Asking for advice as an apprentice, please…

L

luisnogame

Member
Location
Arkansas
Occupation
Apprentice Electrician
Hey everyone,


I’m currently in my final year of my electrician apprenticeship, just four months away from taking my journeyman exam, and to be honest, I’m feeling completely burned out and demotivated. I wake up every day dreading going to work. The job site environment is draining. Foremen and superintendents never express appreciation for our work; instead, we’re constantly called into meetings where they threaten write-ups and speak down to us with arrogance and zero encouragement. There’s no sense of acknowledgment, just pressure and criticism.

I don’t hate the trade itself, but I hate the lack of basic human respect. I’ve been giving my all for 4 years, and it feels like the only reward is a paycheck — and even then, it’s more about how many hours you can endure, not the value you bring.

If anyone out there has felt this way, or made it through this kind of low point I’d really appreciate your insight. How do you get through these tough final months? What helped you stay focused when the environment around you felt toxic and thankless?



Thanks for reading.
 
Anyone who says they haven't felt that way is either lying or a psychotic narcissist.

Job sites are populated with guys who think the best way to get somebody to work better is to act like it's an episode of Hell's Kitchen and they get to be Gordon Ramsey. It sucks. The good news is you are just about to get your journeyman's. The number of guys aging out of the electrical trades is outstripping the number of guys coming in so you will have a ticket to work anywhere you want for good pay.

You'll never be in a world where you don't have to deal with the Gordon Ramsey types. You can't change what somebody else says to you. You can change what you say though. Instead of being the guy looking for a thank you or a compliment you can be the one who gives them. It might not even be something as complicated as that. I've found there is an amazing amount of power in just being the first guy to say hello when you come into a room. Also, if you can develop a sense of humor and don't take yourself too seriously the days on the job don't wear you down as fast or as hard.
 
When I was younger, I had to tell my lead man - If I want to be talked to like that, I'll go home to my wife

I don't know if it's because some guys just want to be head honcho slave driver, if they feel like they are in a lion pride and they need to root out the young guns who are coming up, if they never had enough encouragement from their dad.... who's to say exactly what motivates somebody to be that way?

Dave gave really solid advice in post #3

Be the one who's different.

Don't let it drag you down. Don't look at the difficulty of today, but look toward the reward of tomorrow and beyond. When you get over that hump, you'll feel like a brand new you
 
luisnogame said:
Hey everyone,


I’m currently in my final year of my electrician apprenticeship, just four months away from taking my journeyman exam, and to be honest, I’m feeling completely burned out and demotivated. I wake up every day dreading going to work. The job site environment is draining. Foremen and superintendents never express appreciation for our work; instead, we’re constantly called into meetings where they threaten write-ups and speak down to us with arrogance and zero encouragement. There’s no sense of acknowledgment, just pressure and criticism.

I don’t hate the trade itself, but I hate the lack of basic human respect. I’ve been giving my all for 4 years, and it feels like the only reward is a paycheck — and even then, it’s more about how many hours you can endure, not the value you bring.

If anyone out there has felt this way, or made it through this kind of low point I’d really appreciate your insight. How do you get through these tough final months? What helped you stay focused when the environment around you felt toxic and thankless?



Thanks for reading.
Click to expand...
Get your apprenticeship done. You can then spend some time looking for work at a better place. There are places that treat their employees better. Sadly, some bigger contractors seem to treat their employees badly from what I can seen. I don't know why they go to the trouble and expense to train them and then treat them like sh**.

You are just a readily replaceable cog in the system to them and are treated that way. Find a better niche and you will be more appreciated. And maybe paid better as well. Smaller contractors seem to treat people better, but that is not universal.

But you need to get your apprenticeship done first. You will have more options then.
 
1. There's way better contractors out there. I've been on crews full of worms and aholes and crews that feel like hanging out with the boys, its highly variable. Being a massive beatoff doesn't make you any more successful and drives away decent employees. Its rife in the trades.

2. When was the last time you had more than a week off? Ten days on a boat is a miracle cure.

3. Top out and immediately start looking for a new job.
 
petersonra said:
Get your apprenticeship done. You can then spend some time looking for work at a better place. There are places that treat their employees better. Sadly, some bigger contractors seem to treat their employees badly from what I can seen. I don't know why they go to the trouble and expense to train them and then treat them like sh**.

You are just a readily replaceable cog in the system to them and are treated that way. Find a better niche and you will be more appreciated. And maybe paid better as well. Smaller contractors seem to treat people better, but that is not universal.

But you need to get your apprenticeship done first. You will have more options then.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the tips, And yes, I will finish my apprenticeship! All these comments really boosted my mood for good. Thank you everybody!
 
If you were on a job in the 1970's and 80's, what I saw were lots of old guys, in their 50's and 60's, doing the work and looking like they were not breaking a sweat. Very few or no younger guys and no one could compete with them. They did not have the skills of older workers who could produce quality regularly every any day. Saw some artwork and magicians, how did you do that. Painting might be four steps of prep before the first coat.

The 90's came along and all those guys got fired. Painters still painted in the 1990's but they would paint right over 1/4" of dirt on the window sill. Looked like a mini Appalachian mountains. Screamers everywhere in supervision in the 1990's. Lots of mid sized companies I bid against in the 1990's went full tilt that way, many out of business, gone, some restart immediately with a new name. Very few have the same name, most new names.

Saw many guys adapt in a bad way but it's very predictable, you cannot give as badly as you get, but not for lack of trying.

I knew I could not do that, knowing you do that you become that. But I observed directly I was glad someone was out there giving it back to them. Yeah it's ubiquitous. Also learned companies get crookeder as they get bigger, having worked for three or more NYSE listed outfits, they were more crooked by far. Go there to learn how, they will teach you.

One bright spot, learned you can survive if you keep working. Get the license even at the high cost. They only hire young people so don't think it's you if you have a job. It's your age. If you want a job as an older person, just keep doing it and you'll get there. Buy the land and build a house or you could end up with nothing, as many do. Also heard once said and it's true, they will take everything away from you and then some, but they cannot take away your knowledge. Be sure to learn something along the way.
 
@ActionDave had good advice. You will get there. If It was me I would look for a smaller contractor someone with 5-15 workers. There you become an important cog in a smaller wheel. Work where you can and keep learning. When you can't learn anymore at that job find another one unless your eally like it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top