Ever thought of a change? what other jobs would electricians be good at? or who else hires electricians other than electrical contractors? I've heard of the phone companies and utilities and stuff, i'm looking for a change anybody have any ideas?

Melatonin:

Welcome to ECN forums!!

No, I can't say I ever wanted a change. Hadd a good run, shifted into inspections now. Must be in my blood.

There's the inspection end, and teaching the trade at a Vo-Tech school you may want to think about.

Any job can get you down after a while, so a change is nice. Even a different type of electrical work is okay and it doesn't carry a big reduction in pay. What kind of work have you done?

Love my trade.

Think of all the things that have wires.
Personally,I have found the life safety Fire alarm,special hazard protection very satisfying.

If like HL1- instructing and code compliance may be your thing.

There is so much out there that involves electricity- endless career. ya just need to start and get hooked up and explore!!!!

Mel,
Welcome to ECN, mate!
Over here, one path that a few electrician's have taken is being a sales rep at the local supply house.
Nice 8-5 job, 5 days a week in a heated store.
Customers (other electricians) are more likely to take advice from an experienced electrician on the other side of the counter, rather than someone who hasn't spent any time on the tools.

Mel,

You might work for a big box store, a school system might need someone for maintenance, home inspector (some of them can use the experienced people) or maybe even a plumber's helper.

IMHO

The hardest part about working in a big box store would be suppressing the urge to throttle the dummies that they usually hire to work alongside you who don't know what in the dickens they're talking about...which unfortunately is most of them.

I overheard one of these geniuses telling a customer how he could tap off of a couple of wires in the A/C disconnect to get 120V for his outdoor receptacle. DIRECTLY. No OCP. I don't know how some of these stores stay in business when they are trying so hard to get their customers killed off one at a time. To this day I don't know how I managed to keep my cool.

Ghost,

Maybe that would be a good reason to have someone in those big box stores that KNOWS what he is talking about. I was in one of those stores and the wiring on display for a service was wired wrong. It showed improper grounding of some sort. (I don't remember it has been many years ago.) I just remember that it was wrong.

I still remember the argument that I had with one of their totally clueless 'managers' who was working in an aisle labeled with a huge pre-printed sign that said
RECEPTICLES.

AUGHHHHH!!!!! How hard is it to copy the word correctly off of the zillions of cardboard boxes lining the shelves???

I have said this a number of times ...

... Gates.

If you are in a place with a lot of gated communities, those gates are a profit center for someone. The market may be saturated with players but that does not seem to be the case everywhere.

OUTSIDE:
Power company lineman
Phone company lineman
Cable TV company lineman
Utility installation contractors
Solar PV installation / repair / maintenance
Wind tower installation / repair / maintenance
Cell phone station installer / repair / maintenance
Highway department installer / repair / maintenance
Traffic lights / Street lights / Billboard lighting / Festival lighting
Airport runway lighting
Lightning protection system installation
HVAC installation
Oil & gas field / mining electrician

INSIDE:
Entertainment venues house electrician
Entertainment Traveling road electtrician
Theater equipment rental house electrician
Electrician for Cable TV system head ends
Phone company central office
Power plant electrician
Industrial electrician
Diesel generator installation / load testing / maintenance
Data center electrician
Large UPS and battery system installation / maintenance / repair

LITTLE WIRE JOBS:
Telephone cable splicer
Installation for network / phone / alarm / video / radio /sound / SCADA
Control panel assembler for automated machinary


There is the first 30 or so.

There is also the bulbs and ballasts change out jobs in office towers and retail stores.

A lot of it though is after normal business hours so that job is not for everybody.

I'm surprised noone mentioned this or maybe it's just because I live in Chicago now but... Hitman! Not that boring, lead flinging stuff. I'm talkin' Charles Bronson "Mechanic" style. Electrocutions, elevators, exploding toasters, space heaters, that sort of thing. I thought the Jersey and Detroit guys were going to take the lead on this one...<G>
Joe

I can't say what others would be good at, but I really enjoy stained glass.
My 'wife' and I took lessons about 10 years ago. We got pretty good over the years.

That is what I like to do. I have my own lamp design that I plan to get CSA approved in the future. Some of my lamps have over 300 pieces of glass.. some pieces smaller than a thumbtack.

The lamps involve intricate design, woodworking, soldering, and electricity... all things I enjoy.

My advice would be to try working 3 days a week for a while, and spending the off time to play around and explore. I did this for a year, and greatly improved my designing and woodworking skills, among many other things.
You learn to relax, and center, and out of that comes ideas...with no clock running your day

Typically what you enjoyed as a child, you will enjoy and be good at today. With some time off you can practice not taking everything for granted. Looking at things with new eyes, like a kid.

There's nothing in stone saying you must do the same thing 8 hours every day.

Sounds interesting.

Railroad signalmen

Joe Testing,

I think Tony Soprano already has that position filled. Thought there maybe some positions opening up!

So if you are working in a box store and give advice are you liable?

Ob

Realtor, should have a good understanding of most structures and building products, commercial or resi.

Ob

Pro Bowling too.

Well Harold, since the Detroit boys ain't talkin', they must have pulled off the Chevy Volt Garage job. Probably just a warning before the 480 volt Snuggie. Just sayin'.
Joe