Winter

Hello to all! I know its been a while since my last post. Things have been crazy busy with work and the holidays but its just now starting to settle down. This post I'm sorry but I'm going to go on a little rant. For the past month or so I have been doing nothing but going behind other people and finishing their projects or completing what they started. Since when was it OK to never finish what you started or pick and choose what work your gonna do? I don't get it! I would never want someone to come complete my project or someone else fix something i messed up. I'm only a 3rd year apprentice and the guys just have no pride or concern in their work anymore. Its great troubleshooting experience for me and I'm grateful for that. Just all day as they say I'm just going around and putting out "fires". Enough on that part so school is what is next. Don't ever let someone say it gets easier once you get to the end. Book 5 is just as tough as 2,3 and 4 its just different material. I know I'm the last class with 3 years of day school and only have a couple months left before i go to nights but I will miss the ability to take on the job questions to my teachers. Every day I'm learning something new and if i don't then I'm not applying myself. I do love my job and like the endless opportunities it can give me. That's why I cant take any of it for granted. Well I hope I gave a little insight on my world. Until next time!

The good in change

Well its been a little bit since I've had the chance to tell you all whats new in my world of my apprenticeship. When i transferred from the Haislip corp. I was nervous about where I would work at next. I was sent to work for Jay Worch electric (JWE) at Calvert County high. The commute is great! I don't have to deal with rush hour or sitting on that parking lot we call the beltway. My workload is a lot more now that I'm in my 3rd year of the apprenticeship but i also chose to give myself more. I'm working with 2 or more mechanics at a time, keeping track of material, making material list for the jobs that i have to complete or get started on. Also been working with the prints a lot more. The funny thing is that since i took the initiative to learn more about my job site and prints i have multiple people asking me questions for multiple jobs the mechanics are doing. Of course because of my size I'm still doing a lot of the heavy work but that's fine with me. My Foreman and Sub Foreman are great guys and are very knowledgeable of our trade. They took me under their wings and are teaching me a lot. From control work to fire alarm and everything in between. The best part i think is i love going to work. There is never a dull moment working and were always staying extremely busy. I sleep like a 2 year old when i get home, I even have to take a nap! School is defiantly getting harder as the years go by. There is so much knowledge to retain for class that you find yourself thinking about electricity when your off or out of school. Off subject, I have come to realize that working as Union electrician it also teaches you good lessons in life. Mainly the value of a dollar. With gas prices and the cost of buying lunch daily you will realize that the cheeseburger is not that great when the tank is on E. Then you go somewhere else that you can ride with someone and you see the bank account start growing. The best thing about this trade is the options are limitless only if you apply yourself. That's why i don't turn anything down even if i have already encountered it. The more you do it the better you become so the way i see it give me task so i can become one of the best their is! The only thing that will ever hold you back is yourself so if you fail you can only blame yourself. Until next time stay on the safe side!

P.S Will someone comment! I feel like I'm writing myself!

Rough times!!!!

Well its been some time now since my last blog. I had a lot of trouble come my way. A week or so after my last post I got into another accident. This time it was with my motorcycle. A bunch of friends and myself went out for a nice Sunday cruise so I thought I would be okay with my helmet, shorts and a t-shirt. Really bad decision! The peg that you rest your foot on snapped ( no i was doing anything dumb). Went to up-shift and my foot went right to the asphalt. My body slid back in the seat and fingers slipped off of the clutch. next thing I know I'm rolling on the asphalt at about 65mph. Again I'm fine but my body got alot of road rash that's gonna take a while to fully heal. I swear my luck has been the worst here lately. Missed almost Two weeks of work and a day of school. Lost out on a lot of overtime and just money in general. Its hard to catch up when you miss that much time. I'm still trying now. Since I've been back to work the job has slowed down. Were back to the 6-2 shift and now its a lot of different tasks everyday. From pulling cat5 wire to fishing MC down a wall for a added receptacle. Also the transfer happens again in two weeks. This part is always the part that kinda makes you worry. At least i do! You have no idea where your going to work or for what company. It could be a 15 mile drive a day or a 100 mile drive. The best part i look forward to is its gonna be a new experience, new teachers and new tasks. Ill find out where in going the next day I'm in school but i cant write about it until my next post ( which wont take as long as this one did, sorry ). Until then ladies and gents!

Overtime

Sorry its been so long that ive made a blog but life and work has been crazy. I just recently got into a car accident and totaled my car. Im fine and just some bruises. Its hard to hurt superman lol! Work has been a little crazy. Pulling alot of hours, 6 ten hour days and might have to work all weekend this weekend. The overtime couldnt have came at a better time with my accident. Just a little burnt out, but the good thing is if im working I cant spend money. Im starting to see that my responsibilities are becoming alot greater. Alot of work on my own and when I am paired with someone I become a teacher. Which is no problem but it gives me alot more respect for the teachers at our school. To be able to teach a person that they really dont understand is a complicated. On a ending note I would like to welcome our new blogger Kareem Stromann. Welcome brother and i wish you the best through the apprenticeship. Until next time!

Rigid

Well the title should explain what I've been up to lately. I was still doing a little bit of fire alarm but was sent to another job to run rigid conduit.So for almost three weeks now I've been on a roof and in a parking garage. Ive never been one to complain about the cold but WOW I've been freezing. Its either dress really warm and not be able to move or just stay moderate. Either way it was still cold. Now I'm working with a guy and have to teach him how to run pipe. Including bending, cutting and threading. No big deal ill teach anyone something if they want to learn. So when you have the chance to learn something or teach someone something, do it! Don't complain because it makes you look better as a person and to the boss you can be a teacher and still get the job done. The guy I'm working with was laid off for a little bit so I'm trying to teach him all I know so he can stay with this company or be ahead of the game for the next company and be more of a asset. Still waiting on my paper work so i can take the nicet test. I'm really excited to take the test cause i feel it will be great to have a certification as a second year apprentice. That's really all i have for now. Until next time!

P.S. COME ON WARM WEATHER!

New Year

Well I'm finally back. I hope that everyone had a good Christmas and a happy New Year. Nothing really has changed with me. Just been busy working and getting through the holidays. I'm back upgrading this fire alarm system. The only thing that gets me is that I have questions and can not get any answers. Ive been told that I would eventually run into people who wouldn't want to explain what your doing and just want you to do the work with not understanding. So i just keep a smile on my face and do what I'm asked to do. I guess some don't understand that apprentices are their future so one day they can retire. No matter how much you don't like it or agree you have to stick with it and keep the thoughts of your future and your goals in the front of your mind. Until next time!

Ask and you shall recieve

Finally i got to work on something other than fire alarm! For the past couple of weeks I've been running a lot of rigid pipe. Small stuff only 3/4 and 1/2 but I'm not complaining. Also i got my first taste of double time! It stunk that I didn't do anything for the weekend but i think it was well worth it! A lot of the jobs my company has right now is on a quick deadline so the work really has my mind occupied all day and i love it! You think you have only been at work for a hour but you look at the clock and its break time. Learn to love running pipe! The more you know about how to do it the faster your day goes and you really get to look at your hard work. On another note school has really toughened up. A lot of new formulas came in at once. Sad to say it but i failed a test. only one though and that's the only one i will fail. When your in the apprenticeship use the tutoring and go double check your homework. It will bring a relief to know you have the right answers and you will know the material better. The teachers are there to help you but not give you everything you have to earn it. They wont help you if you wont even help yourself. We are the future of our local and the IBEW and the teachers and contractors need to know that were the best out in the field. Me personally, is very grateful to have the staff that's there to tech me and help me become a master electrician. Yes I said master, that's my goal and I'm not stopping even after i get there! Happy turkey day everyone!