ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area electrical engineer to electrician

Try getting a job at a POCO, they may pay you higher than apprentice wages and get position as electrician / technician.

You get great aspects of work in the utility industry such as substations, cable faults, control ccts, general faultwork and new installations / new subdivisions and maintenance.
Also the outside work is great when the weather is fine.
As mentioned by our other members is that if you actually fix a problem you see the visible results of the job. e.g. streetlights faults

You may get some credits for your experience although you probably still have to do 8000 hrs of practical work.

Worth a try.

good luck Ray.

[This message has been edited by RODALCO (edited 02-11-2006).]

It sounds to me like this is your first job out of college?? Why not try to find another EE job that actually involves your degree??I have a BSME, passed the EIT exam but I always wanted to be a contractor. I'm older now and looking back I probably should have used my degree but....

Mike
I can understand your frustration. There a number of engineering construction firms that need field engineers. They do the training and may put you in the field actually doing work with the electrical installation people. You learn a lot actually doing the work. Don't give up now. You are just at the beginning.

Bob PE

I was in your position 4 years ago Mike. I had completed my EE degree but was working as a design engineer which involved sitting behind a desk for 39 hours a week.

I left and went to work for a PoCO and I'm now a field engineer working on maintenance and faults. Every day is different and generally challenging.

Its worth a try finding an engineering job that will challenge and interest you!

Cheers

Ian