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Ross 86
01-07-2007, 12:35 PM
Hey to all you lineman out there! My name is Ross, I am 20 yrs. old from south-eastern, IL and a few months ago I graduated from the Powerline program at NWICC in Sheldon, IA. I have been looking for an apprenticeship for the past few months, something non-union because I just don't know hardly anything about the Union. Haven't had any luck so far, so I am trying to find out more about the Union and try that route, I am just a good ol' farm boy and I know if someone will just give me a chance I'll be one of the hardest working, most dependable guy's they've seen. Any advice from you experienced lineman on the Union or a young guy just trying to get started in this field would be Great! :confused:

Genoin NW
01-07-2007, 12:45 PM
Welcome aboard kid. You can find the Union phone numbers on line. Call them, join one and get on the books. I've been a union member for 30 years and never regretted it. Are you willing to move away from home? If you are serious about this career you must be mobile at your age. Use all your options! There is a lot of work out there, you just have to be resourceful and find it. You'll do fine with a good attitude and work ethic. Listen, learn, respect, and ask questions. Us old duffs love to see budding talent!
This site is a great place to start. Read the posts, talk to others.

Ross 86
01-07-2007, 12:55 PM
Thank's alot, I am willing to move away from home, so what do I do after I get "On the Books" and what are the books.

Genoin NW
01-07-2007, 01:04 PM
Get on the "books" by paying dues and becoming a groundman. You'll get assigned to work somewhere with someone... Pretty vague huh? But it's a starting point. Get some experience working and take your journeymen's advice and build a resume to apply for an apprenticeship. You can look into the schools offered all over the country for pre apprentice training and many of them have job placement after graduating. Spend some time online to find these schools near you or ask on this site. You'll find help with these guys here.

Ross 86
01-07-2007, 01:09 PM
Will my Year spent at line-school help me out any or will I start out the same place as someone with no training???

Genoin NW
01-07-2007, 01:16 PM
anything you do related in this trade can be used to build/negotiate your career. I like you attitude so far. I just got three kids started in the NW Lineman School in Idaho last year and they are all working in California. 4 months of training, they were the top 4 in the class and were recruited as soon as they walked off the podium receiveing their diplomas.

try:
Northwest Lineman College
7600S. Meridian Rd
Meridian, ID 83642

phone 208-888-4817

They will send you all the stuff! Let me know how you did!

Ross 86
01-07-2007, 01:39 PM
When joining the union, is there a test you have to take to get in? I was on the NJATC website the other day looking at some sample questions from the test you have to pass to get into an apprenticeship and they were dam hard, questions in ALgebra and reading comprehension, whats up with that, I want to be a Lineman, not a High School teacher:cool:

Genoin NW
01-07-2007, 02:16 PM
There is no test to become a groundman that I know of. The NJATC sample questions that you were looking at are to give you an idea of what you need to have for skills to be able to get through the school stuff. You need the match to calculate current loads, pulling loads, and many other areas of our work. The reading comprehensive is to remember the stuff you read and be able to retain it. Very important! This trade is not only the muscle part but brain part too. You should be ok if you graduated from high school with any kind of a good gpa. It's a lot of work!

PA BEN
01-07-2007, 09:15 PM
You will learn about the union in apprentice school. Don't cut yourself short "Go IBEW" Look up www.nwppa.org look up jobs

racinsprintz10
01-08-2007, 12:01 AM
if your in southeastern IL, check out local 702, which is in west frankfurt, IL. 309 in Collinsville may be another local for you. Good wages and benefits in that part of the country. As far as the test goes, last i knew 309 was the only local in ALBAT area that requires the test.

graybeard
01-19-2007, 11:16 PM
Ross
If you want to stay in Iowa try local 55 in Des Moines. I think that the PAR guys come out of 55. From what I've heard PAR is looking for help. Also check out the REC in Le Mars they maybe looking for help or soon will be. There is an office in Le Mars but the main office is in Orange City. Welcome aboard and hope that helps.

BIGHUB
01-20-2007, 01:48 AM
to sign the books as a groundman or tech, how much are the dues?

suddsy
01-20-2007, 11:31 AM
If you are afraid to apply for union positions because you dont know anything about them let me tell you some of the highlights. better wages better working conditions better training. its just my opinion. But from past experience when I was a 4th step I was working on a pole stringing in overhead, and a nonunion crew was doing the riser out of the sub. during our conversations between each other(crew 2 crew) Ilearned that the foreman(20 plus more years experience than I) was earning close to 4 dollars an hour less than me I thought it would be rude to mention anything but the experience had always stuck in my mind. if you go to the NJATC website they will give you a link to a local jatc in illinois I would think its your best shot. form there you will apply, test, and interview. From there you will be scored and ranked than you wait for the phone call.this is a construction apprenticeship, so you go were the work is. generally speaking you can stay in one particular area but you can be as far as 10 hours away from home if thats a problem maybe you should find another career. after you get your journeyman card( your ticket) you can choose where you work and who you work for. Bieng an IBEW joourneyman means that nobody will question whether you are a journeyman, unless you prove them otherwise. Rather than the other way around. This is my experience only. So when you choose who you work for ( union or nonunion) make up your own mind. there are plusses to both sides wiegh them out and in the end you hopefully do whats right for you.

CenterPointEX
01-20-2007, 12:09 PM
Come to HOuston, Local 66 713-943-0716. The conditions suck... The pay sucks... The traffic sucks... The LInework is real... and they are hurting for lineman because of the above... I think as Centerpoint goes contract, the conditions can do nothing but get better, they have to and they are already.

Anyway... bottem line is, There are immediate openings in the apprenticeship here... If ya can make it here three years, you can take you ticket and go where they appreciate lineman and understand their value...

Your insurance and retirement will be thru the Union so you can work anywhere in the country... No job interviews etc. you just sign the book and when they get to your name, you go to work... In many places in the country these days the book is a walk thru, meaning you sign the book and immediatly go to work... no waiting for a call... Don't like your boss... Drag, Don't like the pole they want you to climb... Drag, Need a vacation... Drag. Then when ya feel like going back to work drag yer arse back to the hall and sign the book.... Out in Cal I seen guys drag back... Drag one day and be back in the same place the next...