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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 7
T
New Member
There seems to be 3 paths:
1) Union Apprenticeship (Jatc)-> 5yrs, 8000 work hrs, and 800hrs school
2) Non-union Apprenticeship (ie: McDean)-> ?
3) 4 year bachelor's degree

Questions:
1) What are the differences between the union + non-union apprenticeships? advantages/disadvantages of both?

2) What bachelor degrees are accepted to be able to take the Journeyman's test?

3) Advantage/disadvantage of being a union/non-union electrician?

4a) According to the state, all you need to take their Journeyman license test is 4yrs experience and 240hrs school. Why does the union apprenticeship require 5yrs + 800hrs?

4b) can you take the Journeyman test in the 4th year of the apprenticeship? If not, then why not since you will have 8000hrs by year 4? Why wait an additional year to earn full journeyman wages + benefits?

THX!

Last edited by TomEdison; 08/24/07 11:07 PM.
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 20
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Member
In regards to having credentials, I'm stewing over whether to pursue my journeyman's for the county or state. In addition to this prospect, I've realized an additional issue. I've recently found I am qaulified to take the Masters for the state but I am not qualified to take the masters for the county. Our county requires min. 2yrs. experience as listed journeyman under a master. State requires min. five years ojt. and references from licensed master Electrical contractor or general contractor. I've been in the the since 1997. I wonder ethically about the right decision. Any comments would be appreciated.I live in Saint Johns County, Florida

Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
Member
Tom,

The pros and cons of union membership vs. non are one of the subjects that we avoid on ECN. It just causes too much trouble and animosity, and it's better not discussed here

If anyone would like to discuss it with you, they are welcome to use the Private Message feature, or use email if you've got your email address listed in your profile.

(BTW, I have already deleted one post from this thread)

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 984
Likes: 1
G
Member
The bachelor degree is the tough way to go...and you'll likely need to learn all the apprentice stuff later anyway.

My degree was great for theory but included a lot of 'fuzzy subjects' like French Literature courses that never got used again. My training for field work, wiring, conduit, fusing, etc. came courtesy of my GE training (after graduation) and is what I use almost every day. In fact, I tell folks in all honesty that I learned more in those 12 weeks than I did in the preceeding 2 years.

Apprentice training, wherever you find it, is more targeted to stuff that you will be expected to know when you get in the field. Your JM will be able to explain why you dress line and load cables in a certain way, but he may get a bit miffed if you ask him how to measure for a conduit bend.

It's a great field to be in...hope it works out for you.


Ghost307
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 169
S
Member
In the state of mass we needd 8000 hours of on the job training plus 600 hours of code class hours before we can take the jouryman exam. To get the masters you need a year of working in the trade once you have your jouryman ticket plus another 150 hours of masters code class. After 5 years i have 6002 hours andd 450 code class hours. It took a little more time cause construction in western mass is a little slow.Thats it in a nutshell for the state of mass. Good luck and keep plugging away,
Steve the almost 49 year old apprentice.

Last edited by steve ancient apprentice; 08/25/07 10:45 AM.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 853
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It's an excelent field. With endless possabilities and direction.
So my advice, go for it, no matter what the requirements.

I tried to get my son into it, he said "no, everything is going wireless"... Then I brought him into a SPRINT cell/ tower site.... Talk about wires !!!

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
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Ghost is right about the college path. I can't imagine how sitting in a classroom for 4 years can really compare to several years of real world experience.
Give me the "on the job" candidate every time.
Certainly some of the code and theory basics can be learned in school but you need to do the job to learn the job.
I think virtually all education should be a mix of classroom and working at the job. Unfortunately "educators" are such a closed minded group they can't think outside their little world of the classroom. Most have never even been "outside" in their whole life.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 7
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New Member
Originally Posted by steve ancient apprentice
In the state of mass we needd 8000 hours of on the job training plus 600 hours of code class hours before we can take the jouryman exam. To get the masters you need a year of working in the trade once you have your jouryman ticket plus another 150 hours of masters code class. After 5 years i have 6002 hours andd 450 code class hours. It took a little more time cause construction in western mass is a little slow.Thats it in a nutshell for the state of mass. Good luck and keep plugging away,
Steve the almost 49 year old apprentice.


5yrs and only 6000hrs?! wow, that is slow considering:

40hrs/wk x 52 weeks = ~2000hrs/yr. so 4yrs = 8000hrs.

That's why i was surprised about the 5yr AND 8000hr rule for aprenticeships. you're basically working an extra year at apprenticeship benefits? frown

as for bachelor's degree, what other degrees besides electrical engineer allows me to take the Journeyman test?

Last edited by TomEdison; 08/25/07 02:32 PM.
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,148
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Quote
as for bachelor's degree, what other degrees besides electrical engineer allows me to take the Journeyman test?

While I know it is done, it is my opinion that the only one that should be able to take a journeyman's test is someone that has completed the required number of hours of one the job training. Having a EE or any other bachelors degree does not qualify you to be an electrician without the on the job training.
Don


Don(resqcapt19)
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 138
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Member
There's no question you need both, on the job training and schooling. I'd recommend any four year (minimum), one night a week, trade schooling program over college.

I went thru a 4 year apprenticeship while simultaneously earning an Associates in Pre-engineering at a community college and then three years at a private engineering school in the midwest. I now have a masters license, an Electrical Engineering degree and am a licensed PE. All apply at some time during the day but my early days spent in the field under some outstanding JW's are the experiences that have proven the most fruitful.

In regards to the union/non union concerns, it's not were you went to school but what you learned. Above all you need to be able to think on your feet and make solid decisions based on the training and experiences you have at the time.

The EE degree has some relevance with the electrical work on projects, but most of it will not pertain to the physical installation of a project. That can only be learned in the field. (Only about 20% of the people who start a EE program finish, it's not for everyone.) With a EE degree and two weekends of review, you'd be able to pass the JW test. That doesn't mean you will be capable of doing the work.

Above all finish what you start. That's what gets employers excited.

Best of luck.

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