I start class in September but I need to have OTJ training hours too. I skimmed through the first book level 1 and I think my brain just about exploded lol. Can anyone give me some advice. I need 4 years of schooling plus something like 8000 hours OTJ training. Was it a bit intimidating when some of first started out?

Andy, yes it can be intimadating when first starting out. Stick with classes and the 8000 hours. The carrer you end up with can be very rewarding. I have been in the trade 28 years and have not regretted my decision to be an electrician.

Andy and Al - welcome to ECN!

Andy, I know that the principles of the forces behind our job can be very confusing (even with a college degree, and several years of "hands on" OTJ experience I was lost in parts of Elec Theory). There are a lot of sources out there (including here) where you can find helpful folks who will take the time to explain the whys as well as the hows.

And remember, although the author of any one book will often disagree, there is often a simpler explanation in another reference book... and, just as we are all individuals, and interpret things differently, there is no "one true" explanation or method that will work for all.

Stick with it, and I hope you'll find it a rewarding career.

Good luck!

It is definately not a walk in the park. It does get easier when you start to put the school work with the on the job work.

You should do well as long as you have your head in the right place. You have to "want" to do this. It has to peak your interest and be sort of a challenge.

Alot of the school work goes in sequence. Don't get too far ahead of your self. It all comes together in time.

After fifteen years doing this trade, there is still more to learn!

The first few years are the hardest. Absorbing therory and doing grunt work.... (Studying Trig, and crawling around an attic...) Doesn't feel like it makes sense until the work and the edjucation start to come together. (in about five years for you.)It's how most of us started.

Well worth it though! And best if the basics are solid...

Becoming an electrician turned out to be very rewarding for me.

I was a High School drop out and could have become a just another guy asking if you want to super-size that order.

The trade has been very good to me. Do not think you will ever learn it all. To me that is one of the good things about this trade, often you find yourself doing new things.

Good Luck, Bob

Thanks guys for the replies.

My first day on the job where I was involved with the wiring, my foreman pointed to a junction box with black, red, blue, white and green conductors. He asked me if I knew what it was, I replied "colorful" that did not make him to happy.

Pay close attention on the job, be proactive, not reactive and ask a lot of questions. Today you have the opportunity of the net and a lot of documentation. Work hard and you will reap the benefits in the years to come.

Pierre

One thing that many people don't consider before entering the trade is mechanical aptitude. If you are skilled at taking things apart, repairing cars, working on engines, working with tools, etc then chances are you will succeed in the electrical trade.

From what I have seen, if you are "all thumbs" and have no mechanical aptitude, then your chances of success are very low, no matter how much book knowledge you might obtain.

Peter

Well I use to like to work on lawn mower engines hehe.

You're also at least a little 'self-aware'... if you detect that you're intimidated, you at least know that there's potentially a dragon in front of you to joust with. Just stay the course, as it were, and you'll cover a lot of ground in due time.

One way to think of it is that if the school is 5 years... you'll spend 5 years adding to your knowledge and experience and hopefully gain something that will help support the next level of achievement. If you don't invest the next 5 (or x number of) years doing so, the time will pass all the same and you'll end up 5 years older without the knowledge and experience.

4 years isn't too bad at all. Here in NYC, its 5 years of classes and you also take college classes to get an associates degree. And it takes 5 and half years to become a journeyman.

More power to you Andy! You can do it! If you ever want a shot of motivation, just check out some of Joe Salimandos writings on the inevitable electrician shortage the country is headed for. You can find his archives in Tedmag.com. Good stuff. It has truly been a rewarding career for me and have never regretted it. Ya gotta luv it tho! Remember, you get out what you put in. We are always learning and never know it all. When you are green you grow, when you are ripe, you rot!

Steve

Andy,
I commend you for taking on an Apprenticeship in the first place.
I'm not willing to "stand on" anyone here, I've done 2 of them, the first as an Electrician and the second as a Lineman.
No one is saying for a second that an Apprenticeship is an easy thing to go through, but ahh, the spoils at the end of it!.
And as an Apprenticed, Fully Qualified Electrician, your chances of getting employment around the place are a lot better.
Naturally, if hired somewhere, the first question will be, "where did you serve your time?."
At the same time, use the time that you have in Night School to your advantage, it is of more use to you than any book that you will ever read, it's right there, if you don't understand something, ask!.
I've had a few Apprentices under me in the past and one thing that doesn't wear well with me, is a lack of basic Electrical Theory, it's essential for Fault-finding and also Installation work, regardless of how good your Mechanical skills are.
Suck it up while you can.
Just as a note, even though I'm doing mostly High Voltage stuff these days, I never fail to keep up with the Low Voltage and Electronics developments in the Trade these days, to not do that, would mean I would be eventually left behind and I don't want that to happen.
Best of Luck, Andy!!.

Andy,
Good Luck!!!! After 33 years..... it's STILL intimidating in spots, don't figure it will ever change, at least, I hope it doesn't, keeps it kinda interesting.

Echo the "first years are the toughest/best/most rewarding" theory, the foundation for what you will be you are laying now.

SO PAY ATTENTION!!!!!

Lotsa truth in the mechanical aptitude remark, guys that are all thumbs we make foreman/supervisors/inspectors..... uh, hey wait a minute.... STRIKE that last remark

Good luck

Hey andy ,
Have u been accepted as a union apprentice?
I am at the interview process right now. I passed the aptitude test in Dec. How was the interview? My understanding is that alot of contractors like to hire apprentices because of the relatively low pay.

Hey Andy;

I am an electrical contractor. I've been in the field for 25 years. I have two guys that work for me. Both started "green" with no experience or school. One is getting ready to take his test, and the other is not far behind him. The best advice that I have given my guys is that no one has ever been born with the knowledge of electrical work. We all started from square one just as you are. Don't let it overwhelm you! With a good teacher in class and out in the field, you will do just fine. Take your time and learn everything you can. One last thing I was told years ago by an instructor..."what we do is very dangerous, always know what you are doing; never guess what you are doing." I am quite sure you will do just fine. I have found that the best electricians are the people that have a "drive" to learn. That's how I picked the two guys that work for me!

Boy Andy,
Did your question bring back memories. I started my apprenticeship in 66 at a brewery job. Was very intimidating. My first duty was to clean the stock room. Imagine having to find a place for things that you have no idea what they are for or how they are related. Then the journeyman asked me to go to the stock room for some 8/32 screws. Well, the stockroom was on the other side of the plant so I figured I had about ten minutes to find someone with a friendly face that could show me what an 8/32 screw was. Thats how green I was. About the only thing I knew in those days was that I wanted to marry a certain girl and this apprenticeship would help me do it. It is now 38 years later and I've enjoyed the electrical field immensely. Still married to that girl and still doing electrical service. Have been in my own business for twenty years, trained a son-in-law and now have my Godson and nephew in the apprenticeship program. I teach electrical code part time. Its been good. As the years go by your confidence builds and before long your one of the best. Good luck to you and may you always be working for contractors that will cover all the bases. The years will go by very quickly and it won't be long before you are laying the jobs out all alone. You'll love it.
Ron

Good luck on the endevors! Check this site out...it has FREE exams for electricians to practice on before taking the official ones...
http://www.mikeholt.com/examprep.php?id=exampreponlinejourneyman