I.b.e.w.

[Wrench86]

Was wondering if anyone here has become an electrician through ibew and what the experience was like. I've heard some good things about them. Also curious about lineman work but cant really find any info on it here in Arkansas. Seems to be a hard job to get maybe?

 

[electrodude]

Some secondhand info for ya:

I've worked with quite a few IBEW trained electricians, very good guys with great skills. As far as I've always heard, the IBEW is a good union to be in. As far as linemen go, that's a job that's in high demand, at least out here in the west. Talking to some guys doing service hookups on an industrial job led me to understand that quite a few companies out here are willing to take on anyone who can pass a basic skills test (can you add, etcetera etcetera) and show a basic aptitude. The guys I talked to were a contract unit that worked for the local utility (Puget Sound) and these guys were swamped with work.

Find your local IBEW union hall and go talk to them. I know it's not always easy to get in, but once you do you'll be working your way into a pretty good deal. Good luck.

 

[NWphotog]

A friend went through the low voltage apprenticeship with IBEW. It was a lot of grunt work which I think is to be expected. He ended up switching fields after getting licensed because he couldn't put up with the off again on again nature of the work.

 

[rockwithjason]

i graduated from the ibew apprenticeship in 2000. during the boom times i had all the work i wanted and much much more. now a days work is more spotty due to the economy and the slow nature of construction. in some areas of the country work is better than others.

linemen are a whole different animal from and inside wireman. Line work is good work but is much more physically demanding. if i recall its a 4 year apprenticeship in the line program. call your local union hall and ask some questions. find out what locals handle linemen and call them too.

 

[Wrench86]

Lineman would be my first choice in this career field, but if I cant find an opening or get my foot in the door there what would be the better choice between a commercial electrician working in a factory or an electrician wiring houses? Can a commercial electrician wire houses or vice versa?

 

[mraredneck]

I.B.E.W. Has started a small works program and works under a dif. contract Small works and inside wireman’s contracts. That said, the inside guys can cross over to small works but small works are not suppose to cross over to the inside side. So if I were going to get in the program I would go Lineman or inside wireman. I know if you were in our neck of the woods, there would be no problem getting started with the Lineman. They are calling guys off our books to help out. Here are a few links hope this is what you are looking for.
http://www.njatc.org/
http://www.ibew295.org/APPRENTICE.aspx
http://www.ibew295.org/About Ibew 295.aspx

 

[DuramaxPowered]

I'm an IBEW Journeyman Lineman...Not an easy trade to get into, but if you can get into the apprenticeship go for it. Have a good work ethic, desire to learn, and the physical capability to do the job and you'll do fine. I've seen alot of people get in and quit because they get scared, there's nothing wrong with that, it's not for everyone and better to realize that than be nervous and second guessing yourself everyday. You can make a good living doing linework, but if you work for the contractors work isn't going to be as steady as if you work for the power company. It's not easy on the family if you have one and are travelling all the time for work.

 

[ecotec]

i am a journeyman inside wireman. when there is work, it is a great job. in the last 3 years, work has been really slow.

linemen, on the other hand, seem to work pretty steady.

you could gamble on the economy and building picking up by the time you finish your apprenticeship (4 years).

 

[ddawg16]

I'm not a big fan of unions.....

However...of the unions, IBEW seems to run a tight ship....all the guys I have worked with had good knowledge and skills....along with a good work ethic.

If the other unions followed the IBEW example, they would be better off.

 

[hillbilly1]

I'm not a big fan of unions.....

However...of the unions, IBEW seems to run a tight ship....all the guys I have worked with had good knowledge and skills....along with a good work ethic.

If the other unions followed the IBEW example, they would be better off.

The union does have a good training program, and if you want to learn, it is a good program, but...... where the union is weak, they will take anybody and pass anybody to get members. We went union for two years, and do a lot of out of town work. The owner said that we would easily get all the people we need for those jobs by calling the hall. The problem was, all of the good union electricians were working, and the bad ones were on the bench. So we got the same sorry help that we got before from non union electricians, but paid twice as much for it. I went behind straightening out messes that a knowledgeable electrician would not have made. Beautiful pipe work though.

 

[mtne]

Another Journeyman inside wireman here. I can echo what has already been said.....

Good education
Good work when works good if your a good worker

Still good work when works slow and your a good worker.

Even then it can **** if it's slow.

Better in areas where the union is stronger and decreases accordingly. Almost requires being in a metro area. Not sure that applies to linemen tho.

You're virtually guaranteed work for the first 4-5 years as apprentices are cheap. The downside being that your an apprentice and may have to travel where your told to for work and deal with some random asshats.

Inside wiremen can handle anything low voltage, 600V and down..... and that's much better than just doing residential work. Also there are many specialty areas such as fire alarm, controls, power distribution systems......

As someone who needs to work hands on for sanity, I've been happy with my choice.........

 

[Jiffycake]

The local IBEW union has had a lot of members out of work for a while. Most members have 2nd jobs. It earned the slogan IBEW: I barely ever work... if that tells you something.

A lot of the time a non-union shop will have steady work. The training from the union is second to none though.

 

[kursplat]

check this out lineman is a good job. good money and a skill you can take anywhere. just keep your head in the work and remember every day you get to go home is a good day

 

[Wrench86]

So with the IBEW as an apprentice, will I be tasked out to different contractors each day or with each job? Or will I be with one contractor for a period of time or possibly even my entire apprenticeship? Also mentioned was an "inside wireman" can work 600V and below. I believe on the IBEW website their calling it residential and commercial as two different types of licensure or an I misunderstanding that? Can an "inside wireman" do both commercial (factory) and residential or would you be limited to one or the other? Also does anybody know what unions cover lineman in Arkansas such as Energy or an electrical co-op?

 

[mraredneck]

This is my fathers account. I am an IBEW apprentice. The training is great... plus free, what more could you ask for if you want a good trade and education? I've been in the program for four years, 1 year as a helper, and 3 as an apprentice. I've worked steady up untill last week. I also have only worked for 2 contractors in those four years, but there are apprentices that work their whole apprenticeship with one contractor and there are apprentices that go to a bunch of different contractors. Its all depends on how good work is at the time.

 

[cowboyjosh]

Im a electrical contractor as well as a small home builder; the electrical shop I own is a "open shop" and while I generally detest Unions, I have more respect for IBEW then any other union. On the contrary, were busy, some of our union competition is not; therefore I have hired a few guys who previously worked for IBEW shops; and even at my outfit they are getting similar pay and benefits; I'm not the cheapest outfit, but my employees are treated well therefore we do some of the finest work in town. One of the biggest ******* from the ex IBEW brothers at my company is they don't like pulling Romex or doing residential work, and they HATE, HATE, HATE, service and troubleshooting jobs. One game one fella who interviewed with me who was breaking free of IBEW wanted to know if I would pay him on "piecework" that answer was a big ole "hell no"; were a quality not quantity outfit. Im not saying IBEW workers don't do quality work, almost all my former IBEW employees are killer at conduit installation and wiring and dressing panels; however a couple lack on some fit and finish, some have told me that in the union if it looks bad and it works it flies and is considered 'ok, one guy said he has never used a level until he worked for me, and another time I had a guy who had a circuit keep kicking the breaker and he didn't want to go thru the circuit and troubleshoot, he wanted to pawn it off to an apprentice and move on; he found out quick in my open shop you own your work. Unless your hell bent on joining the IBEW apprenticeship you might call around some utilities and or electrical contractors and ask about their apprenticeship opportunities and compare; just my .02