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Should I become an electrician?

Alphabigcock

Ok guys, im 25 years old and have yet to find something that I want to do for the rest of my life. I'm currently in college studying Bioscience but it is unbelievably boring and not stimulating in the slightest. I worry that if i finish out this degree that I'll be in a job that is mundane, boring and with no sense of job satisfaction. The only upside would be stability and good money.

On the other hand being an electrician seems to be very interesting. I took up an apprenticeship as an electrician a while ago for a short period with a very small company. The problem was that the company barely did any electrical work whatsoever so I was always stuck with the plumber who wasn't a very nice man at all to say the least. I applied for a job opening and have an interview tomorrow morning for a well established electrical company.

So I had an offer from college and decided i'd go with that instead as I wasn't learning anything with that company. Even though Bioscience isn't the best i'd still choose it over plumbing any day.

When I was doing the apprenticeship I felt like a man. it felt good. I had pride in what I was doing and I actually felt that one day I'd be useful. Now I don't. Squirting rats in the ass doesn't make me feel like a man and I cant see myself taking pride in my job. I really want to get back to the tools but what scares me is the fear of being unemployed due to the economy as I heard this can be a big problem with being an electrician.

I applied for a job opening out of curiosity and have an interview tomorrow morning for a well established electrical company.

So my question to you is. 1.) are electricians really unemployed that often?

2.) What kind of roles can I move on to as I get older? as in, is there a career path you can switch too when the body becomes too old for the work?

3.) wtf should I do with my life.

Thanks guys.

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Comments

Elemonator

Don't totally disregard Bioscience. If you are in later years, I'd finish it out. It'll give you more options to fall back on, you can near totally disregard your Leaving Certificate results as graduates have an easier time getting places in other degree, masters and PhD programmes rather than the mature student option, and finally I believe that it will limit your job options as some jobs and maybe graduate programmes just want someone with a college education and any degree.

I only say this in case you decide to become an electrician and you don't like that either. I would personally pursue it if I wished after my degree., unless I truly hated my degree programme. Research alternative careers with your degree, there must be more fields out there.

With regards to electrical apprenticeships and your question about roles after qualification, have you looked into an apprenticeship role in the ESB? Many go into managerial work and I know of one that after became a maintenance electrician manager in a drugs company.

Both are very transferable jobs internationally.

Best of luck!

pablo128

I have 2 brothers who are qualified sparks. 1 is 41, and has only ever been out of work for a few months even in the recession. He applied for a mortgage years ago with a healthy deposit and was refused as he was in the 'building' trade. He only got a mortgage in the last year as he is in a steady position and not relying on contracts on sites.

The other bro is 30. He is now working as a cleaner in a hospital. When I challenged him last year why he was wasting his time as a cleaner, he simply told me he is guaranteed a wage every week instead of going from contract to contract. However his working life pretty much began during the recession.

Alphabigcock

Well the problem is that I'm only in my first year and Its a 4 year programme

. The problem is that I'm in the position now that I'm not young enough to be messing around anymore and need to pick a career ASAP and its seriously stressing me out.

divillybit

I work with electricians on an almost daily basis.. Its a super trade to have. Theres alot of companies that need maintenance staff like electricians to wire plant items or troubleshoot electrical issues.

Alphabigcock

Wow that's pretty disheartening to hear about your second brother. Could he not look for jobs with electrical companies or as a maintenance electrician somewhere?

d.pop

Can't give you any advice re Bioscience but a degree generally opens a lot more doors than a trade.
That said a good tradesman is rarely out of work and of all the trades an electrician has probably the most avenues open to you later in your career.
Electrian's are also typically the better paid of the trades, assuming you are good and not another house basher...
If you are close to finishing your degree I would finish it and then see about an electrical apprenticeship or do electrical engineering by night off the back of your science degree.
End up with 2 degrees electrical and bioscience maybe start making terminators or something...ðŸ™႒
Seriously though it's a tough one, either avenue has pros and cons.
Good luck with whichever.

Alphabigcock

Thats actually a role i'd prefer to have. Less travelling around and such. I applied for an apprenticeship to a pharmaceutical company looking to hire maintenance apprentices too so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that.

Alphabigcock

lol @housebasher. Thanks man, If i do decide to make terminators ill make sure you die last

pablo128

Alphabigcock wrote: »

Wow that's pretty disheartening to hear about your second brother. Could he not look for jobs with electrical companies or as a maintenance electrician somewhere?

Maintenance electrician is the holy grail for most lads in fairness. And someone else said the pay is good which I would agree with. Roughly 20 an hour plus whatever allowances if on sites.

I dunno. The younger bro just got disillusioned with it all. I think he got turned off by waiting on his company to ring him during the recession with a bit of work now and again. I don't think that would be an issue nowadays with things picking up.

Alphabigcock

pablo128 wrote: »

Maintenance electrician is the holy grail for most lads in fairness. And someone else said the pay is good which I would agree with. Roughly 20 an hour plus whatever allowances if on sites.

I'd imagine so, seems like a nice handy number, out of the elements and job benefits too!

pablo128 wrote: »

I dunno. The younger bro just got disillusioned with it all. I think he got turned off by waiting on his company to ring him during the recession with a bit of work now and again. I don't think that would be an issue nowadays with things picking up.

I can see where he's coming from. But 4 years is a long time to become qualified in something just to disregard it later on. But as long as hes happy then thats the main thing I believe.

meercat

My advice would be to do something you want to do. Life will be better if you’re enjoying going out every day.
Having said that,any good tradesmen will always be in demand and qualified electricians can diversify into multiple areas. Follow your heart

mycro2013

Go in to the interview with an blank canvas. Do not mention your last apprenticeship if it comes up say it was work experience. Employers don't want to take on apprentices who may leave after a short duration.

Sometimes doing a trade with a smaller operation is better as your are required to do all duties. As with all jobs you will have to work with people you dislike and tradesmen are no different to other sectors.

The company with whom you are having an interview with tomorrow may have a continuous education program and may pay for further education.

Alphabigcock

That seems to be the recurring theme that I keep going back to. I genuinely don't think i'd be in college studying what I am if it wasn't for the paper chase. How anybody can just settle on what they want to do makes me so jealous. I can never make my mind up.

randy hickey

Seriously?
Is nobody gonna mention the elephant in the room?

Alphabigcock

mycro2013 wrote: »

Go in to the interview with an blank canvas. Do not mention your last apprenticeship if it comes up say it was work experience. Employers don't want to take on apprentices who may leave after a short duration.

Thats exactly what I plan to do. This interview will hopefully be a resource in finding out if its what i want.

mycro2013 wrote: »

The company with whom you are having an interview with tomorrow may have a continuous education program and may pay for further education.

Thats a very good point actually. Is there any questions that you recommend I should ask them about this?

Alphabigcock

randy hickey wrote: »

Seriously?
Is nobody gonna mention the elephant in the room?

My username is eh... randomly generated..

El Tarangu

If you are still in first year, you are what, one semester down?

Another three and a half years will be a long time studying something that you don't particularly like/don't see yourself using.

I would give the apprenticeship a shot.

randy hickey

Alphabigcock wrote: »

My username is eh... randomly generated..

Well I think we both know where your preferred career path lies, you've known it all along on a subliminal level, and it satisfies your concerns in question two of your original post, i.e. you will never be too old.

Embrace your future, go forth and excel in the Porn Industry!

P.S. Don't forget us when you go global, like that Paddy Cosgrave fecker.

Tell me how

Sounds like you're looking more at the industrial electrician side of the trade. Keep this in mind if applying for apprenticeships as companies who say they do industrial work could be limited to cable/tray insulation rather than panel work. If going to apply for roles as maintenance apprentice, make sure qualification will allow you to do RECI work if you wish to.

I started as electrician 20 yrs ago, then maintenance work while I did degree part time and worked using that since. Am currently doing Masters. Have never been unable to find work, thankfully, but I know a lot who struggled as sparks during the recession.

If deciding to go the electrical route, finish your first year in college so you could pick it up again in future from yr 2 should you wish.

The money as a maintenance electrician is not bad, but in most cases would need the shift premium to bring up to degree qualified level with 3-5 yrs experience and it will top out at that unless further training, roles and responsibilities are considered whereas the degree earnings will rise further.

All that is just like, you know, an opinion, man.

Alphabigcock

El Tarangu wrote: »

If you are still in first year, you are what, one semester down?

Another three and a half years will be a long time studying something that you don't particularly like/don't see yourself using.

I would give the apprenticeship a shot.

exactly. making the leap from the comfort of the college is the issue. But is it really worth it to spend the next 3 and a half years with this uphill struggle?

Lleyn elec

What other work have you been at if you are 25? That's one question you will defiantly be asked.
Remember apprentices are used as cheap labor by companies and the last thing you want is to end up spending four years just putting up tray etc in a large company, if you want my advice try and find a company of about 15-30 employees that works in light industrial and commercial jobs (OPW work, schools hospitals light industrial) that way you have a fair chance of being involved in all aspects, such as wiring, panel wiring, containment, second fixing, data, fire alarms etc.
If the company just does domestic work don't even think of working for them.

I'm a part time REC and work full time as an electrical engineer tbh most lads I served my apprenticeship with have all moved on from the trade, some like myself still use some of the skills they learned day to day others don't...one lad retrained as biomedical engineer!

thadg

There is no point in somebody deciding for you, you have to want it yourself. A qualified electrican has alot of options after 4 years, eg maintenance /industrial/ house bashing/ fibreoptics/ cctv/alarm / access control etc or it would open a door for the wind turbine industry which is growing fast. in 17 years i have never been out of work, stay away from houses, and you will be interested more in the trade

best of luck on your decision

the_pen_turner

I'm a chippy but have worked for a spark a lot on and off . mostly pulling in cables, chasing, filling ,tray, trucking etc.
it is great work . I enjoy it.

it is light work mostly
mostly inside but often in attics
you nee very little tools (1000 euro will buy you a basic set of everyday tools if you work for some else)could be 20,000 to be a chippy
well paid(one of the only trades that actually allows you to charge properly)
great ability to progress into cctv, data cabeling, etc.
regulations are only making more work for a spark

2011

I started my 4 year electrical apprenticeship in 1991 in my early 20s. From the day I started until September 2006 I was not out of work a day. During this time I worked as an electrician, electrical foreman and instrumentation technician mostly in Ireland, but abroad too (by choice). I worked mostly in the industrial sector on construction, commissioning and maintenance.

Good points:
1) If you are any good there is no end to the work even during a recession.
2) Good money particularly in pharmaceutical industry.
3) Lots of opportunities to up-skill and learn especially if you like instrumentation.
4) Easy trade to travel with particularly for those with industrial experience.
5) The value of the apprenticeship is what you make of it. It can open a lot of doors for you, it certainly did for me. I have never been out of work in my life.

Bad points:
1) Can be repetitive and boring at times.
2) Domestic work is not mentally challenging.
3) Not nice to be on your tools when in your forties! I certainly wouldn't fancy working as an electrician for the rest of my life. It's a young man's (or woman's) game.

In 2006 I was completely burnt out so I quit and pursued a different career within the electrical industry. The experience I gained as an electrician has always stood to me and continues to help me in my current role.

My advice: If you feel that this is for you make sure that you serve your time with a industrial contractor, not a small domestic one. Not only is the training superior, better paying but you will be far more employable. Domestic electricians can spend more time moving furniture, lifting carpets and crawling around attics than doing actual electrical work! I know because I have wired my fair share of houses. There are plenty of good companies looking for apprentices at the moment too. You could also post on the electrical forum to get opinions form other electricians.

Alphabigcock

Lleyn elec wrote: »

if you want my advice try and find a company of about 15-30 employees that works in light industrial and commercial jobs (OPW work, schools hospitals light industrial) that way you have a fair chance of being involved in all aspects, such as wiring, panel wiring, containment, second fixing, data, fire alarms etc.
If the company just does domestic work don't even think of working for them.

Luckily enough, the company this interview is with do just exactly that! and the previous company i worked for did just the opposite. feel like i dodged a bullet there.

Lleyn elec wrote: »

I'm a part time REC and work full time as an electrical engineer tbh most lads I served my apprenticeship with have all moved on from the trade, some like myself still use some of the skills they learned day to day others don't...one lad retrained as biomedical engineer!

Can I ask what route you took to become an Electrical engineer?

Alphabigcock

thadg wrote: »

There is no point in somebody deciding for you, you have to want it yourself. A qualified electrican has alot of options after 4 years, eg maintenance /industrial/ house bashing/ fibreoptics/ cctv/alarm / access control etc or it would open a door for the wind turbine industry which is growing fast. in 17 years i have never been out of work, stay away from houses, and you will be interested more in the trade

best of luck on your decision

Thanks man, glad to hear its worked well for you so far.

Alphabigcock

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I'm a chippy but have worked for a spark a lot on and off . mostly pulling in cables, chasing, filling ,tray, trucking etc.
it is great work . I enjoy it.

it is light work mostly
mostly inside but often in attics
you nee very little tools (1000 euro will buy you a basic set of everyday tools if you work for some else)could be 20,000 to be a chippy
well paid(one of the only trades that actually allows you to charge properly)
great ability to progress into cctv, data cabeling, etc.
regulations are only making more work for a spark

Nice to hear somebody from another trade have something good to say about another trade lol thats very rare. Thanks man

garancafan

Nice one 2011. That's what I call advice.

Alphabigcock

2011 wrote: »

I started my 4 year electrical apprenticeship in 1991 in my early 20s. From the day I started until September 2006 I was not out of work a day. During this time I worked as an electrician, electrical foreman and instrumentation technician mostly in Ireland, but abroad too (by choice). I worked mostly in the industrial sector on construction, commissioning and maintenance.

Good points:
1) If you are any good there is no end to the work even during a recession.
2) Good money particularly in pharmaceutical industry.
3) Lots of opportunities to up-skill and learn especially if you like instrumentation.
4) Easy trade to travel with particularly for those with industrial experience.
5) The value of the apprenticeship is what you make of it. It can open a lot of doors for you, it certainly did for me. I have never been out of work in my life.

Bad points:
1) Can be repetitive and boring at times.
2) Domestic work is not mentally challenging.
3) Not nice to be on your tools when in your forties! I certainly wouldn't fancy working as an electrician for the rest of my life. It's a young man's (or woman's) game.

In 2006 I was completely burnt out so I quit and pursued a different career within the electrical industry. The experience I gained as an electrician has always stood to me and continues to help me in my current role.

My advice: If you feel that this is for you make sure that you serve your time with a industrial contractor, not a small domestic one. Not only is the training superior, better paying but you will be far more employable. Domestic electricians can spend more time moving furniture, lifting carpets and crawling around attics than doing actual electrical work! I know because I have wired my fair share of houses. There are plenty of good companies looking for apprentices at the moment too. You could also post on the to get opinions form other electricians.

Wow very informative reply! Can I ask how you went about pursuing another career within the electrical industry? because this is my plan once I get older.

salmocab

Alphabigcock wrote: »

Wow very informative reply! Can I ask how you went about pursuing another career within the electrical industry? because this is my plan once I get older.

I'm in the same boat roughly as 2011 served my time and have worked for the last 18/19 years in various types of electrical work. The apprenticeship itself is good and after the second year the money is okay. Ive done extra bits and pieces like getting a QC number which is good. I now work in the data centre industry and the money is good compared to normal sparks rate (which is decent money but youll never be a rich man). I got into this via a guy I used to work with and you will find after a few years that its a surprisingly small industry and you see the same people over and over so you get contacts along the way.