Brian,
You will find out that the electrical trade is one of the broadest fields out there. Do not let anyone tell you that just because you have an injury or a limp that the electrical trade is not a good choice.

I have been in the trade over 27 years and I know a lot of one arm electricians and I know a lot of electricians who have been able to hold down a job with some pretty severe injuries and that can work circles around some healthy guys. They may get assigned a different task but it all needs to be done..I even know a few split tails that can make you think twice about this being a mans job!

It would be very scary to think that I was not able to do all the things I want to do and worry that I may not be able to tow the line like I used to in the good ol days, but everybody faces that at one time or another.

You are only limited by what you are willing to do and all you need is an opportunity.

I know electricians who are terrified of heights, clostophobic, afraid of working underground or afraid of flying. As an electrician you may be subjected to a lot of abuse..maybe even hit the road someday and be willing to get on that silver bird and risk your life to make a buck or two. I used to fly to work in a float plane in Alaska to a remote fish hatchery for $20 an hour and two weeks on and one week off! I thought it was fun, somedays I wasnt sure if i was coming back or not...but i made it and i am glad i did it..

There are electricians heading over to Iraq and Afghanistan who may be afraid to die but they go anyway.

Some days you may be pulling wire down in a manhole and have a couple hundred gallons of puke gush out in your face or you may have to work 60 feet in the air ty-wrapping cable in a cable tray when it is 45 below, or running pipe off some I-beam glazed over with ice..then again you could be terminating a control panel inside the building or you may be an electrical designer drawing everything on AutoCad or doing a hundred other different jobs all of which none require you to ever come near a ladder.

Yes it is good to have the ability to do it all but in reality nobody does it all all the time..just find what your good at and what you LIKE to do..that is the key..have fun and be happy..life is too short to hate what you do...you have to love electrical work or you will not do good work..

You sound like a good candidate for the trade. I say bow up get in there and become a sponge for information, get a code book and a handbook everytime it comes out and read every page..you will eventually find your spot..

dont let anyone tell you you cant be an electrician..or an engineer or whatever you want to be...just remember there are not many trades out there that come close to the electrical trade..it is a profession you can be proud of and the best part is once you learn it nobody can take that away from you..even if your writing with a pencil hanging out of your mouth with one eye you can still be a valuable asset..

the electrical trade gets the most respect out in the field..

just remember...electricity has no respect for ignorance..that means any kind of ignorance..

hang in there and let us know how things are a year from now..

-regards

Mustang

[This message has been edited by mustangelectric (edited 11-05-2004).]