# Applying for Apprenticeship



## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

welcome buddy! Congrats on wanting to start a challenging and rewarding trade at the same time as your wife. It can be a good future if you make it so.

My local moves apprentices every 6mo so idk how that alters/matters for you. Maybe just be aggressive and call anyone/everyone right now and see where it takes you?
Also, is that local very big in idaho? Last i knew it didnt have a great presence there. I could be wrong


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Majewski said:


> welcome buddy! Congrats on wanting to start a challenging and rewarding trade at the same time as your wife. It can be a good future if you make it so.
> 
> My local moves apprentices every 6mo so idk how that alters/matters for you. Maybe just be aggressive and call anyone/everyone right now and see where it takes you?
> Also, is that local very big in idaho? Last i knew it didnt have a great presence there. I could be wrong


From what I found is that Local 73 has about 750-800 members total between Washington and Idaho. They have an apprentice training program that they said would start in spring or summer and interviews are in February/March. I’m sure it would be the same in a year plus it’s a 2 hour drive from where I live now where as it’s only 15-30 minutes from the town where we will be living in 2023


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

If i were in your shoes id be so amped and impatient. Id wanna do all I could to get good with them for when im moved. Id also wanna be staying busy to learn right now


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Majewski said:


> If i were in your shoes id be so amped and impatient. Id wanna do all I could to get good with them for when im moved. Id also wanna be staying busy to learn right now


I appreciate it man, my application is due by New Years Eve so I still have time. I guess I'm worried about semi-blindly going in. I guess I could also talk to them about what to do with the logistics and everything.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

Yes. Ask every question you think of. Write down the stuff you wanna know so you stay organized.
What experience do you have in construction and or maintenance?


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Majewski said:


> Yes. Ask every question you think of. Write down the stuff you wanna know so you stay organized.
> What experience do you have in construction and or maintenance?


Honestly I don’t have any.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

KRato4797 said:


> Honestly I don’t have any.


Thats fine. Just be honest with those you may work for


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

some places might prefer experience, other places may not (less stuff that is not what they want to UN teach you)

however you are applying for apprentice, not electrician so you shouldnt be expected to have experience
as maj said be honest above all. if you dont understand what they ask you to do, tell them you dont


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

KRato4797 said:


> Honestly I don’t have any.


What got you interested into this?


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Majewski said:


> What got you interested into this?


I’ve always had intrigue towards electrical stuff but also had a few other things I was interested in and went to school for one and dropped out eventually and the other I still have as a hobby. Was interested around 18/19 currently 23 almost 24


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Almost Retired said:


> some places might prefer experience, other places may not (less stuff that is not what they want to UN teach you)
> 
> however you are applying for apprentice, not electrician so you shouldnt be expected to have experience
> as maj said be honest above all. if you dont understand what they ask you to do, tell them you dont


I appreciate it, I’m always nervous with things I don’t know well because I feel I ask too much stuff or that I can’t be by myself without screwing up. I’m working on being comfortable asking questions and not feeling like an idiot


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

KRato4797 said:


> I appreciate it, I’m always nervous with things I don’t know well because I feel I ask too much stuff or that I can’t be by myself without screwing up. I’m working on being comfortable asking questions and not feeling like an idiot


Exciting. If u ever want more help or 24/7 embarrassing questions/answers. Im your guy.
Fyi, my wife is a nurse so i even know what that’s like too lol


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

good plan. dont ask too much too soon just out of curiosity. it will take a lot of patience to wait. in the mean time start finding out about the basic theory of electricity. for example you can loosely say that its like water in a pipe. Voltage is pressure, amps is gallons per minute. but that is about as far as that analogy will go. after that you will need to drill down in the actual theory. there are several basic laws that you need to learn: ohm's law, kirchoff's law are the 2 basics, watts is also helpful. draw yourself a circuit of a light bulb and a switch. then analyze it with those 2 laws. next add another light bulb in parallel and analyze it. then change it to series and analyze it. once you understand those things clearly you will be well on your way. dont ask how to do it. look it up on the web. learn to teach yourself without help. be creative, think outside the box and always check your work.

and as maj said all of us here will be glad to answer questions


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Almost Retired said:


> good plan. dont ask too much too soon just out of curiosity. it will take a lot of patience to wait. in the mean time start finding out about the basic theory of electricity. for example you can loosely say that its like water in a pipe. Voltage is pressure, amps is gallons per minute. but that is about as far as that analogy will go. after that you will need to drill down in the actual theory. there are several basic laws that you need to learn: ohm's law, kirchoff's law are the 2 basics, watts is also helpful. draw yourself a circuit of a light bulb and a switch. then analyze it with those 2 laws. next add another light bulb in parallel and analyze it. then change it to series and analyze it. once you understand those things clearly you will be well on your way. dont ask how to do it. look it up on the web. learn to teach yourself without help. be creative, think outside the box and always check your work.
> 
> and as maj said all of us here will be glad to answer questions


Okay that makes sense. Any suggestions on the best websites or videos to watch?


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Majewski said:


> Exciting. If u ever want more help or 24/7 embarrassing questions/answers. Im your guy.
> Fyi, my wife is a nurse so i even know what that’s like too lol


Maybe I’ll ask advice on what not to do to piss off a nurse wife, haha


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

KRato4797 said:


> Maybe I’ll ask advice on what not to do to piss off a nurse wife, haha


Basically breath or exist


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Majewski said:


> Basically breath or exist


I’m sure with all the crap they deal with that makes sense. I currently work security at a hospital so I see some of it


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

KRato4797 said:


> I’m sure with all the crap they deal with that makes sense. I currently work security at a hospital so I see some of it


Does she work in healthcare at the moment?


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Majewski said:


> Does she work in healthcare at the moment?


She did for a bit but school is getting to her


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

KRato4797 said:


> She did for a bit but school is getting to her


It does that. Mine did while school and we had to stress eat to cope lol. Loooots of stress eating.


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Majewski said:


> It does that. Mine did while school and we had to stress eat to cope lol. Loooots of stress eating.


Yeah we’ve been eating out a lot, especially since I work graves so it’s easier


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

KRato4797 said:


> Yeah we’ve been eating out a lot, especially since I work graves so it’s easier


Yup! Its like the easiest way to smooth over issues/constraints with life. As long as u have funds that is lol


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Majewski said:


> Yup! Its like the easiest way to smooth over issues/constraints with life. As long as u have funds that is lol


Yeah, we can’t wait til school is over for her. That’s the big one


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

KRato4797 said:


> Yeah, we can’t wait til school is over for her. That’s the big one


Then BRING ON THE SCHOOL DEBT! Lol


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

KRato4797 said:


> Okay that makes sense. Any suggestions on the best websites or videos to watch?


here is ohm's law to start









Ohm's law - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org





use google or any other search engine and type in what you are looking for. Every thing is on the web and will show up in a search

watch several different videos, and look at several different websites for each thing you look up. the different presentations of the same thing will be helpful


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

KRato4797 said:


> Okay that makes sense. Any suggestions on the best websites or videos to watch?


I'd make another suggestion based on older technology. Find out what revision of the NEC is currently adopted in your state here

Code Adoption by State - International Association of Electrical Inspectors (iaei.org)

Then look for the book *Wiring Simplified *in the edition that matches that NEC revision. For example the 45th edition of the book is based on the 2017 NEC, and it's $7 at Home Depot

Wiring Simplified 45th Edition, DIY Electrical Installation Guide-ERB-WS - The Home Depot

Yes, I am recommending you buy a book, start at the beginning, and read it. The book is small, not a lot to digest, so it's not super in depth but that's perfect. Good starting point. A lot of the stuff that's in there is older and not stuff you'd install today, but you do see old things in real life in the field, and I am not just talking about the old dogs on this forum that are still working.

Beware the morons on YouTube. There is so much misinformation out there it's ridiculous, and it's way worse to learn something wrong that you'll have to unlearn later than to learn nothing at all.

Online, you'll find lots of Mike Holt articles at either the Electrical Construction and Maintenance site or his own site for free, and his materials are not cheap but money very well spent, top quality stuff.


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

Almost Retired said:


> here is ohm's law to start
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks, I appreciate all the help. It’s definitely making everything more understandable to know what to do


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## KRato4797 (Dec 11, 2021)

splatz said:


> I'd make another suggestion based on older technology. Find out what revision of the NEC is currently adopted in your state here
> 
> Code Adoption by State - International Association of Electrical Inspectors (iaei.org)
> 
> ...


Thanks I appreciate it man, I can’t believe all the help you guys are giving me. Definitely more than I originally thought I needed.


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