talk to me about the IBEW

[freak scene]

i have become increasingly interested in electronics over the last 3 years (i already had a healthy curiosity from my teenage years of dabbling with friends broken amps).  i am seriously considering working toward a career in electronics of some sort.  as it stands now i am stuck in a warehouse job making just enough money to pay the bills and it sucks.  i have been here for 3 years and the biggest raise i have seen was 30 cents when i got hired on full time 2 years ago. 

after talking to some people it seems that like most unions, you have to know someone in the union to get into the union.  i would like to know more as their (ibew) apprenticeship program seems absolutely stellar and i really want to get involved.  i know there is an application process, but i havent started it yet because i dont want to get denied and then never be able to get in.  so if someone here is in the union please tell me what to expect, im not asking you to vouch for me (though i wouldnt be offended if you did  ) just discuss the steps i need to take. 

i know this is sort of off topic so i apologize for that.

[R.G.]

I have to profess being a non-member and ignorant of the details, so I apologize for not being able to help.

I don't know for sure, but I thought the IBEW was more along the lines of electrical power wiring than signal electronics.  Electrical power wiring and electronics don't overlap all that much. You ought to go check that out and make sure that the membership would be in the direction you want to go. If it is, great, and I hope that it helps you on up the ladder. I had my share of low end jobs, and I know the feeling.

[freak scene]

I have to profess being a non-member and ignorant of the details, so I apologize for not being able to help.

I don't know for sure, but I thought the IBEW was more along the lines of electrical power wiring than signal electronics.  Electrical power wiring and electronics don't overlap all that much. You ought to go check that out and make sure that the membership would be in the direction you want to go. If it is, great, and I hope that it helps you on up the ladder. I had my share of low end jobs, and I know the feeling.

yeah they have a lot of that, but i guess in 2002 they instated a new apprenticeship program where you can get an actual college degree as well as become a journeyman at the same time.  and they have expanded into telecommunications fields as well as tv and radio repair from what i can tell on their website www.ibew.org .  id like to eventually get into electrical engineering but i dont know if they offer that, but i am sure they could at least get me on my way.

[Noplasticrobots]

My grandpa was in the IBEW for over 40 years and even taught some classes. I don't know much about the union itself, but as far as I know they don't offer courses in electrical engineering or electronics that will directly relate to stompboxes. Like R.G. said, they deal more with the industrial side of things.

However, I'm sure you could apply some information learned in their classes to stompboxes. Give your local chapter a call and see what they offer.

[R.G.]

in 2002 they instated a new apprenticeship program where you can get an actual college degree as well as become a journeyman at the same time.  and they have expanded into telecommunications fields as well as tv and radio repair from what i can tell on their website www.ibew.org .

Hey, great! I didn't know that.

[gez]

My father's union sponsored him to study.  He went to Oxford, got a degree and later became a university lecturer. 

Good luck on your quest.

[Steve C]

I was in the IBEW appreticeship program for 4 years and it all depends on where you live, what kind of work goes on around the area, and whether or not your state is a right-to-work state, as to whether it would be a good move.  The IBEW is the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.  Other than a chapter or two in some of the text books you go through there's was no electronics at all in my four years.  Essentially it's a job by day, as an apprentice, for an electrical contractor for on the job training and then you go to school (their school taught by other electrician's) two night's a week for 5 years and then you take your state journeyman's test.   Very few people make it in on your first application.  Simply because the want to make sure you really want to do it, and you'll probably have to apply more than once.  The dropout rate is extremely high like 75 to 80 percent.  Most people don't know what most of the work consists of and don't last or the committment is too long.  We started with four classes for my year about 125 people and it was a handful by the end.  As far as what you learn that depends on what you get out of the books and what your on the job training consists of, which is totally up to the contractor you work for.  You could dig ditches for five years.  If have any questions you could email me and I'll give you what info I have.