ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Who is the ultimate electrician?

I can dig it, Glenn. He has to understand all theory. Now, in your opinion, besides getting his hands dirty every day. In your opinion, what are some other specific traits (experience, education, knowledge, etc) that that your "idea" of the ultimate electrician has.


Keep it coming,
Doc

I like Peter's look at this.

We are all specialized due to circumstance,ie, work in maintenance, (because the plant is there) residential, (due to our area) industrial, (due to our local) commercial (due to the company we work for not having any other work for us)

We all have a choice to be well rounded, (knowledged) or just be two wire electricians, the ones who choose to remain the latter, would be the same in any trade.

To judge "anyone" in any other format or standard (such as, is any part of the electrical industry above another) is wrong.

Roger

Doc,
Sorry about the mis-understanding,
I see your point now.
But I do agree with Peter(CTwireman), with his comments on "taking pride in your work and never stopping learning".
A high level of workmanship is one thing that I would try to instill in every apprentice that works with me, as, as a Tradesman, this is what you are measured by,
you don't gain much respect, by doing quick, rough work and nothing looks worse than shoddy installation work.
Keeping up with the latest technology, is also the mark of a true professional, we have "Electricians", over here that are still figuring out how to wire a light-dimmer
into a 2-way circuit.

Roger,


I hope you'll see from my second post, and I'll quote myself, that my intent is not to judge.


Humbly,
Doc

I think the ultimate electrician is one who is allways willing to learn new things, does all his work with pride each and everytime, follows codes and saftey practices, and is willing to mentor others to do the same.

I have worked in factories ever since highschool (1991). I have allways been interested in electricity and maint since i was a kid and tried to rewire my dads barn. I worked in maintenance for about 3 years doing trouble shooting and repair. thats when i decided to go back to school and get an education (associate degree in Industrial electrical maintenance). Since then i have learned alot in the field by way of on the job training and troubleshooting. I feel i am strong electricaly in troubleshooting and wiring as well as in plc troubleshooting. As well as hydraulics and pneumatic systems. I continue to take classes for some things that i can get the company to pay for and pick the brains of the older guys as well as visit this forum and others to read and learn. I don't feel i am the ultimate electrician because i still feel i have alot to learn but i do know i am a heck of a maintenance man and allways up for a new challenge.

It sounds to me like the "ultimate electrician" status is something that is not obtainable. Because as jlhmaint says...


The "spirit" of many of the other posts have been along the same "theme". It seems to be the guy "who is always willing to learn". I guess I'm looking for someone who has already obtained a "body of knowledge", and in my mind "that person" is the "control expert". Perhaps it's that "grass is always greener" type deal for me. Though I know many things about controls, and am willing to learn more about them, circumstances in my career, decisions that I've made, etc. have prevented me from increasing my scope of knowledge in this area.
So, let me word it another way. Is there someone you know, that if you could, you would model your career after? Is it our own Joe Tedesco? Would it be Mike Holt? One would be hard pressed to deny that both these men have obtained a "high level" in our industry.
For me the ultimate electrician is a guy named Gary S. If this thread continues to grow, I will post more about why, in my mind, Gary S. is the "ultimate electrician".

Regards,
Doc

Doc, I didn't mean for my post to sound like it was aimed at you. Reading it now,I see that it does look that way, and I appologize. I know you to well to think you would throw something like that out here.

I was taking Peters post and expanding on it with my own feelings.

Roger

An ultimate electrician is for whom something new comes along, he considers it a challenge not a shun.

And gets it done.



[This message has been edited by Wirenuttt (edited 12-11-2002).]

Watt Doctor;
I am an electrical contractor. I don't consider myself the best in my field, yet I do hold my own. I do commercial, residential, industrial, and PLC programming. My guys that work for me, look up to me. Not that I am the smartest electrician that they have ever met, but because I treat each problem that we encounter as a new learning experience. I try to teach each of my guys everything that I have learned in the 24 years that I have been doing electrical work. Customer relations have been the hardest for them to learn. Every time a customer has an electrical problem, they are scared. I let the customer know that they have nothing to fear, anything can be fixed. Most people (not including electricians) are afraid of electricity.
But the best advice that I have ever had since I opened my business was from my mother. I quote " treat each customer as you would your own mother. Give them the same respect and service you would give me and you will go far in your profession." Because of this, I retain about 90% repeat business. A good electrician not only knows his trade, but also his customers!

I have always felt that someone who is not afraid to tell me "Scott I do not know" is more valuable to me than someone who will try to BS me. If you tell me you do not know the we can try and work it out together. If you BS me, it will not be done right. There is a saying that goes something like, there is never enough time to do it right, but there is always enough time to do it again.
Scott