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!

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Ok I'm back at this again. A lot has been going on with me in my personal life and with work. Work wise I'm still at the same building and still learning fire alarm. I really do like fire alarm but I'm not gonna lie i wish I was doing some bus duct or switchgear for a week or two. My personal life has really put me behind with trying to study for the Nicet test. Its not hard to go to work and study but everyone has to always add more to their plate than what they can handle. I'm the guiltiest person for doing that to myself. Please if you are coming into the program take my advice and buy a car that is great on gas!!!!!!!! I drive a Tahoe and from Southern Maryland to Rockville EVERY DAY! Its really putting a hurting on my wallet. You never know where your next job site will be so try to work out something or save some money for gas! On that note I'm gone. Until next month have a good one!

Fire Alarm

Hello everyone,

          Well since the last post nothing has really changed. I'm still trying to learn fire alarm the best i can so i can maybe take the Nicet1 test. I would much rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it. So far though its just been a lot of splicing and pulling MC cable. I know there is alot to learn about it so that's why I'm staying patient cause i know the mechanics I'm working for will teach me. Well sorry its so short this month but like I said really nothing has changed. So until next time!

Hello to All

Hello, My name is Joey Williamson. I am 28 years old and was accepted in the apprenticeship last year. My first company that i was with was Mona electric. I loved it there! The job site I was on was filled with alot of well experienced AJ's who took the time and taught me ALOT! They say I was spoiled by working on switch gear and bus duct for a first year guy. I received the nick name "the mule" cause the amount of stuff I would carry or lift. It was both a good and bad thing but more good. I also got to work with alot of 4" rigid and EMT with a hydraulic bender. Thanks to those mechanics and our teachers bending pipe is no problem. On the school part I'm doing fairly ok i guess. Haven't failed a test yet but average isn't good enough for me. The teachers put together alot of stuff to get us in the right direction for just one day every two weeks. I study hard and do all the homework then study more. This school is not for people who want a job. Its for people who wish to have a career. The teachers we have are all great i wish kid school was like the school now( I'm done brown nosing now). They will put back to reality when you wounder off, but you have to remember that their jobs are to train us as electricians and not train us as friends. For the people who read this and are about to start the program please take this advice and do not start to take it light and start loafing because some test are easier than others. Instead take it all in and apply it cause what you learn at first will come back again and again in later tests and books. As for now i just did my first company to Haislip corporation. Its a smaller company that does alot of fire alarm work. I'm excited because fire alarm is something i want to learn and hopefully work alot with when I come out of my time. My monthly advice for all the new apprentices about to start school or just getting in to the local "come ready to work and earn your paycheck and learn all a person is willing to teach". Until next time