Career Path

[RampyElectric]

If a fella was interested in EVENTUALLY becoming an instructor, what would be a path he could follow? Does it require a liberal arts education?

 

[ibew441dc]

My advice to you , if you want to be an instructor I would make sure that you were well versed in whatever it is you want to teach.

I have run across a few instuctors that could actually do more harm than good, when it comes to electrical work.

On the other hand I know many instuctors that take the electrical trade very seriously. My hat is off to them.

I am not an instructor but depending on what level and arena you would wish to teach in would determine the prerequisites.

I am a member of IBEW, Local 441 Orange County,CA and many of our instructors have degrees and others have years of valuable experience.

Good Luck

ibew441dc

 

[mdshunk]

I'd never take a pay cut like that. Same thing with being an inspector. An instructor or an inspector is a good retirement job.

 

[ibew441dc]

I second that.

 

[brian john]

Wages depend upon where you work, our instructors at the local make scale. I taught part time and did seminars, was nice pocket money.

As for quality of instructors I must agree, many of our apprentices tell me about the rare lame instructor, (unfortunately the lame ones seldom take advice, I?ve tried) I've also taken a few seminars were I felt I knew more than the instructors, at the price of the seminar I must say I was less than happy.

Read constantly, down load information (the web is a wonderful thing, if you can find the information and weed out the sales BS). Never feel you know it all, if you can?t answer a question admit it, but tell the student you will get the correct answer, (no one knows it all) assistant teach if possible. Take all possible seminars to learn and see different teaching styles. Having a degree would not hurt.

 

[RampyElectric]

Thanks. I am definetly not thinking of doing it now.....just as a long term, nearer to retirement goal.

 

[sandsnow]

I'd never take a pay cut like that. Same thing with being an inspector. An instructor or an inspector is a good retirement job.

Every areas is different for inspectors, but I get paid very well. Comparable to prevailing wage for a journeymen. That's wages plus benefits equal total compensation.

 

[tallgirl]

I think this is generally true for instructing of all kinds --

First, make sure you actually want to teach. I'm a senior engineer where I work and "teach the junior people" is a job requirement. Which I happen to enjoy, so I had planned at one time to retire as a public school teacher. I'm a masochist, I know.

I learned mostly by teaching junior people within my department(s), doing seminars at conferences, things we call "technology transfer" where architects and lead designers teach others how the stuff we designed works, and so on. I've not had any education or teaching coursework, I just learned it on-the-job over the past 10 or so years. When I do electrical work, I often do lay-person "education" -- safety talks and the like.

My advice, and again I think this applies to just about all fields, is to get some experience "teaching" either by teaching underlings or outsiders. I've done "show-and-tell" for friends (including an ex of mine who was in college getting an associates in network something-or-other), conference presentations, courses for clients and so on. Get feedback on what you're doing right, and where you need improvement. Lather, rinse, repeat.

A lot of instructors outside of the university environment have experience in their field with no formal education-field background (meaning, no liberal arts education in "education"). The instructor at the technical school where I spoke (ITT Technical) had industry experience with LAN gear, and that's what he did for his day job. I was there talking about designing networking software and network security. Which brings me back to Brian's comment -- you might be able to gain experience teaching or assistant teaching at a local school or JATC.

 

[raider1]

If a fella was interested in EVENTUALLY becoming an instructor, what would be a path he could follow? Does it require a liberal arts education?

You might also look into a part time instructing position. In my area there is no full-time apprentice school, you go two nights a week for 3 hours a night. I have been teaching this way for about 3 years now and really enjoy it and the pay per hour is better then the journeymans per hour rate.

This has also opened the door to teaching 8 hour continiuing education classes.

Chris

 

[RampyElectric]

Thanks, always helpul people here.