I am in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and have just received my AE License. After purchasing the necessary tools for this field I am now ready to find employment. I have the option of being hired by different types of employers. Staffing, large and small electrical contracting companies. The benefits and pay will be about the same.

If anyone wishes to answer this, in your experience, what would be the best type employer?


Thanks.

NSBiz,
Welcome to ECN, mate.
Personally I've always found that the larger companies provide a larger scope of work.
Having said that, there is nothing at all wrong with working for one of the smaller companies.
Either way, I'd say go for it.
To be honest, in any place that I've ever worked there have been less than 30 employees.

I learned more working for a small contractor, he took more time to explain things as we worked . The large contractor I worked for as a apprientice was there just to get the job done fast. So they just give me to the wire puller and all I learned was how to prepare and pull wire.

Might as well use a dart board.

During your training, it is in your interest to have as varied an exposure as possible. This means you'll work for several different firms.

As part of an apprenticeship program, your choices, and mobility, are likely to be restricted by the program.

one thing to consider is whether to work residential or commercial. that would depend on the market in your area. anyway here's some advice---invest in a 2005 nec handbook. read it as often as you can. you can get it online at nfpa website.

Thanks everyone for the replys. I can't believe how much the nec2005 handbook costs, at least it is a write off.

Well alot of places are offering sign on bonuses + excellent benefits packages. I will most likely go with residential. Ive heard somewhere that you can make more money in commercial then residential do to competition.. Is that correct? That makes no sense to me.

the top wage of a commercial electrician is higher then a resi electrician's top wage. one of the reasons for this is you can train a resi guy faster, especially if you're wiring production homes new construction.

I a 49 year old third year apprentice. Was a machinist, worked both commercial and residential. I only work part time cause the work here in wetern mass is slow but I preferred commercial work to residential. Not to take anything away from the residential guys but the pace is really hetic you have to really move it to make money I found that you learn a lot more doing commercial work. From fire alarms to telephone networking to pipe bending and 3 phase wireing. Just be sure they are a reputable company and watch for trip and electrical hazards and you will be fine.I should have done this in my 20s rather than almost 50.

I started out in a small shop and never regretted it. We did residential, commercial and industrial. We'd be wiring a household boiler one day and a large plant sized one the next. Doing a 100 amp resi service change one day and a 2000 amp the next. You had to be versatile and be able to do most everything from a pool to work in a shopping center or maybe a factory. We did gas pumps,etc.,etc. Small shops can be very educational. Sorry I had to leave there when I got my license. They did try to hire me back later but I'd moved on to the bigger jobs.

My experience was almost exactly the same. I leaned more working for the smaller shop, and the used that knowledge to land better paying jobs. Went right into my construction whore phase. Good times!