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ceb58

ceb58

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Raeford, NC
Tomorow I will be starting a new job. Teaching. This program I will be working for teaches active military who are about 90 days away from getting out a trade with electrical being one of the trades. From what I have seen so far is there will be electrical theory such as ohm's law, how electricity is generated and other book learning along with OSHA regulations. The majority of the learnings is hands on in wiring mock up walls with boxes and devises. My plan is to give them code sections to read and then go do the work to understand what the code has just told them and why. The most of the training will involve residential wiring with touching on things like conduit bending, sizing and such. I plan on doing a lot with the 215 codes for residential along with the other codes that pertain to residential. Any suggestions as other codes to work on? These guys are for the most part very green in doing electrical work but the program teaches them that they can go get a job with electrical contractors in a helpers or apprentice position so they can further their knowledge and maybe one day obtain their license. What would you like to see in someone that is new to the trade allready know if they walked onto your job?
 
I'd like to see them-
have at least a rudimentary understanding Ohm's and Kirchoff's laws (and that electricity doesn't "go to ground")
know why we have an EGC and how/why it works
know how 3- and 4-way switches work
know the real names of parts, not just the local jargon
know how to ask about what they don't know
know how to deal with supervisors that don't like helpers/apprentices asking questions :D
 
zbang said:
I'd like to see them-
have at least a rudimentary understanding Ohm's and Kirchoff's laws (and that electricity doesn't "go to ground")
know why we have an EGC and how/why it works
know how 3- and 4-way switches work
know the real names of parts, not just the local jargon
know how to ask about what they don't know
know how to deal with supervisors that don't like helpers/apprentices asking questions :D
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Me! Me! Pick Me! I know all those things!
run1.gif
 
Where does is go. 🤔.
Just kidding. Pretty sure you were saying it returns to the source.
Don't confuse them. It can go to ground and it's not a good thing.
 
I would teach them how to do the work to code first. Theory is for later.
Bosses want employees that know how to to it and make it work..
 
zbang said:
I'd like to see them-
have at least a rudimentary understanding Ohm's and Kirchoff's laws (and that electricity doesn't "go to ground")
know why we have an EGC and how/why it works
know how 3- and 4-way switches work
know the real names of parts, not just the local jargon
know how to ask about what they don't know
know how to deal with supervisors that don't like helpers/apprentices asking questions :D
Click to expand...
Ohms law I get. We had to learn Kirchoff’s law in tech school, haven’t used it since in over 40 years. Three ways and four ways are good to know if your in residential, but are very rare in commercial, especially now. When I was building training boards at my last company, a lot of supervisors wanted three ways on it. I would ask them why? Our guys never do them, because we are commercial only. It is much better they know how a latching contactor works, because they deal with them frequently. The rest I agree on.
 
I only mentioned Kirchoff to get people away from the thinking "path of least resistance" means there's no flow on any parallel paths.

I'd also touch on Charlie's Rule of Technical Reading since they're going to be learning the code.
It doesn't say what you think it says, nor what you remember it to have said, nor what you were told that it says, and certainly not what you want it to say, and if by chance you are its author, it doesn't say what you intended it to say. Then what does it say? It says what it says. So if you want to know what it says, stop trying to remember what it says, and don't ask anyone else. Go back and read it, and pay attention as though you were reading it for the first time.
Copyright 2005, Charles E. Beck, P.E., Seattle, WA
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The best advice I received when had the occasion to teach some troubleshooting classes was “Just because you’re teaching, doesn’t mean you can stop learning.”
 
qcroanoke said:
I would teach them how to do the work to code first. Theory is for later.
Bosses want employees that know how to to it and make it work..
Click to expand...
I would agree. If they understand and know how to find things in the codebook, it will help them in the long run.
 
ceb58 said:
Tomorow I will be starting a new job. Teaching. This program I will be working for teaches active military who are about 90 days away from getting out a trade with electrical being one of the trades. From what I have seen so far is there will be electrical theory such as ohm's law, how electricity is generated and other book learning along with OSHA regulations. The majority of the learnings is hands on in wiring mock up walls with boxes and devises. My plan is to give them code sections to read and then go do the work to understand what the code has just told them and why. The most of the training will involve residential wiring with touching on things like conduit bending, sizing and such. I plan on doing a lot with the 215 codes for residential along with the other codes that pertain to residential. Any suggestions as other codes to work on? These guys are for the most part very green in doing electrical work but the program teaches them that they can go get a job with electrical contractors in a helpers or apprentice position so they can further their knowledge and maybe one day obtain their license. What would you like to see in someone that is new to the trade allready know if they walked onto your job?
Click to expand...
I have been teaching for a few years. I would glad to assist you in any way that I can. I have designed several wiring projects that gradually get more difficult as they learn. Good luck Rick
 
I’d make sure everyone knows how to read a tape measure first. The amount of people we get that don’t know how to read a tape measure is astounding
 
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