why an electrician

[billdozier]

Ok were all related to the electrical field Id like to know what brought you guys to this field 2nd gen neighbor friend hs job? My story is I was working fastfood when I was 16 friend of mines uncle needed help after our shift wiring a office in romex. I knew nothing didnt know a plug from a switch but I enjoyed it. A few years later I was working at a grocery store. Killing myself jumping through all types of hoops to get a raise. Well I got reprimended over some bs. Realized hey I need a trade. Caleed a few local ecs found one willing to give a greenie a shot. Rest is history and thats my story. Whats yours everyone has one

[George Stolz]

I was working in distribution at the local newspaper. I was on the "commercial crew", which entailed stacking outside companies' tabloids, some in-house stuff, and mostly stitching and trimming newsprint coupon books and the TV guides that went into the Sunday paper.

Occasionally, the advertising department would sell a cover to the TV guide, which meant we had to use two different pockets in concert to produce it. Basically, the normal "guts" of the TV guide would be folded and dropped on the chain, and a single-sheet glossy preprinted cover would be folded and dropped on top of that.

Since we seldom used the first pocket on the machine, it was prone to malfunction. If it failed to feed, the reliable second pocket containing the cover would continue to feed, and it's light weight would bind in the stapling portion of the machine and cause jams.

I started researching, and then designed and installed a photoeye-relay-prox. switch-valve apparatus that would only feed a cover if the photoeye saw the white back of a TV guide on the chain. The satisfaction I enjoyed once I had the setup timed and dialed in was priceless. (Looking back, that little DIY project I did was not to code and fairly dangerous. I learned later on my modifications were removed after workers started receiving shocks! http://www.fadzter.com/smilies/eek.gif )

When my ex-wife's boss mentioned his EC friend was hiring, I got an application in and got hired on as an apprentice wiring houses. It was wildly different than what I had imagined while I was working at the paper, but I found it to be a good line of work. :cool:

[Short.Circuit]

I was a software engineer, in high-tech. I only went into the field, cuz i was good @ math. drove to the same workplace, every day. went to the same cubicle & worked alone all day... did that for 8 soul-stealing years... had to get out.... applied to union & non-union apprenticeships & got accepted by IECO... 1994... have never looked back & haven't written a line of code either... although i could program PLCs or whatever, mostly i work on oooold housees...sweeet

[electricmanscott]

Quite simple for me. 9th grade ended, not a clue where I was headed, had some friends in electrical shop at trade school, went to hang out with them, never left.

[electricalperson]

i stuck my finger in the old 60 amp fuse panel in my house and got a good zap when i was 6 years old after that i wanted to be an electrician

[mattsilkwood]

they wouldnt let me be king so i had to pick something:D

[iaov]

My junior year in high school our auto shop teacher taught us how the old three relay voltage regulators worked. I was intrigued and knew that electricity was my future. I retook freshman algbra the following year for no credit because I knew I would have to improve my math skills in order to pursue a career in electronics. Electricity facinated me then and it still does so today. I believe electricians are the modern day shamans who work the magic!!:smile:

[G & G Electric]

I learned early to pick a career where your knowledge and skill were needed, not just wanted. Though we could live without electricity, it isn't going to happen. And as long as there is a light switch or plug, there will be a need for a skilled electrician.

[Minuteman]

My grandad was a lineman, and so was dad for a while. I took house wiring in 10th grade and Electrical Construction in 11th and 12th grades. After I got out of the Air Force, I became an industrial maintenance man and worked at 3 factories. The last one had a program where they would give a raise to us, if we received trade licenses. So I went out and got my HVAC and Electric journeyman licenses. (I couldn't bring myself to getting a plumbing license).

Later, a guy I knew needed j-men to work nights for retrofitting light fixtures into T8's. I ended up working for him full time, and the rest is history.

[ishium 80439]

My brother in law was a trunk slammer when I was in high school and needed some help. All side jobs, no insurance, taxes or anything legal. I helped periodically through college. After I graduated and had heard nothing back from the few dozen applications I sent out to other places I realized that I was hungry and had $6 in the bank. I realized that I needed to do something and the choices were making $7.25/hr at McDonalds or $6.50/hr as a 1st year. My path was clear.

[nakulak]

failed at everything else, figured I might as well do electric work.

[Karl H]

I was 17 working the drive thru at Burger King.Yes if you were a JERK
I would of and still would throw your burger pattie across the
Kitchen before it was placed on the broiler.I'm still bitter from that
job.Anyway, My best friend's dad was and is a Master in TX.
He offered me 5.00 an hour.To a 17 year old that's enough money
to buy a small island with a castle.Plus he paid every Friday.
I accepted.Here I am still bitter and just realized I've
spent my entire life reading one book entitled the "NEC"
and yet have I understood the plot of the story.:D

[brantmacga]

i'm not really an electrician, but i did stay at a holiday inn express last night.


oh well, back to the pie factory now!

[dereckbc]

Well I am no electrician, and engineer. I am going to regret admitting this, but when I was about 6 years old I had an electric blanket. This was in the 60’s and the blanket had a plug at the foot end. One night I pulled that plug out of the blanket and decide to stick it in my mouth . Got my attention real fast and been trying to figure out what happened every since then.

[rtelec]

Took an electrical course in high school, worked summer jobs as a greenie. Drafted into the army with my MOS being an electrician.

Once discharged worked for several companies before starting my own. Now retired and enjoying life, not in a service truck, attic, bending pipe, pulling cable, tracing shorts, digging ditches, etc..

[Pierre C Belarge]

Well I am no electrician, and engineer. I am going to regret admitting this, but when I was about 6 years old I had an electric blanket. This was in the 60’s and the blanket had a plug at the foot end. One night I pulled that plug out of the blanket and decide to stick it in my mouth . Got my attention real fast and been trying to figure out what happened every since then.



That is a priceless story, got me laughing real good!!!!


My father was a contractor, he gave me a choice when I was a senior in highschool. Go to college or move out. I was not ready to move out, so college became my thing. I thoroughly enjoyed college, even though I was dreading it.
I graduated college and did my thing for a while, but did not enjoy it. I met my wife, and her father was the chief electrical inspector. The rest is history...except for tomorrow. ;)

[hardworkingstiff]

My 1st semester of college (1970) I was going to be an EE. My 2nd semester I was going to be a psychologist. My 3rd semester I was going into secondary education. I didn't do a 4th semester.

I decided if I was dropping out of college, then I better get a trade. Electrical seemed to be the most interesting and diverse, so here I am.

[ptonsparky]

Got married, kid on the way, knew I wanted to do something besides being a mortar forker and had to do something besides drink beer. Just picked electrical because I didn't think I had smarts enough to be EE. GI bill paid for 2 yrs of tech school and I have been at it ever since.

[prh1700]

My Dad got me started. He was a DC firefighter who got his Master electrical license to do part time work. I was his attic rat/helper who fell in love with the trade. I went through the union appreticeship schooling [both residential and commercial], continued on to get my Master license, and here I am. Truly blessed to have found a job that requires skills in thinking and doing.

[SEO]

Took an electrical course in high school, worked summer jobs as a greenie. Drafted into the army with my MOS being an electrician.

Once discharged worked for several companies before starting my own. Now retired and enjoying life, not in a service truck, attic, bending pipe, pulling cable, tracing shorts, digging ditches, etc..

Is that MOS a 52F20?

[SEO]

Is that MOS a 52F20?

I meant 32F20.

[jdr]

army aviation electronics, 2yrs college electronics tech, then took a job at a coal fired
power plant as electrical tech. where i did electrical and electronics. I liked electrical better.

[cowboyjwc]

A buddy and I on summer break from college started a hauling business since we both had trucks, we were really just working for beer money. Did a job for a couple of contractors then did a job for each of them and then a couple of their friends.

Went back to school and was working at Toys R Us and around June of that year the electrician we did some work for came in and asked what I was doing working there and I told him it fit my schedule. He said he liked my work ethic and asked if I wanted to come to work for him, I told him I didn't know a thing about the trade and he said he could work with that. I went to work in June and in September I didn't sign up for school. Like someone else said, I was making $6 an hour and I had never seen that kind of money. I worked for him for six and a half years until I needed something with some benefits and became a maintenance electrician at a world wide printer manufacturer.

[gardiner]

I was driving forklift for a company, someone offered me three months work for an electrical contractor doing a large industrial project that needed a licenced driver, sounded like something different. The three months turned into five years, when they found out I was willing to get of the lift and wanted to learn as much as I could. That was twenty years ago and I will admit the first couple of years was hard (apprentice wage was terrible back then especially for a man with children to raise) the rest of the time has been great.

[Besoeker]

For me it's a simple story. It's what I always wanted to do. And it's what I have always done.

[220/221]

Right out of high school I started installing lawn sprinklers. I realized that after 3 years I was pretty much at the top of that field and the mexican labor was poised to take it over, limiting my future earnin potential. My friend's Father had a small EC business with about 15 guys roping houses and he put me on in 1973 ish.

I took a pay cut to $4.25 but was back to my six bucks an hour in about 6 months when I started roping by myself.

I spent a few years trying to be a musician. When I came back to electrical work a couple years later I was offered NINE bucks an hour! I thought I was going to be rich!!

In the following years I spent most of my time working for myself doing whatever came along. Elec, plumbing, tile, and typical small GC remodel stuff. I opened small retail business with my wife in about 85. I started as a full on, legit EC about 16 years ago when we sold the retail store (wedding dresses).


What was the question again?

Oh yeah............. My friend got me a job.

[peter d]

I took a pay cut to $4.25 but was back to my six bucks an hour in about 6 months when I started roping by myself.

Thanks to our trusty government that likes to print money like toilet paper, that $6.00/hr in 1973 is like making $28.71 today.

[aline]

I became an electrician because I heard they made a lot of money.
Turned out to be just a rumor.

[electricalperson]

I became an electrician because I heard they made a lot of money.
Turned out to be just a rumor.

i heard the same rumor. i heard they pay licensed guys in MA 25 an hour also. as anyone ever seen a rich electrician?

[SEO]

Depending on the definition of rich I have some that work for me.:smile:

[charlie b]

I honestly can’t remember. I do know that by the time I was halfway through High School, I recognized that I enjoyed, and was good at, math and science. By the time I had to start applying to colleges, and filling in the application form question about “intended major area of study,” I had decided to answer “electrical engineering.” So somewhere in my Junior year, I had set the direction of my professional life. Like many of you have already said, I never looked back.

[charlietuna]

My dad was a plumber and always talked about how easy the electricians had it on the job and when it came time for high school it was vocational and he suggested this trade!

[charlie k.]

My father was a sheet metal worker and told us boys none of my kids are going into construction. Well I was always into why things worked and the electrical field excited me. I went to a vo tech high school and the rest is history. I told my son when he was 14 that I would prefer him not to get into construction and he listened as well as I did. He just graduated the JATC electrical apprenticeship. Looking back I have no regrets.

Charlie

[cschmid]

let see long time ago i went to school for small engine mechanics, one ummer of work and decided that was not it..so i went to automotive school one year of that and supporting beautiful blonde wife and kids decided that trade was not it..went to industrial technology school..discovered industrial controls and electricity and have never looked back..Now look what I achieved..happy family lovely grandchildrn and a beautiful wife..oh and I am one rich man..dont have lots of cash though..

[jeremysterling]

Before I joined the Navy, I couldn't even spell electrician.

Now, I are one!:D

Seriously, I joined up looking for electronics training. That field was full so the Navy assigned me to be EM 3354. Thank you, USN. I love my job and career.

[benaround]

I wanted to be an Electrician because they said I'd be working with strippers all day.

[cschmid]

okay this is why I really became an electrician

lightening. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uebInqG1pJI&feature=related)

[byourdesky]

Was working at a supply house delivering and stocking....was pretty boring and it seemed like the other side of the counter was more fun and not such "dummy" work.

[rtelec]

I meant 32F20.
Don't remember happen in 1971...but still know my serial number

[masterinbama]

Way back in 1980 I took a job as a helper until my older brother finished college. Needless to say he was a career student, but I have no regrets.

[foqnc]

After numerous applications for an Arcitect/Designer apprenticeship, before leaving school, the only apprenticeship I was offered was Electrical. My Dad said I had too choices, take the apprenticeship and learn a trade, then persue my Designer trade or go back to school. Tough choice :roll:
I found I had a gift for logical thinking and was programming PLC's and designing my own circuits before I was out of my apprenticeship.

[360Youth]

Quite simple for me. 9th grade ended, not a clue where I was headed, had some friends in electrical shop at trade school, went to hang out with them, never left.

Very similar for me, also. My older brother went through the high school tech center and so did my my best friend's older brother. At the end of 10th grade, we just kind of decided, "Why not?" I got out of when I went to college for ministry, but after graduation and getting married I was looking for work and here I still am.

[360Youth]

My dad was a plumber and always talked about how easy the electricians had it on the job and when it came time for high school it was vocational and he suggested this trade!

I have been places a plumber would cringe at. :D

[cadpoint]

When I was a boy, a friend and I charged "D" batteries, well we attached them together to bring them back to life, so we could play on.

He's an electrical engineer, I had to go a longer route to get here! :roll:

[cschmid]

Very similar for me, also. My older brother went through the high school tech center and so did my my best friend's older brother. At the end of 10th grade, we just kind of decided, "Why not?" I got out of when I went to college for ministry, but after graduation and getting married I was looking for work and here I still am.

SO I am curious I attended a Christian College in Northern Mn..I am also still a wire jockey..

[electricalperson]

I have been places a plumber would cringe at. :D

worst place an electrician ever goes is inside a freshly pumped out septic tank with about a inch of water in the bottom to remove the burned out pump then replace it

[cschmid]

who crawls in the tank we lift them out by a cable..

[knaack134]

I got a job right out of highschool at a restoration shop specializing in 65-68 Mustangs. I loved it, did not make alot of money. However, after 5 years I realized that I needed to start thinking about health insurance and retirement.

[MF Dagger]

My dad owned an ec shop growing up, My first true scar was from screwing around in his truck and bashing a cut end of emt into my chin. I brought my first tool belt to show and tell somewhere around third grade complete with a sheepsfoot knife (try doing that now). He would pick me up from school and I would play around in basements of old houses making stuff from old lathe and occasionally holding a fishtape tight so he could pull it back. Moved out when I was 17 and worked in a truck stop in western wisconsin and lived in an apartment with a bunch of kids until one of em bailed out of state with all the rent money. Called my dad and started working with him again. He started buying up some rental houses so I worked on those with him and then took a job with a national company doing apartment maintenance. I absolutely hated it and two years later I saw an ad on craigslist for an apprentice. I jumped back into the field and now am working towards finally pulling a journeyman's license with the ultimate goal being buying out the remnants of my dad's shop and expanding it in the directions I feel like going. I'm a third generation electrician and I wouldn't change it for anything. I hope to pass it down to my son when he's old enough.

[rkess]

When I was around two years old my parents were finishing the rec room in our basement. They had the receptacles pulled out to put paneling on. I came over and grabbed ahold of it,I flew across the room. That was the start of my fasination with electricity. after graduating from a vo-tech school (1983)I've been in the trade ever since.

[RHJohnson]

My dad was self employed carpenter, worked with him from a very young age - didn't ever know there was a child labor law" anyway I still remember one day when some linemen drove up to give us power. They were loud, brash, and joking. Teased the young guy who they made climb the pole about being a girl if he wanted the power off.
Those guy's impressed me - I might have been 13.
My favorite uncle was a real old time electrician. He was doing electrical work in 1910. He put in much of the electrical systems at the mines in Idaho at a time when the longest transmission line in the world was from Spokane, Washington to north Idaho.
After my discharge from the good old corps I tried to get an apprenticeship - couldn't get on as an electrical apprentice, so took job as Lead Burner apprentice, then went back into the corps for a couple years, back out got job as mechanic/millwright, still no electrican job.. Quit and went in the mines and became a miner, took correspondence in electricity.
One day I got the chance - by now had 3 son's, but I took a 50% cut in pay and was on my way! Studied constantly, Had more electrical books and catalogs than anyone I've ever met.
I think it became my life, and I had to learn to control it. But I've never been sorry - Now my 3 son's are electricians, as is my oldest grandson.

[jrannis]

Dad was in the trade. Really wanted me and my brother to go to college or do something professional. We lived better than anybody I knew at the time. Still cant understand why. Guess the trade had its time and place. The pipe fitters make more than we do now.
We are both in the trade now, pushing 50 and encouraging our kids to finish college and enjoy life.

[StevieG1223]

First off let me introduce myself as this is my first post on this website. My names Stephen and I'm an Apprentice out of a small shop in Ma. Some of you may know the electrical I work with "Electricalperson". Anyway I never really wanted to be an electrician. My stepfather was an electrician forever and I used to enjoy being on the job sites with him when I was young but I never gave it much thought. Unfortunately he passed away 2 years ago and since then I have given this trade much thought. After High School I took a course in Residential Wireing and really enjoyed it. Luckily after two months of looking for a job someone took a chance with a 17 year old greenie and hired me. Now I've been in the trade for almost a year and enjoy it.

[electricalperson]

im pretty glad i got into the field. i wanted to get my master electrician license even before i left middle school. 7th grade was the time we got to pick the high school and i picked the trade school and wanted electrical. i tried so hard to get it and when i opened up the letter that said i gotten electrical i was so excited it was crazy. every day i was in shop it was so much fun. only time in school i actually applied myself. i didnt get that good of grades in the regular classes but shop and related i excelled in

[cschmid]

First off let me introduce myself as this is my first post on this website. My names Stephen and I'm an Apprentice out of a small shop in Ma. Some of you may know the electrical I work with "Electricalperson". Anyway I never really wanted to be an electrician. My stepfather was an electrician forever and I used to enjoy being on the job sites with him when I was young but I never gave it much thought. Unfortunately he passed away 2 years ago and since then I have given this trade much thought. After High School I took a course in Residential Wireing and really enjoyed it. Luckily after two months of looking for a job someone took a chance with a 17 year old greenie and hired me. Now I've been in the trade for almost a year and enjoy it.


Let me welcome you to the board..do not be afraid to feed the animals oops I mean the members their bits are worse then their barks...:D

[electricalperson]

im pretty glad i got into the field. i wanted to get my master electrician license even before i left middle school. 7th grade was the time we got to pick the high school and i picked the trade school and wanted electrical. i tried so hard to get it and when i opened up the letter that said i gotten electrical i was so excited it was crazy. every day i was in shop it was so much fun. only time in school i actually applied myself. i didnt get that good of grades in the regular classes but shop and related i excelled in

welcome to the site steve

[Mule]

I was hired by a union contractor at the age of 15 for the summer Yep, you heard me right. Wiring a mormon church with off-spec junk conduit. It split open if you placed the bender anywhere but 2:00 4:00 8:00 or 10:00 in relationship to the seam...haha used alot of couplings !!! From there I've been in the trade for 36 years....Ive worked construction, maintenance, inspector,foreman, I&E supervisor, and now work for myself ...wished Id had done that years ago, because I love it....

[StevieG1223]

Let me welcome you to the board..do not be afraid to feed the animals oops I mean the members their bits are worse then their barks...:D

Thanks!!!!

[Ebow]

I started off working as a Water Plant Operator for the town I live in right out of H.S. As a trainee I had to work maint. four days a week and cover party shift on Friday eve. Seven years later I was full time maint. a year later I was Maint. Supervisor. Most of the equipment was as old, if not older, than I was including the electrical. Since I had to supervise the Electricians I had to know what the were doing and understand it also. So I started to study and learn from books and my men. After about a decade of that I left that job and "bummed" around as a Maintenance man in a Mobile Home rental community for a few years and helped a friend do Air Cond. work occasionally. One day I was at the company I presently work for picking up some material and off handedly asked if they were hiring. Almost eleven years later and I am still there.
I have stuck with it because I like the challenges that come with it.

Gene
__________________________________

Remember - Speed Kills and its not alway you.

[LarryFine]

Welcome to the zoo, Steve! :smile: Okay, my turn.

When we moved into the house I grew up in, I was about four. My mom told me she found me in the utility room one day, looking at the wires in the unfinished ceiling. They were home runs for the most part, of course, but "I just wondered where they went."

Some time later, I helped my dad connect a UHF tuner to the color TV, and install an antenna rotator. I really don't remember not being interested in electronics, but did a lot of reading in the school library. I started building crystal radios when I was six.

One of my favorite toys was an electricity learning kit my parents bought for me. I actually had to assemble the little bulb sockets and switches, using nuts and bolts and fiber washers and sleeves. Then, I could connect various circuits and make them work.

I even had kits that taught you how to build electric motors, where you stacked the rotor laminations onto the shaft, wound the three rotor poles, assembled and wired the commutator, place the magnets and pole pieces in the frame, and put it all together.

I also read older books about electrical wiring, showing in great detail, for example, how to wire an existing house, from running K&T to fishing BX, etc. They showed various fusing and switching methods, generating, and even neighborhood distribution.

I wired telephones in every room in the house, wired a couple of rooms for sound, added headphone jacks and input and output jacks in stereo phonos and stuff, wired our toolshed for power when I was about 12, did a service change for my uncle when I was 16.

I've built plenty of audio and other gear over the years, from kits that included all the parts and components, and soldered them onto the printed-circuit board, to making stuff from scratch, including etching my own PC boards. I also do home-theater and other LV wiring.

I guess the distinction between electricity and electronics isn't that great for me. Power has a signal, and signals transfer power. I've known more theory than just about every electrician I've ever worked under or with, but I had to learn the mechanics of the work; the hardware.

Why an electrician? I guess because I understand it, I love the challenges, and it's just fun to be a tool-slinger.

[Mule]

Welcome to the zoo, Steve! :smile: Okay, my turn.

When we moved into the house I grew up in, I was about four. My mom told me she found me in the utility room one day, looking at the wires in the unfinished ceiling. They were home runs for the most part, of course, but "I just wondered where they went."

Some time later, I helped my dad connect a UHF tuner to the color TV, and install an antenna rotator. I really don't remember not being interested in electronics, but did a lot of reading in the school library. I started building crystal radios when I was six.

One of my favorite toys was an electricity learning kit my parents bought for me. I actually had to assemble the little bulb sockets and switches, using nuts and bolts and fiber washers and sleeves. Then, I could connect various circuits and make them work.

I even had kits that taught you how to build electric motors, where you stacked the rotor laminations onto the shaft, wound the three rotor poles, assembled and wired the commutator, place the magnets and pole pieces in the frame, and put it all together.

I also read older books about electrical wiring, showing in great detail, for example, how to wire an existing house, from running K&T to fishing BX, etc. They showed various fusing and switching methods, generating, and even neighborhood distribution.

I wired telephones in every room in the house, wired a couple of rooms for sound, added headphone jacks and input and output jacks in stereo phonos and stuff, wired our toolshed for power when I was about 12, did a service change for my uncle when I was 16.

I've built plenty of audio and other gear over the years, from kits that included all the parts and components, and soldered them onto the printed-circuit board, to making stuff from scratch, including etching my own PC boards. I also do home-theater and other LV wiring.

I guess the distinction between electricity and electronics isn't that great for me. Power has a signal, and signals transfer power. I've known more theory than just about every electrician I've ever worked under or with, but I had to learn the mechanics of the work; the hardware.

Why an electrician? I guess because I understand it, I love the challenges, and it's just fun to be a tool-slinger.

Now there's a guy that's got it in his soul !!!!

[electricguy]

I even had kits that taught you how to build electric motors, where you stacked the rotor laminations onto the shaft, wound the three rotor poles, assembled and wired the commutator, place the magnets and pole pieces in the frame, and put it all together

I am jealous I had to use nails with turns old wire i salvalved from old radio transformers to make my motor kit :)

a cats whisker and a piece of quatz and wasnt sure if i used the cardboard tube that my dads bottle of whisky came in for the form for the tunning coil.

[LarryFine]

a cats whisker and a piece of quatz and wasnt sure if i used the cardboard tube that my dads bottle of whisky came in for the form for the tunning coil.
The first crystal radio I made from a book about radios didn't actually use a crystal at all. It was about how POW's made radios from what they had available.

The detector was made with a blue-type double-edge razor blade, with a pencil lead attached to a bent safety pin, instead of the cat's whisker on the crystal.

The coil was 100 just turns of wire on a paper-towel tube. There was no tuning condenser (variable cap), so selection was very limited. (as was volume :wink:)

[LarryFine]

Now there's a guy that's got it in his soul !!!!I guess so. :D

[Ernest Schwarz]

when i was a little shave (5 OR 6),, Mr Brown, an electrician put in a sears kenmore electric dryer for my parents.......he installed a 30 amp disconnect across the basement over the workbench telling my folks that the little shaver would not be able to turn it on if they turned off the "dryer Switch"........well before he had gotten his bill written.......the dryer was running!!.......it was so easy.....just get up on the work bench, push up that little handle, climb down, walk across to dryer and turn on the knob............he told mom i had a job when i was 16..........i have always enjoyed wiring and controls.......i am semi-retired and now do some custom lighting controls for churches..........i have always been in either the electrical or electronics fields.......i worked for and got my master tag.........

[ironman3452]

when i was 6 years old, older bro was into working in electrical maintenance field, went to work with him one day and he showed me what he need to do to run new wires in a building for lighting, and i am still repairing and installing, to this day. have to thank him for giving me the time to learn from him.

[bigjohn67]

My dad said
2 things in life

People need to eat...... grocery business
People need electricity......

Grocery business sucks so here I am..... 26 yrs later

[hardworkingstiff]

Now there's a guy that's got it in his soul !!!!

Yea, brings a tear to my eye. :)

[roger3829]

I know this thread was started a while ago and I held off posting.

My grandfather is the one responsible for making me an electrician. He had started his own business at the end of WWII

I started working with him when I was about 12 and he was about 60.

I attended a vocational high school to be an electrician. I worked with him during the summers and after school. Unfortunatly for me he decided to sell his customer base and retire in 1979, before I was able to graduate from high school. With his influence I attended a 2 year college and got my Associates degree in electrical engineering.

During the first 3 years of his retirement (clause in sale of customers) he really didn't do too much side work, but when ever he did, I worked with him. After that time was up he went back to doing more and more side work to stay busy. I worked in the full time electronics field for 6 years before getting back into the electrical field full time as an estimator. All the while I was working the side jobs with him. In 1989 when he was 76 and I was 27 we decided to reopen the business and go at it full time. We did so until 1996 when I decided to teach electrical full time in a Technical high school. We continued to work together on and off over the next few years.

Finally in 2004 he had to put down his tools as he could no longer see well enough to work or drive.

In November he decided that he wanted to have a heart valve replaced as he was having a hard time getting around. It was an experimental procedure and risky, especially since he was now 95 years old. Unfortunatly the procedure did not go well. Emergency open heart surgery was necessary to save him. Complications arose. He fought for 88 days, and finally gave up on January 23.

He was a great man, a great electrician, and a great grandfather.

He will be truly missed.

[macmikeman]

I was employed to more or less hit 6 penny nails in strait lines into plywood sheets that were part of a roof, in the Florida heat, for very little pay during the summer months school break in Florida. I leaned over the edge one day when the electricians arrived to go work inside where it was cool enough to qualify for only plain inhuman, and applied to work for them instead. Got hired. That led to electrical vocational schooling. From where I came from, and for what little I had going for me then, I feel very lucky and grateful.