Oh Well here goes.
I'm 63 now and started by holding flashlight for my older brother. We used to solder and tape connections back then.
1961 U.S. Navy Class A electricians mate school. 3 1/2 years shipboard electrician, LST.
Gave up on studying electronics when they said to forget the first year of classes on vacuum tubes because someone had invented transistors.
The worked for electrical transformer manufacturer (Jefferson Electric) in quality control.
Worked for two different elctrical supply houses, and three different contractors, from white paper ditch digging to stocking job trailers and pricing invoices.
Got certified as a 1 & 2 family inspector in Electric, Plumbing, Mechanical and Building when the certification test (NCPCCI) first became available (late 70's or early 80's) so I could inspect manufactured housing for HUD labeling.
Comleted college at 36 yrs with a BA in Business.
Passed local electrical licensing test and became the inspector.
Inspector duties used to include running the municipal elctrical department and maintaining traffic signals.
Shucked those duties off on the engineering department after 10 years and became just the inspector.
Was chairman of the state Electrical Inspectors Association. Still on the executive committee, ex-officio.
Took and passed the Block / Experior Master Electrician exam in 2000.
Have been the chief electrical inspector for the past 25 years and became certified throught the IAEI / NFPA program for certifying electrical inspector: hold Master level certificate number 138. There are less than 100 certified inspectors in the country. Only two of us in Indiana.
Still maintain all my certifications.
I've made proposals and even had some Code changes accepted over the past 20 years.
I'm a life member of the Moose and Mensa.
I write a bi-monthly column for Tom Henry's electricans news letter "The Informer" called Excerpts from an Inspector's Journal.
I love what I'm doing and still run into things I never saw before. I'm still learning. I am in awe of the uses and power of electricity. From lightning to LEDs.
Alan--
