

https://www.helmetstohardhats.org/


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## John Valdes

I had the opportunity to work for Florida Power and Light back in the early 70's.
Silly me, I did not show up for the test and subsequently ended up back on the rail yard the next day.

I have wondered (as I have for several lost opportunities) what might have come from a linesman's life and work.

My friend and neighbor is retired from Duke Energy. He's single has a great house and acres upon acres to bush hog. I can find him at any one of the local watering holes most any day. As long as its still daylight. Seems many of the older guys like me try to get home before the cops set up the license checks (DUI Checks).
He is set for life and moved up within the company. He drove around in a brand new truck, looking for cut offs and other mundane **** like that.
He gets a very nice check each month from them, along with his social security check and his own plan.
Seems he has done quite nice with line work.
Get in young and move up the ladder so when your an old fart, you can still go to work and wonder how they could pay you for doing so little!

Go for it. I went the other way and had no interest in owning my own business.
To this very day, that is not something I look back on with remorse.
Working for the man is the route I took and glad I did.

Good Luck and what ever your decision is, in 30 years it will either matter or it wont!


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## 277boy

Hey all, don't want to hijack but figured made more sense to add on here since I have pretty much the same question.

Anyways, I'm 21, been trying to get in the electrical trade initially as wireman but considering lineman as well. I just moved for better opportunity and and actually have come across apprenticeships for both positions being available. 

I have a few thoughts and would like your opinion. I'm pretty smart, as in honors student, people have scolded me for not going to school for engineering.
Thing is I've always enjoyed hands on work and everyone in my family in engineering is stuck in desk jobs. I'm certain I want to do a trade.

Now it seems the main argument against linework is the weather and being away from family. I don't really see myself having a family and I'm pretty tolerant of rough weather. Because of that I don't see those aspects being much of an issue for me.

So overall I think I'd enjoy linework, I'd like the outdoor work and don't mind the conditions, but I'm a little concerned I'd get bored with it as it's less mental than wireman? Currently I'm thinking just take whichever I get(guessing it would be wireman), but then also thinking if I wanted to ever do lineman need to do it now when I'm young so maybe focus on that?

I know it's ultimately something I'll have to decide, thanks for any input everyone.


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## splatz

277boy said:


> Anyways, I'm 21, ... it seems the main argument against linework is the weather and being away from family. I *don't really see myself having a family* and I'm pretty tolerant of rough weather. Because of that I don't see those aspects being much of an issue for me.


The former often changes in the near future, the latter in the distant future. People your age have trouble picturing that, but take other people's word for it. 



> So overall I think..., but then also thinking ...so maybe ...


Life is a backwards teacher: it asks you the questions first, then teaches you after. 

Your advantage with this one: all you lose if you decide to change your answer is a little time, and at your age, you can afford a little time. 

A lot of times when a decision is difficult it's because you have two good options. If that is the case, it doesn't matter so much which way you go, matters more that you make up your mind sooner than later. 

I wish you way more than luck.


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## 277boy

Thank you for the input and good wishes, I think I'll likely do as I mentioned and take whichever oportunity presents first.


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## Semi-Ret Electrician

Bird dog said:


> Getting a degree these days doesn't guarantee you a job. Where do your strengths lye? What did you do in the Navy? Don't get into debt you can't get out of for a "degree".


I tend to agree with you but would run the question by a cab driver or two, most of them are college graduates


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## MechanicalDVR

Semi-Ret Electrician said:


> I tend to agree with you but would run the question by a cab driver or two, *most of them are college graduates*


This is something I was just watching on a tv talk program.

Seems a large objection to the muslim immigration delay is that companies in Silicon Valley say they need to hire from outside the US to get engineers.

My question is with so many engineers doing menial jobs right now how is it their degree isn't good enough? How is it that engineers from 3rd world countries are so much better qualified when they don't have the modern devices on the scale as we do here?

Are they looking for guys coming off nuclear warhead R&D or what?


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## Byte

Localchevyguy88 said:


> So I am at a crossroad. My buddy back home is a union guy and he is a lineman and I want to become an electrician. I am super nervous because i am 28, just got out of the Navy and i don't have a college degree. I want to make sure that I am choosing the right career path or if I should just go to college. I need some advice guys for real help me. Any info, professional advice or man to man advice is appreciated! Thanks you guys.


Linemen work on hot wires (usually) and electricians don't (usually)


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## Corysan

It's a good choice either way. What are you like? Do you prefer the outdoors to a damp or dusty building? Are you particularly careful about being safe? All electrical workers need to keep safety as a priority, but mistakes as a lineman can be seriously unforgiving.

I'm an inside wireman. Electrician in English. My career path would have included more engineering education early on because of the pay back. I think electrician wins it for me because of versatility. Construction drops off, find work in a factory. Good at high voltage- work for a testing contractor. Good at controls- specialize in that. Great with the code- be an inspector. Good at business- be a contractor. The list is actually very long. I'm sure linemen have some flexibility, but I don't think it is as considerable as an electrician.


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## MikeFL

A guy I know was in the Army and is right now doing his 3rd year of college on the GI bill. He works a few nights per week as a bartender. He is loving life. I strongly suggest you consider college.


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## 99cents

I spoke to a linesman last week with both licenses. He said there's no chance he would ever go back. He has a secure job, good pay and benefits and he's home every night. Sure, there's the weather to put up with but we as electricians have no guarantee of an inside job when it's cold.

The only downside might be night crew. That would suck.


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## Byte

I have seen linemen if Florida summertime. Lots of lightning, wind, and hail. They are working in buckets. WTF is that?


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## MechanicalDVR

Byte said:


> I have seen linemen if Florida summertime. Lots of lightning, wind, and hail. They are working in buckets. WTF is that?


A chore to some,

A task to some,

An adventure you get paid for to the hardy!

*The calmness of normal life is really monotony disguised as security. *


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## lightman

I've done both. My Dad was an electrician and I got my Journeyman's license when I was about 20. I quickly learned that I did not like my income being tied to the ups and downs of the economy and went to work for an electric utility. I was a Journeyman Lineman for 35 years, and a Serviceman (think troubleshooter) for the last 26 years. I've done most of the things that Going Commando and Glock23 mentioned. I've been 30 feet up ice covered leaning poles and 230ft up towers. I was in the bucket the night that Rita blew through and the wind was so strong that my boom would not rotate against it! I've missed so many family events and holidays that you can't count them. It takes a strong marriage to last through a career in linework.

I've also run a sideline electrical business. Neither is easy. Linework is all outside work and is very physical. It get harder as you get older. You can't be afraid of heights, animals, snakes, the dark or the weather. Most of a Lineman's work is done hot. At least some electrical work is indoors. A lot of it is in unheated or uncooled buildings or walking on concrete all day. But its inside! Its pretty physical too! Up and down ladders, drilling holes. crawling around in attics, running large rigid conduit. Only some of what you work on is hot! Neither is easy. Both require you to think. Auto pilot gets you hurt! Both have a high degree of satisfaction!

I really don't know which pays the best. I would guess that linework does. My electrician friends make good money when they have enough work and they live pretty well. They don't talk much about slower times. They often brag about what they make on a few jobs but seldom talk about what they make for the year. I suspect that the plant guys that work in large industry have a steadier income than the self employed guys. During the 26 years that I was a Serviceman I averaged 600 hours OT a year. On call every other week, call-outs at night, weekends and Holidays and holdovers at the end of the day. Yeah, it got old. But the money was nice. I saved a decent % of it and it added to my retirement. It made a comfortable living.

Good Luck job hunting!


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## 277boy

Thanks everyone, from what I'm hearing I think I've got a pretty accurate idea of the specifics in my head. I was especially glad to hear from those who have done both, that was an insight I didn't expect.


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## MechanicalDVR

lightman said:


> I've done both. My Dad was an electrician and I got my Journeyman's license when I was about 20. I quickly learned that I did not like my income being tied to the ups and downs of the economy and went to work for an electric utility. I was a Journeyman Lineman for 35 years, and a Serviceman (think troubleshooter) for the last 26 years. I've done most of the things that Going Commando and Glock23 mentioned. I've been 30 feet up ice covered leaning poles and 230ft up towers. I was in the bucket the night that Rita blew through and the wind was so strong that my boom would not rotate against it! I've missed so many family events and holidays that you can't count them. It takes a strong marriage to last through a career in linework.
> 
> I've also run a sideline electrical business. Neither is easy. Linework is all outside work and is very physical. It get harder as you get older. You can't be afraid of heights, animals, snakes, the dark or the weather. Most of a Lineman's work is done hot. At least some electrical work is indoors. A lot of it is in unheated or uncooled buildings or walking on concrete all day. But its inside! Its pretty physical too! Up and down ladders, drilling holes. crawling around in attics, running large rigid conduit. Only some of what you work on is hot! Neither is easy. Both require you to think. Auto pilot gets you hurt! Both have a high degree of satisfaction!
> 
> I really don't know which pays the best. I would guess that linework does. My electrician friends make good money when they have enough work and they live pretty well. They don't talk much about slower times. They often brag about what they make on a few jobs but seldom talk about what they make for the year. I suspect that the plant guys that work in large industry have a steadier income than the self employed guys. During the 26 years that I was a Serviceman I averaged 600 hours OT a year. On call every other week, call-outs at night, weekends and Holidays and holdovers at the end of the day. Yeah, it got old. But the money was nice. I saved a decent % of it and it added to my retirement. It made a comfortable living.
> 
> Good Luck job hunting!


How old are you now?


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## lightman

I'm 59 now!


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## MechanicalDVR

lightman said:


> I'm 59 now!


LOL, looking at your post starting at 20 and having 35 years as a lineman and 26 as a trouble man I figured you were 81.


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## lightman

I feel 81 some days! LOL! The 26 years was part of my 35 year career, not in addition to it. I guess I could have been clearer about that!


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## Byte

Started the trade back in 69.
Worked until last year.
Cannot seem to find work no more.
Cost of livin's too dear.
What to do I don't know.
Might as well have a beer.


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## MechanicalDVR

lightman said:


> I feel 81 some days! LOL! The 26 years was part of my 35 year career, not in addition to it. I guess I could have been clearer about that!


I can sympathize with that feeling.


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## MechanicalDVR

Byte said:


> Started the trade back in 69.
> Worked until last year.
> Cannot seem to find work no more.
> Cost of livin's too dear.
> What to do I don't know.
> Might as well have a beer.


Have you thought about estimating or a similar office based job?


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## Byte

MechanicalDVR said:


> Have you thought about estimating or a similar office based job?


Thanks for that, I will check it out...right now


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## MechanicalDVR

Byte said:


> Thanks for that, I will check it out...right now


You're welcome! There are still places that prefer experience to book knowledge in their office.


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## ElectricalArtist

Localchevyguy88 said:


> Going_Commando said:
> 
> 
> 
> You'll make more money as a lineman, but I hope you like ungodly overtime, hard work, and working in nasty weather. I chose to become an electrician because of the long game. Ive talked to tons of lineman who have missed a bunch of family events and holidays due to storm calls and whatnot, and I decided that long term I didn't want to miss that stuff when I have a family. I'd be a journeyman lineman by now making serious money, but money isnt everything. Any trade has its pluses and minuses.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah those are exactly the reasons i got out of the Navy. For electrician though from what i hear your income is all up to you and that overtime happens quit a bit. Its just kind of scary i guess. I want to be successful and get into something that i can move up in ya know. Not just another body like the military.
Click to expand...

Do you have any knowledge on electricity? I reccomend getting the Mike holt ultimate training library. You will learn the basics and fundamentals of electricity, grounding,bonding, motors, transformers ect. It will show you how to use the national electric code which can be frustrating without a bit of guidance, it has a few more things. I payed 1300 , it's time consuming and requires dedication but worth it. Each part of the course comes with 1 or 2 dvds and a book . I'm converting my books to pdf and put the DVDs on a usb to make things a bit easier to go back and find something I need to recap. Very pleased so far.


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## Semi-Ret Electrician

MechanicalDVR said:


> This is something I was just watching on a tv talk program.
> 
> Seems a large objection to the muslim immigration delay is that companies in Silicon Valley say they need to hire from outside the US to get engineers.
> 
> My question is with so many engineers doing menial jobs right now how is it their degree isn't good enough? How is it that engineers from 3rd world countries are so much better qualified when they don't have the modern devices on the scale as we do here?
> 
> Are they looking for guys coming off nuclear warhead R&D or what?


So many college students in the US squandered their chance at an education by joining protest groups and settled for a "C". See what todays college students are like by watching "Waters World" on the O'Reily Factor.

Parents in most 3rd world countries make sure their kids apply themselves since education is their only path out of poverty. 

Most of todays recent "PE's" are only good at signing drawings done by non-graduate designers.


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## FaultCurrent

Off shore engineers - it's about money. They are hiring them because they work cheap. Low salary, no benefits. Was nothing wrong with what the American employees were doing, they had the job. Now they give them a few weeks to train their low priced replacement, and then they are gone. Cha-ching. Why would anyone think corporations care about you as a person. It's all about pleasing Wall St by showing profit that beats the expectations. Don't believe too much what O'Reilly says, he's a tool of Rupert Murdoch so he has an agenda to push, says things his viewers like. He cares about his investments, not your job.

Just like electricians, good engineers are in short supply. Plenty of imposters out there, 25 year old and 65 year old. We all know them. If you are good you will always have work.


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## rankin

FaultCurrent said:


> Off shore engineers - it's about money. They are hiring them because they work cheap. Low salary, no benefits. Was nothing wrong with what the American employees were doing, they had the job. Now they give them a few weeks to train their low priced replacement, and then they are gone. Cha-ching. Why would anyone think corporations care about you as a person. It's all about pleasing Wall St by showing profit that beats the expectations. Don't believe too much what O'Reilly says, he's a tool of Rupert Murdoch so he has an agenda to push, says things his viewers like. He cares about his investments, not your job.
> 
> Just like electricians, good engineers are in short supply. Plenty of imposters out there, 25 year old and 65 year old. We all know them. If you are good you will always have work.


This is very true, and it's becoming well known. Many companies will go through the trouble of putting up job postings for engineers, computer programmers, IT, quality control, etc and even do rounds of interviews, all of which will end in rejection.

There are two reasons for this: they already have someone lined up to take the job, or they want to hire cheap from overseas.

The former is exclusively seen in jobs that involve state money. My fiance went through this when applying to research positions at state universities -- they're legally required to make a public job posting, despite the fact that they often hire internally anyway.

The latter is a plague on all of American industry: companies want talent but don't want to pay for it. The immediate solution is to hand out work visas and bring in professionals from overseas, who will work for less. They do this by setting up job postings and interviews, rejecting all the applicants, and complaining to the department of labor that they "cannot find qualified applicants" (B.S.) who will give them the go-ahead to import workers.

That's also not to say that many Engineering programs in the U.S. are total B.S. as well. Many schools, even state ones, are trying to hop on the STEM bandwagon and offer science and engineering degrees. I don't mind it so much because these places -- which are usually business/teaching/humanities colleges -- have been building "science centers" like crazy (sweet, sweet prevailing wage jobs). But they churn out engineering grads who took watered down versions of Calculus (little to no limits, next to no integrals, no ODEs), very little Linear Algebra (idk how that's even legal), and cannot use modern engineering tools and software (Matlab, C, CAD stuff, etc).

It's an industry-wide effort to over-saturate the talent pool and make into a race for the bottom. Any idiot can see why this is bad, but these people are just interested in the bottom line.

This sort of thing has burned them before. It used to be popular to hire Indians and Eastern Europeans for IT and programming -- the former couldn't do it and the latter was notorious for giving way intellectual property and security information for personal profit. But corps never learn from past mistakes, they just look for ways to make new ones.


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## Byte

FaultCurrent said:


> Off shore engineers - it's about money. They are hiring them because they work cheap. Low salary, no benefits. Was nothing wrong with what the American employees were doing, they had the job. Now they give them a few weeks to train their low priced replacement, and then they are gone. Cha-ching. Why would anyone think corporations care about you as a person. It's all about pleasing Wall St by showing profit that beats the expectations. Don't believe too much what O'Reilly says, he's a tool of Rupert Murdoch so he has an agenda to push, says things his viewers like. He cares about his investments, not your job.
> 
> Just like electricians, good engineers are in short supply. Plenty of imposters out there, 25 year old and 65 year old. We all know them. If you are good you will always have work.


I don't know about that in Canada. Lots of good electricians and not lots of jobs. I am 66 and still want to mentor the youth and ensure quality work does not go the way of the dinosaurs. I consider myself an asset and have helped engineers with as-builds in the field.


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## KingNothing

As a lineman you will always be outside, at height, and on call. Then do you want to be a distribution or transmission lineman? There is a big difference. Going up in a 40' bucket or long lining into a remote tower overlooking a canyon is where you need to know your comfort level at height. Being an Electrician, there are so many different types of Electricians. Residential, commercial, industrial, maintenance, low voltage, substation, etc. You'll make journeyman faster as a lineman and have the opportunity for big $$ sooner. Electrician you will have a 5 year apprenticeship and even once you journey out there is still a ton to learn. You will have to decide what you want to do but I have done both so that is an option always too.


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## ChrisHakkaraine

A lot of linemen work their entire careers at the same POCO. There's a sense of family for most linemen, not so for inside guys. 

Around here, linemen are paid a bit more than inside guys, but the work is far more brutal. Every time there's a storm, you'll get called, and you'll work outside in the worst possible conditions.


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## Sparksmith

I'm incredibly curious here, and asking the same question, but I got accepted into the IBEW.

I wonder if such a thing is possible... To have a lineman as a "side-dish" career, and take jobs on a as-needed basis. I can see myself working 12 hour or 24 hour days and I HAVE done that before, but I do have "fuses" of my own and no matter how enjoyable or fruitful the work is, it will burn you out. 

Is it possible to work as a union electrician in the long-run... and perhaps attend a school, and work as a non-union lineman when you need the extra money or when your wanderlust acts up?


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## MechanicalDVR

Sparksmith said:


> I'm incredibly curious here, and asking the same question, but I got accepted into the IBEW.
> 
> I wonder if such a thing is possible... To have a lineman as a "side-dish" career, and take jobs on a as-needed basis. I can see myself working 12 hour or 24 hour days and I HAVE done that before, but I do have "fuses" of my own and no matter how enjoyable or fruitful the work is, it will burn you out.
> 
> Is it possible to work as a union electrician in the long-run... and perhaps attend a school, and work as a non-union lineman when you need the extra money or when your wanderlust acts up?


There are POCOs like Boston Edison and some co-ops that hire lineman through sub contractors for routine maintenance and that type thing.


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## Byte

Is it legal to work a 24 hour day?
I realize some may say it is not but they do it anyway.


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## MechanicalDVR

Byte said:


> Is it legal to work a 24 hour day?
> I realize some may say it is not but they do it anyway.


I've known lineman to work straight through a lengthy storm, they just take turns napping in the truck.


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## Byte

MechanicalDVR said:


> I've known lineman to work straight through a lengthy storm, they just take turns napping in the truck.


Makes sense. You would need naps; otherwise, accidents could bite you in the ass.


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## MechanicalDVR

Byte said:


> Makes sense. You would need naps; otherwise, accidents could bite you in the ass.


While on military support contracts I worked with the line crews several times during outages to go into buildings to start up equipment that had gone down just to see if anything was damaged by the outage.


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## Byte

Sometimes we tend to forget that some jobs you have to be there all hours. Not like the industrial, commercial, and residential woosies.


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## MechanicalDVR

Byte said:


> Sometimes we tend to forget that some jobs you have to be there all hours. Not like the industrial, commercial, and residential woosies.


I was on call in every job I had for the previous 20 years before retiring.


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## Line Man

I was a lineman for ten years for a major steel co. and loved the job. It was a union job with all the union benefits but i just loved the job. I then left and got a job as a plant electrician in a large car manufacturing facility. It was a really good job but i will always remember that linework as something i really enjoyed.


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## Electrical-EE

*Here is someone whose advice is perfect*



99cents said:


> Both are good careers. You should jump at the first opportunity. Linesmen work outside. I don't know if that concerns you but, up here, I don't like freezing my @ss off  .


I was just posting the same when I checked his comment. :icon_wink:


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## MTW

Being a lineman requires a strong back and a weak mind. I do not recommend it at all unless you like doing dangerous grunt work for the rest of your career.


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