career change

Status
Not open for further replies.
POWER_PIG

POWER_PIG

Senior Member
nyerinfl said:
Math IS a major part of being an electrician. You said you're taking your j-mans test, without math you will need a miracle.

Wireman - I'm in my mid 20s, I'm a licensed contractor, and your comment about not working for people in their 20s is exactly why I brushed off even looking at a resume yesterday for a guy in his 40s, for that attitude exactly. I don't need someone not as qualified as me looking down at me for being younger. Should I be penalized for starting young and working hard to get to where I am? Just because you're in your 30s does not make you better in any way.
Click to expand...
A contractor as young as you is surley something to be proud of. You will find out though, that customers, contractors, and the world in general will respect you more for you age/experience than your book taught certifications. And just so you know,,,,,you WILL be in your 30's/ 40's sooner than you think.
 
P

Poolside

Member
I'm an instructor and I have a class with students from 18-45 years old or more. By far the best students are the older ones. It's the younger ones that are the trouble. While the younger ones may still have the knees and backs to do the grunt work, they lack the motivation and discipline to do the jobs the right way. That is if you can keep their pants pulled up and off the phone.

- Greg
 
POWER_PIG

POWER_PIG

Senior Member
Poolside said:
I'm an instructor and I have a class with students from 18-45 years old or more. By far the best students are the older ones. It's the younger ones that are the trouble. While the younger ones may still have the knees and backs to do the grunt work, they lack the motivation and discipline to do the jobs the right way. That is if you can keep their pants pulled up and off the phone.

- Greg
Click to expand...
LOL!! my pants now droop because the butt that used to hold them up has sagged to an all time low, I should have been a plumber!
 
brian john

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
Young men today are not that much different today then we were when we were their age. Quite a few knuckle heads, a few hard workers and some outstanding men. I have tried for years to keep these phrases out of my vocabulary "In my day" or "when we were apprentices".

Schools and attitudes towards our trade has changed and we seem not to get a chance to attract as many of the outstanding men, but they are there.
 
petersonra

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
IMO. this is a bad time to be trying to get into any union construction apprenticeship program. The need just is not there right now. It might be a little easier non-union since the rules are not quite as rigid, but the building boom is over for now.
 
tonyou812

tonyou812

Senior Member
Location
North New Jersey
If you dont mind back breaking work, then sure go for it. Im not sure what you think it is like but its no walk in the park. Most of us who have been doing it for a while hope to be in more of a managerial role when we are about your age. Im not one of these guys who are going to sugar coat it for you. At times it really can stink. You work in all kinds of adverse conditions hot, cold ,confinded spaces and I hope you dont have a fear of heights. And think about the big pay cut you are going to take. With no experiance dont expect a hell of a whole lot to start...... Just some things to think about. Personally if I was you and was in It I would stay were im at and maybe try to work with a local EC for a while on saturdays to see if its really something that your really want to do........ I personally would never hire someone based on age, I know plenty of 20-25 year old appretices that arent worth spit. And I also know plenty of 35 and up guys that I would love to be able to hire. Its all about attitude
 
Last edited:
POWER_PIG

POWER_PIG

Senior Member
tonyou812 said:
If you dont mind back breaking work, then sure go for it. Im not sure what you think it is like but its no walk in the park. Most of us who have been doing it for a while hope to be in more of a managerial role when we are about your age. Im not one of these guys who are going to sugar coat it for you. At times it really can stink. You work in all kinds of adverse conditions hot, cold ,confinded spaces and I hope you dont have a fear of heights. And think about the big pay cut you are going to take. With no experiance dont expect a hell of a whole lot to start...... Just some things to think about. Personally if I was you and was in It I would stay were im at and maybe try to work with a local EC for a while on saturdays to see if its really something that your really want to do........ I personally would never hire someone based on age, I know plenty of 20-25 year old appretices that arent worth spit. And I also know plenty of 35 and up guys that I would love to be able to hire. Its all about attitude
Click to expand...
Bummer, we can't just sit on buckets and twist wire nuts?
 
iaov

iaov

Senior Member
Location
Rhinelander WI
I worked as an electronics tech for 15 years before doing my apprenticeship as an industrial electrician and industrial instumentation tech. Started apprenticeship in my mid thirties. In some ways being a bit older made me a pretty good student I think. Certainly a better student than I was in my teens when my life was dedicated to girls and beer. Even with those distractions I still managed to get a good education and I've watched lots of young guys do the same. One of the things that makes our profession so different than so many others is the fact that the people involved in tend to love it.This forum is a good example of that. If you love something to the point of it almost being an obsession, no age is too early or to late to persue it. We electricians and engineers are the modern day shamans. We do the magic that lights the world and no matter how long we do this for, most of us learn new things every day.:smile:
 
Buck Parrish

Buck Parrish

Senior Member
Location
NC & IN
captaincrab55 said:
sbarrett, Can you speak Spanish????
Click to expand...


If you are planning on doing commercial work in the south. Even some resdential. Their may be a language barrier. Not all jobs but more and more are being filled by mexicans.
Part of being at work every day is commorodity with your coworkers.(esspecially if the conditions are harsh such as hot or cold or filthy etc...)
It makes it more difficult if your one of only a few that speak english.

You might get lucky and fine a good firm right away. If not don't get bogged down on a job you don't like. All companies are different . Where one might be enjoyable the other may not.

That said if I we're you. I would still want to learn electrical work.
 
POWER_PIG

POWER_PIG

Senior Member
iaov said:
I worked as an electronics tech for 15 years before doing my apprenticeship as an industrial electrician and industrial instumentation tech. Started apprenticeship in my mid thirties. In some ways being a bit older made me a pretty good student I think. Certainly a better student than I was in my teens when my life was dedicated to girls and beer. Even with those distractions I still managed to get a good education and I've watched lots of young guys do the same. One of the things that makes our profession so different than so many others is the fact that the people involved in tend to love it.This forum is a good example of that. If you love something to the point of it almost being an obsession, no age is too early or to late to persue it. We electricians and engineers are the modern day shamans. We do the magic that lights the world and no matter how long we do this for, most of us learn new things every day.:smile:
Click to expand...
Very well said my brother!:)
 
C

carlv59

Member
Location
new jersey
old apprentice

old apprentice

I am a 48 yr old apprentice who spent 30years as a truck mechanic and just got tired of turning wrenches, I have run into some problems but for the most part I have been accepted as part of the work force.Age is not the real stumbling block, it's you own perception of it that stops a lot of people
from moving out of the duldrums because they don't think it's socially
acceptable to try something new. Good luck to you, and always move forward
no matter what.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top