Chris732
New member
- Location
- Old Bridge, NJ, USA
Hey guys name is Chris. Wanting to start an apprenticeship for IBEW wireman. Is it hard to get in and what is the expected wait time usually?
Wanted to start a IBEW wireman apprenticeship
- Thread starter Chris732
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I am not a union guy but the wait time etc will depend on where you are and how busy the local may be in that area. Many areas were having a hard time getting work for the men but I am not sure about now. Hopefully someone will chime in
Just look up IBEW for your area. Make sure its for inside electrician. Give them a call and talk directly to them. Usually there is an open enrollment period where you put your application in. After reviewing all the applicants you will be asked to come in for an interview. Depending on the area work outlook will determine how many apprentices will be selected.
The 2 closest Locals to your location are New Brunswick (#456) & Asbury Park (#400). I'm pretty sure Old Bridge is in New Brunswick's jurisdiction. I think they take applications in January, you may have missed the boat. You might want to call Local 102 in Parsippany. Their territory reaches nearly to where you are.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Do you know any IBEW electricians?
Fulthrotl
~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
- Occupation
- E
consider carefully all options for your geographic area.
in many areas of the US, jobs thru organized labor are few and far between.
the entire organized labor aspect of electricianeering can be a frothy
and hotly contested subject, but there are a number of forums specifically
addressing this subject. as an example, you might find one here:
http://www.electriciantalk.com/f26/
put on your fireproof fuzzy bunny slippers before venturing there,
as there can be a lot of froth.
Ken9876
Senior Member
- Location
- Jersey Shore
Check out locals 164, 456 & 269...I would stay away from 400.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
There also Local #3 in NYC.
GerryB
Senior Member
- Location
- woodbridge, ct. USA
If you can get in a local union the apprenticeship program is much better then going to a tech school. Even if the local is slow the apprentices usually work, so you get some experience. The schooling is free except maybe the books and it is spread out over 4 or 5 years so ideally when you are finished with the books you are close to or out of your time and can take the journeyman test. The tech school gives you everything in 12 or 18 months for about $26,000 and you are on your own to find work.
If one knows their stuff and can document (4,000, 5,000...?) hours of experience, you can ask the local's organizer to take the journeyman test. Not passing will put one in the apprenticeship program on member approval, at an advanced level dependent on what you got right and wrong on the test. Passing will allow you to be 'organized' in as a journeyman through member approval, but journeyman status bypasses the steady work assignments provided to apprentices.
Fulthrotl
~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
- Occupation
- E
yep. what he said.
it varies from local to local, but normally it's a 5 year apprenticeship, starting
at 35% of journeymans rate, with incremental pay increases upon completion
of stages of apprenticeship.
and, you tend to stay working, as you are cheap labor, and can usually be
used at a journeyman level more cheaply. this is good, as you usually are
tied to your home local until completion of your apprenticeship. this also
varies from local to local.
once you graduate, you can then travel to where ever there is work,
hence the name "journeyman", and you aren't as marketable as an
apprentice, 'cause you are more 'spensive.
IBEW = i've been every where.
is it worth it? for some folks it's a good deal, others, not so much.
here's what monday looks like where i live:
[h=1]Calls for Dispatch: Monday, 2/9/2015[/h][h=1]201 JWs on Book I [/h]
there are two short calls to the convention center for a trade show.
that's all for today, brothers.
two years ago, on the dispatch page, there was a link to long term
unemployment benefits, to it was added a link to the local food bank,
and mortgage assistance for people suffering severe financial hardships.
it was about two YEARS to get a job then off the book.
it must be getting better, the links to public assistance have been removed.
last time i remember work being "good" was about 10-11 years ago, but i've
not been dispatched since april 2006.
YMMV.
- Status