Looking for ideas on continuing my ed.

[sw_ross]

I finished my apprenticeship last year. Took my journeymans test last summer (passed!). I'm trying to come up with ideas for continuing my education to keep learning and broaden my knowledge of electrical wiring for the electrician.

Before the holidays I took a 6 week online course on photovoltaic system design and code criteria. That was interesting and challenging and gave me something additional to put on a resume.

Now I'm kind of at a loss as to what to focus on next to continue learning. I definitely don't know it all, there's lots more out there to learn, I just am kind of stumped as to what to focus on and how best to go forward.

I mostly do residential and commercial wiring. Not much exposure to industrial and motor control wiring (other than what I learned through my apprenticeship class).

Some ideas I'm thinking about working on:

1.) Working on my circuit troubleshooting skills.

2.) Branching out into gaining knowledge of HVAC systems - more from an electricians troubleshooting point of view.

3.) Same as #2 but refrigeration

4.) Just continuing my knowledge of code - working out of the M.Holt study guides that I already have.


My goal is two-fold. Of course I want to continue to learn and become a better electrician, but I also am looking at increasing my job security in these unsure times. It would be nice if whatever I am working on (whatever option I focused on) was tangible enough that I would be able to put it down on a resume as an actual educational accomplishment.

I do well when I have a formal itinerary to follow and a schedule to keep to. Right now i seem to be wandering around in my focus, trying to read articles in EC&M and Electrical Contractor, but not really getting any tangible learning accomplished.

If I can't come up with something like an online class I'll probably buy the Simutech Multimedia troubleshooting training software and work through it. It will give me something to focus on but it won't really give me anything specific to put on a resume.

If anybody has any ideas or feedback or maybe something I'm missing please let me know.

Thanks,
Sky

 

[nyhockey]

Join your local International Association of Electrical Inspectors. Not only will you meet inspectors you will meet contractors from your area.

 

[gndrod]

I finished my apprenticeship last year. Took my journeymans test last summer (passed!). I'm trying to come up with ideas for continuing my education to keep learning and broaden my knowledge of electrical wiring for the electrician.


Now I'm kind of at a loss as to what to focus on next to continue learning.

I mostly do residential and commercial wiring.
Some ideas I'm thinking about working on:



My goal is two-fold. Of course I want to continue to learn and become a better electrician, but I also am looking at increasing my job security in these unsure times.

I do well when I have a formal itinerary to follow and a schedule to keep to. Right now i seem to be wandering around in my focus, trying to read articles in EC&M and Electrical Contractor, but not really getting any tangible learning accomplished.

If anybody has any ideas or feedback or maybe something I'm missing please let me know.

Thanks,
Sky

Hi Sky,

NW Montana in my thoughts would be more rural and agri projects that have worked out for me in high country in CA in the past. One of the factors I faced was being able to branch out in other fields such as deep well and pond pump electrical installs that go with new home construction.

Having that basic water pump hookups experience led to many side jobs that included irrigation low voltage programmed systems for farmland areas that used generator sources for domestic water supply. Rural home setups are more common for private well domestic systems that are easily learned by studying the manufacturer products (on the internet) that have in depth installation guides. Following drilling rigs got me jobs and reputation for landing new home wiring jobs out in the sticks. Just a thought. rbj

 

[cadpoint]

Find a Construction / Management AAS Degree, then ponder more!

Know all the Max. Limits of your present situation!

Quailify what your doing both pro and con, and go Forward!

Get some Business courses, or the like!

 

[ches2443]

your local supply house

your local supply house

Call and talk to some of your electrical supply house. Many time they will offer
class and seminars on the products they sell. And often they would also know about nearby code , solar or motor control class being held.

 

[SegDog]

stay away...

stay away...

Ross,

Do NOT take an interest in HVACR. The refrigerant cycle is intoxicating. This will lead you into a world of secret, little tricks that other electricians will find offensive. You will have other electricians (the few that will talk to you) calling you for free advice on thermostats for four-way, reversing valves, and ground source systems. Also, don't forget that oxy-acetylene and refrigerant cylinders (forget propane and natural gas) are extremely dangerous when improperly handled.

Stay in your own world and you will remain happy. Oh, as one poster stated take some business courses, and deduct your IAEI membership and mileage. You can thank me now, or thank me later.

Dog

 

[cadpoint]

Get an appointment with career consultant of even go to a two or four year
college consular.

Self study is a good thing by in respects to yourself, but for resume not so much, now granted due to your location that might well be the norm.

In your situation since your hungry go find out what your hungry for, a formal education IMO is the way to go.

 

[sw_ross]

Thanks all for your reply, comments, and suggestions. As I contemplate everything, I think what I need to do is to prioritize what I focus on, in terms of continuing my education as an electrician.

I think my main focus should be continuing to focus on knowledge of code, because that's what I will need to know on the job on a daily basis. I have some MHolt study guides that I will continue to work out of - maybe focusing on articles that I don't use regularly.

Next I will pick topics that I learned about in class but haven't touched on in a while and focus on the basics - such as transformers. That way when I do encounter those situations on the job maybe I'll be better prepared to handle the job.

My third focus, in terms of priority, should be broadening my knowledge of related topics such as the HVACR stuff that I was mentioning before, or the business related topics that some of you have mentioned.

I need to realize that first off I am an electrician. Having a strong foundation in electrical stuff will more easily allow me to broaden out, eventually. I found out that our local community college has some online courses in HVAC, but it gets real expensive just to take a couple of online classes. I need to think about what benefit I'll get out of taking those courses versus the cost.

Anyways, I'm still thinking and looking for ideas, so thanks and keep the ideas coming.

Sky

 

[SegDog]

online courses, etc...

online courses, etc...

Hey Ross,

Having the right attitude is the key to good life, and you have that already.

Recently, I completed two online courses, and I regret taking them online. Last year I took two online that were perfectly fine. Believe me, having the right instructor makes all the difference. Get friendly advice on the instructor before wasting time and money.

You know what you want to learn. My first air-conditioning course opened up an entirely new world. I felt like a fish out of water because I was the only electrician. It took about ten minutes to figure out that most of them knew little more than I did. I had a great instructor. Repeating; make sure you get the best instructor.

Dog