I would appreciate your valued opinion about the career move I am pursuing. I am 43yrs old and currently taking a correspondence /online course of study to become an electrician. What advice could you give? I live in Western New York State in a rural area and I would like to either get a position in the manufacturing facility I work at or go to work for an independent in the residential field.
Career Move
- Thread starter chjhnsn
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Re: Career Move
Go for it. You didn't say what you are currently doing, but I have been involved in the electrical field for many years. I love the change it presents everyday. I have not been a direct "union electrician" I have been mostly industrial, repair, and maintenance, gotten into some project engineering and have been on the supervisory end for a long time. If you like things to change (even when your doing the same thing [make sense]) this is an excellent field. I have worked on the side doing some house wiring but get a little antsy with the big jobs because can get caught with the code real easy if your not up on it. Never to late to start something new, somebody else had an excellent example in another post. Can't remember which one, but it said if you don't go for it when you feel like it, how do you think you'll feel about it in 10 years. I just moved up to a new position, same kind of field, a bit broader but a whole lot scary. Also sounds like you aren't just dropping what your doing, so go for it.
Go for it. You didn't say what you are currently doing, but I have been involved in the electrical field for many years. I love the change it presents everyday. I have not been a direct "union electrician" I have been mostly industrial, repair, and maintenance, gotten into some project engineering and have been on the supervisory end for a long time. If you like things to change (even when your doing the same thing [make sense]) this is an excellent field. I have worked on the side doing some house wiring but get a little antsy with the big jobs because can get caught with the code real easy if your not up on it. Never to late to start something new, somebody else had an excellent example in another post. Can't remember which one, but it said if you don't go for it when you feel like it, how do you think you'll feel about it in 10 years. I just moved up to a new position, same kind of field, a bit broader but a whole lot scary. Also sounds like you aren't just dropping what your doing, so go for it.
Re: Career Move
I also forgot to add, training is of the upmost importance if you have never been around electricity. Don't just rely on what you learn on line, get with other electricians. Safety, Safety, Safety, things happen to quick in this industry, an arc flash can take you out before you even realized it was possible for it to happen. And all the books in the world can't stop it if you don't think Safety. There's several WEB sites that have pictures of people that have experienced one, take a look but don't let it scare you (or do let it scare you so that you are always thinking Safety)
I also forgot to add, training is of the upmost importance if you have never been around electricity. Don't just rely on what you learn on line, get with other electricians. Safety, Safety, Safety, things happen to quick in this industry, an arc flash can take you out before you even realized it was possible for it to happen. And all the books in the world can't stop it if you don't think Safety. There's several WEB sites that have pictures of people that have experienced one, take a look but don't let it scare you (or do let it scare you so that you are always thinking Safety)
Re: Career Move
If you work hard you can do it!!
I have been in the electrical field for six years now and I LOVE my job! Not only is it challenging it is always changing. You have to stay on your toes to keep up, that is what makes it fun. I beleive you can do anything you put your mind to, you are never too old. It sounds like you already know what you want to do. Good Luck
If you work hard you can do it!!
I have been in the electrical field for six years now and I LOVE my job! Not only is it challenging it is always changing. You have to stay on your toes to keep up, that is what makes it fun. I beleive you can do anything you put your mind to, you are never too old. It sounds like you already know what you want to do. Good Luck
Re: Career Move
It really depends on what you are doing now,I am 42 yrs. old and I have been doing this a long time.I know many unemployed electricians although in my area residential seems to be doing ok.I don't do residential but I know it is one of the first things to take off when the economy is going up.Many electricians older than I comment on how they have never seen times this bad.NAFTA has sent so many factories out of the U.S. that there is a glut of industrial electricians in the workforce,many of those are making the move to maintenance,others are doing commercial work.I myself have taken a $20,000/year pay cut for the past 3 years.There is a lot of cheap labor coming into the country from south of the border and it's not going to slow down or stop.(I am not mad at anyone for doing the same thing my great grandparents did) Residential is the first place cheap labor goes,go that route and you will be competing with guys used to working hard all day for very low wages and yes they will get to NY State sooner or later if they aren't there now.I don't mean to discourage you but you should know what is in store for you.If you do get into this trade,never stop the education process,that is the only way you are going to work for the next 20+ years without changing trades again.Good luck,Brother.
It really depends on what you are doing now,I am 42 yrs. old and I have been doing this a long time.I know many unemployed electricians although in my area residential seems to be doing ok.I don't do residential but I know it is one of the first things to take off when the economy is going up.Many electricians older than I comment on how they have never seen times this bad.NAFTA has sent so many factories out of the U.S. that there is a glut of industrial electricians in the workforce,many of those are making the move to maintenance,others are doing commercial work.I myself have taken a $20,000/year pay cut for the past 3 years.There is a lot of cheap labor coming into the country from south of the border and it's not going to slow down or stop.(I am not mad at anyone for doing the same thing my great grandparents did) Residential is the first place cheap labor goes,go that route and you will be competing with guys used to working hard all day for very low wages and yes they will get to NY State sooner or later if they aren't there now.I don't mean to discourage you but you should know what is in store for you.If you do get into this trade,never stop the education process,that is the only way you are going to work for the next 20+ years without changing trades again.Good luck,Brother.
physis
Senior Member
Re: Career Move
I like the idea of being a competent electrician for a number of reasons.
One is, I'm sick of California. I wont go into why because it sounds political although it's not. So if I pull up all my roots and head for the hills I can find work with a respectable income in a field that can almost always use another guy.
Another is that bordome is my enemy. In electrical, you'll never run out of stuff to learn.
Also, in construction, you're at the top of food chain.
The list goes on. But that's just me, everybody's different.
I like the idea of being a competent electrician for a number of reasons.
One is, I'm sick of California. I wont go into why because it sounds political although it's not. So if I pull up all my roots and head for the hills I can find work with a respectable income in a field that can almost always use another guy.
Another is that bordome is my enemy. In electrical, you'll never run out of stuff to learn.
Also, in construction, you're at the top of food chain.
The list goes on. But that's just me, everybody's different.
physis
Senior Member
Re: Career Move
Wow Shawn, your post snuck in while I was typing. What you bring up is a real concern. So far, at the forefront of the cheap labor battle line we've held pretty good. Texas may be another point of attack. Anyway, here, we have a lot of unskilled and apprentice level workers. for the most part that segment of the work force hasn't brought down the rest of the industry. I think, for now, the stiffest competion is on the apprentice and sub apprentice level. That's not to say that this hasn't started impacting positions a little higher up, because it has. But I think most of the problem is confined to smaller EC's, who by rights, are allowed to try to compete. I think the level of quality those EC's end up providing with unskilled labor in most cases will also prevent them from becoming a significant market force. In a lot of ways it's self regulating, in other ways it's not. It is a real concern.
Wow Shawn, your post snuck in while I was typing. What you bring up is a real concern. So far, at the forefront of the cheap labor battle line we've held pretty good. Texas may be another point of attack. Anyway, here, we have a lot of unskilled and apprentice level workers. for the most part that segment of the work force hasn't brought down the rest of the industry. I think, for now, the stiffest competion is on the apprentice and sub apprentice level. That's not to say that this hasn't started impacting positions a little higher up, because it has. But I think most of the problem is confined to smaller EC's, who by rights, are allowed to try to compete. I think the level of quality those EC's end up providing with unskilled labor in most cases will also prevent them from becoming a significant market force. In a lot of ways it's self regulating, in other ways it's not. It is a real concern.
highkvoltage
Senior Member
Re: Career Move
Now I have heard it all. You are learning the trade online. Save you money and find a hands on program and save your money. I use to laugh at these ads.
Now I have heard it all. You are learning the trade online. Save you money and find a hands on program and save your money. I use to laugh at these ads.
Re: Career Move
I applaud Chjhnsn, and have seen some good information online, this site being an example.
I think you would be more constructive being constructive.
Roger
How many online courses have you checked out?Originally posted by highkvoltage:
Now I have heard it all. You are learning the trade online. Save you money and find a hands on program and save your money. I use to laugh at these ads.
I applaud Chjhnsn, and have seen some good information online, this site being an example.
I think you would be more constructive being constructive.
Roger
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