No. That is why he or she is an apprentice..to learn things like that.
Don
Absolutely! When I taught apprentices I would have a big box of collected items like what are on that list. I would hold up each item in turn, pass them around the classroom, and require the students to identify them. They loved it. We would discuss different slang names for some these items and their official names. Half the fun of being an electrician is speaking the language.
Day one apprentice no way. Day 1000 probably.
I can't even identify everything on the list and I've been to more than a few barbeques.
A Type MI fitting, I was over ten years in the trade before I ever saw one.
Under connectors for threaded conduit, what's a panel connector?
what's a corner elbow?
Maybe they are known as something else here on the left coast!!
Seriously, knowing the correct name is important. Both in ordering material and with code compliance
Our 1st year man did about 80% and our 2nd year, did almost 100%
From an apprentices view, there is nothing on that list that would be hard to identify.
We work with alot of that stuff daily so it is common knowledge.
But, as said before, It would not be wise to think that a "green" apprentice would know what any of that stuff is. If given time anyone can learn those things though.
Just my .02 cents.
I've only worked with perhaps half of the items on that list. I could certainly make educated guesses at the ones I haven't seen/used before.
As already said, the fitting name is going to vary regionally... nevermind 2, 3, or 4 different names for the same thing when you count the slang, and then the name overlap (same name for two different things).
Been teaching apprentices since 89. I'd bet that 75% of my 1st year apprentices could ID about 75% of those by the end of their first year and my 4th (final) year apprentices could ID 98% by the time they are ready to sit for their J-Card. The real problem we have is when an apprentice works for the same company and only sees one type of work. I have commercial guys who have never seen the inside of a generic single phase panel and I have residential guys who have never bent conduit. As much as we try to get the employers to comply with the requirement for "a well rounded work experience" ... lets face it, if a man is a top notch pipe bender the boss doesn't want to transfer him to some other type of work. To try and offset this we do a lot of materials recognition and use classes.
[This message has been edited by Steve Miller (edited 12-02-2004).]
Yes, by the time you finish your appreticeship. However, many jouneymen I've worked do not have a well-rounded work experience. Too many have only done residential or commericial and no industrial or heavy construction (and vice versa).
The contractors (and unions) should make an effort to move the apprentices around to get this well-rounded experience.