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#165375 06/26/07 05:04 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
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Seems as though certified electricians are in high demand here in CA. I currently am looking for at least 5 certified guys that are looking for work and have commercial/industrial background. If you are in the market or know of anyone who is, please feel free to contact me asap. My # is 510-864-3824. The projects are all throughout the Bay Area.

Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 348
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ITO Offline
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I have had an opening for 10, for the past 6 months, and am almost ready to pay a head hunter for a good foreman.

Presently for every 5 electricians that I hire, maybe 1 is a keeper, and for every 10 that are keepers maybe one is foreman quality.


101° Rx = + /_\
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,064
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Member

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 16
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Junior Member
Its almost like a manpower superintendint has the same skills as a basketball coach.

Put this guy in, get rid of this guy, get me another guy, hold this guy on the bench, get ready for this game over here.

Highly dependable, intelligent, fast and thorough guys go where the money is... into contracting, into competition with you.

Joined: May 2003
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e57 Offline
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It's going to be really tough over the next few years to find "Certified" guys in our area for a few reasons. Many aren't, some won't, and some can't, or don't think they can get certified, and I still find guys who don't even know that they should be already.

On top of that, many during the peroid of time between '99~06 when and got thier C-10 license in an act of self-preservation due to the law being passed, then post-poned and changed constantly during that time. many of those people are now out on thier own, and looking for employees... So you have a huge number of small independant shops out there who want to grow - but have no one to grow with...

Then there is the broader reason that hits the very nature of the law - control over entry to the trade itself. (California did not require formal apprenticeship until only roughly two years ago) Sure formal apprenticeship is great so long as there are enough apprentices to go around - and there just isn't! And reasons for that are clear, there just are not enough of the programs to go around, and too archaic to navigate admittance that you need "know some" to have someone "Walk-you-in" to figure out the process, and still those programs turn away thousands. Then the merit programs are are relegated to certain geographical areas. (By DAS decree unless they feel there is a need, and they have little contact with the industry at all! And a one sided contact if that...) They are are also not recruiting or producing nearly as many apprentices to fill the merit void. Nor are they able to serve the vast number of independent shops out there who are turning to "Electrician Trainees". (Who need to be educated in an approved program - in another geopraphical area...)

The ET program does have some benefit for guys going into shop looking to get a foot in the door, as there is far less of a commitment, and they wont be dispatched to some other shop in deep space. But all of thier classes are in another geographical area - so they still have to drive somewhere else for that, and often pay for the classes themselves. If they are going to do that - they go into City College, study programming, work at a coffee shop and skip the commute... Or go into any other trade, 'cause you don't need to go through all of this tripe to become a carpenter or plumber.

Anyway, I wish you luck - because I am in roughly the same boat. Have work, and nobody to put on it.



Mark Heller
"Well - I oughta....." -Jackie Gleason
Joined: May 2003
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e57 Offline
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Dnk, wish I could. BTW the link is to a commercial head-hunter agency.


Mark Heller
"Well - I oughta....." -Jackie Gleason
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 348
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ITO Offline
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The military guys sound great and sometimes even work out but I have found that you cant use military service to judge the quality of a foreman.


101° Rx = + /_\
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,064
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Mark, they are head hunters, run by all vets, and everyone who works for them are vets.
The vets are easier to train (in general) to your particular job specs than the civilian people due to their training and experience in the team environment.

ITO, you're correct. But so many of them have experience in commanding people, and like I said, they are easier to train for your needs, and understand business and the command structure of things already.
I threw it out there due to your posting of possibly hiring a agency.

Plus you would be helping out people who help us all out everyday.

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ITO Offline
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One of my best project managers is an ex career marine, who is not to be taken lightly on anything, and he gets things done.

My other attempts at finding someone like him have not gone as well. The other 3 I hired were having a hard time adjusting and ended up quitting.

The other issue I run into is yes the potential is there with ex service men, but not a lot of them are electricians.


101° Rx = + /_\
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 421
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it's a shame ..you guys are hurting for workers and up here at the Western edge of the Rust Belt.there is literally a few thousand electricians looking for steady work.....been that way for a few years too


Tom
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