I am trying to get a job as an apprentice so I can take apprenticeship classes offered by my county in the fall (you have to be employed and sponsored in order to take them). I have no experience in the field but am very interested in learning the trade and want to get started as soon as possible. I have been having a problem finding places to apply as everyone I call only wants people with experience. Any tips on where to start?
Also how much should I be putting down as desired salary (if any of this matters I am 21, 60 college credits, no experience in the field, and living in central NJ) at the one interview I did get I put down $10 an hour and they said that they may be interested but it would be a stretch to even pay me $8 without any experience. What is an average starting salary for apprentices without experience?
Also does anyone know of any schools I could go to without having to be employed in the field already so it would make it easier to get a job?
Thanks for any help you can give.
i started as a material handler @ $10
learned a lot about all the tools and parts to use. this was at a union shop in OR. did that about 1.5 years and got into the union apprenticeship. started @ $12.80 and the union placed me in a job.
goen uion was nice because it's all one big package schooling job and wages. just sign up.
they did it all for me.
http://www.njatc.org/ hope it helps
pf483,
Welcome to ECN.
Now I'm not local to where you are, but one thing I do know, is the fact that an Apprenticeship is not going to come and find you.
When I started looking for an Apprenticeship here, I basically canvassed the whole town and a few others as well.
It isn't easy to go around asking for an apprenticeship and you will get taken back a step at times, but, at the same time you could get taken on too and that bit by itself is character-building.
And sure, the money wasn't that flash, but no-one starts on the top pay-scale either.
Other side of the coin though, if you are only learning, you shouldn't be taken advantage of.
pf,
A first year apprentice in NE NJ (in a union)gets $14.48/hr.
Working for a non-union EC would get him somewhere in the $7 - $10 neighborhood.
The rates for Central(East) NJ should be similar. As you go South and WEst, the rate drops.
If you go union, the NJATC will provide the schooling. If you go non-union schooling is generally not provided by the EC, try:
- the Vo-Tech school in your county
- check the town's high school for "Adult Continuing Education Program " (or similar to that effect.
I do not believe either requires a sponsor of any sort - except for the dead presidents YOU provide as tuition.
You could try looking in the classifieds (Star Ledger, Asbury Park Press, nj.com, etc).
This is not true at all! I lived in somerset county nj, which is central nj, for 26 years this is where i got my start which was approx 10.00 an hour, i now live in south jersey gloucester county area for the last 3 years and the rates are just as good in this area, now i have been at this for some years and am doing just fine. but it is NOT any differant in south jersey in fact if you were to live in this area the cost of living is much lower and just as nice if not nicer!!!!
NOTE THIS IS NON - UNION
[This message has been edited by NJ Wireman (edited 03-08-2005).]
pf what are your college credits in? Do you have any construction experience? What kind of references do you have? If electrical work is what your interested in you can take an electrical technologies course at a community college. You could take the $8.00 job and see if this kind of work is what you want to do. If you are still interested in apprenticeship your employer may be willing to reinburse you after you past the course. We have our employees pay for their course up front and pay them back if they pass, that way only the ones who are serious about wanting to learn their trade apply. You'd be suprised how many guy's we get who think electrical work is easy work till they strap it on. Good Luck in whatever you deceide.
When I started out I was making a few dollers more than the burger place paid me in high school. Then found out later the EC never filed me to the goverment and pocketed my tax money.
Think about it from the EC side. If a worker with no experiance takes more than twice as long as a jurneyman. The new worker does not know codes, what to do, what not to do, need their hand held, & can't work alone. Would it make sence to pay the new worker 1/2 the jurneyman rate? No. I wish there was more incentive to take on new blood.
Tom
You might want to look at ABC.org. Associated Builders and Contractors. They have a free, non-union apprenticeship program.
~Peter