Getting into an apprenticeship

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Mike Guldan

Member
Well first of all i'm new to this sites forums so I hope this is the best place for this thread.

I'm 20 years old and for awhile now i've known that I wanted to get into the electrical industry. I have been working with non union contractors (some licensed some not) for about 2 years almost now. And i've learned a great deal about the fundumentals of residential wiring. Not to say i'm a pro or anything but I feel pretty comfortable piping a room from scratch.

The thing is though, when i was 17 or so I dropped out of high school. At that age I was too dense to see the bigger picture (getting a job!) so of course I got my ged. Does anyone think that will greatly effect my chances when they look through my information and see these bright red letters "GED".

As many of you have gone through the process is there anything I could do to sweeten the chances of getting an apprenticeship? Thanks in advance, off to work now. ;)
 
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LawnGuyLandSparky

Senior Member
Your GED may not be the scarlet letter you think it is. How you rate in the apprenticeship application process is determined by many factors. Your test scores, interview, and medical probing...
 
zog

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
I wouldnt worry about the GED, presentation, showing up on time, and being sober are more important than a HS diploma.
 
don_resqcapt19

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
The GED should not be a problem as long as you can do the academic work required for the apprenticeship program. The most common reason that people are dropped from out program is the inability to do the math required in the lessons and we require a at least one year of high school algebra with a minimum grade of C to get into the program.
 
charlie b

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
When I see the letters "GED," I give the person great credit for overcoming whatever reason caused him or her not to finish high school, for exerting the effort necessary to complete an equivalent level of education, and for making the decision to improve their life. Well done! Let me wish you the best of fortune in your chosen career.
 
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bphgravity

Senior Member
Location
Florida
Here in Florida, apprentices must have either a GED or high school diploma. They are considered equivalent.

All new apprentices are then required to take what is called the TABE test. That stands for The Adult Basic Education test. This test covers basic math, reading comprehension, and scientific reasoning. Apprentices must score a "9" or better on each section to qualify for the program. Those that do not score a "9" or better can take a remedial class for the subject matter, free of charge, and then take the test again anytime during the first year of apprenticeship.

A "9" is considered equivalent to "9-grade level of education".
 
petersonra

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
Sadly, many GED programs are not real good indicators that someone has achieved an equivalent level of education to a HS diploma, especially in math. Even so, most programs seem to consider them acceptable alternatives.

I think you will find that HS algebra is probably the hardest math you will need. Many local community colleges offer an algebra class that is roughly equivalent to HS algebra. You might want to take it.

The other area you may be deficient in is reading and writing. Again, a local community college may be able to help you if you need it. Being able to communicate in writing and being able to read and understand technical documents is pretty important for an electrician these days.

Most local community colleges have testing programs that can help you find where you need help and direct you to the appropriate classes.

I am not sure what the number is right now, but the local community college at one time had over 1/3 of its classes dedicated to remedial education to get students up to a level that they could succeed in college, due to the very poor quality of the local public schools. Even kids with diplomas had very low skill levels in reading, writing, English, and math.

You might even want to look at trying to get some kind of 2 year degree. Going PT it will take more than 2 years of course, but it could be worth a lot of money over your life. You may wish at some point to continue your education and get a business or management degree and become the boss, or start your own business. Don't sell yourself short. Improving your education level is a good thing, even if you don't "need" it to get in an apprenticeship program. It is difficult to go back to school once you leave it, but it can be well worth the effort.
 
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bphgravity

Senior Member
Location
Florida
barbeer said:
Bryan- is that new? I do not remember taking a test for ABC apprenticeship.
Click to expand...

It's pretty new. As a matter of fact, all the high schools in Florida were supposed to start an apprenticeship type curriculum at the beginning of the 2006 school year. I have yet to see one in my area get a program up and running. So much for state law...

Believe it or not, many of the local apprenticeship programs are NOT sanctioned by the state board of education. In order to receive matching funds from the state, you must follow their rules. I believe ABC is self-funded, so they may be exempt. The Electrical Council of Florida, on the other hand, does follow the state guidelines and receives matching funds.
 
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Jljohnson

Senior Member
Location
Colorado
I wouldn't worry to much about the GED thing. I posess one of those and am the VP of the company I work for (and have worked for) for 18 years now. Determination and and a good work ethic are more important than a formal education sometimes.
 
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Mike Guldan

Member
Well thanks everyone for the response, glad to know ged is not a bad word. I think i'm going to take Algebra again at my local community college. I passed it in highschool but haven't used any of it since then. So it probably wouldn't hurt to brush up on it a bit. I have some time to kill until the next application date (couple months) so i guess it wouldn't hurt.
 
petersonra

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
Mike Guldan said:
Well thanks everyone for the response, glad to know ged is not a bad word. I think i'm going to take Algebra again at my local community college. I passed it in highschool but haven't used any of it since then. So it probably wouldn't hurt to brush up on it a bit. I have some time to kill until the next application date (couple months) so i guess it wouldn't hurt.
Click to expand...
GED is just a piece of paper that says you are not totally uneducated. Think of it as merit badge of sorts.

It gives you a leg up on those who have neither a GED or a HS diploma.

Enhancing your value to employers by additional education will almost certainly serve you well over your working life, no matter what field you get into.
 
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