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rustey
07-25-2007, 05:11 PM
Is there any difference between being a jorneyman with the contractors union and with a utility? If you go through a utility apprenticeship can you get on with the contractors(jatc) once you've topped out, and if you go with the contractors union can you get in with a utility if you chose to go that route? I like the idea of being able to pull up and move when I want but every now and then a little security wouldn't be bad either, just trying to get a handle on everything beforehand so I know what to expect.

west coast hand
07-28-2007, 10:45 PM
Te best way is to come up outside jatc you have freedom to come and go after you are topped out and you can always go to a utility if you want to go that route.

Bull Dog
07-29-2007, 12:53 PM
The utility route is the best way to go if your with the right company. Many utilities do all the same things that contractors do and more. usually you will get a more rounded experience urd, overhead, cable work, substation and transmission. There still are many company's that do all there own work and don't hire contractors. The apprenticeship if its a state sponsored program is good at any ibew shop. I liked the utility never wanted to contract out to other company's. Some say its the freedom to come and go when you want. That is just as true for a utility hand cause u just quit and go somewere else. All in all i say utility is better. Many contract hands have come over to us all good hands. Never saw a utility guy go to contractor Its rare. Lots of contract hands come to us. That alone should answer your question.

Genoin NW
07-29-2007, 01:46 PM
Maybe this will help...
I came up through a Union Utility in a three year apprenticeship and spent another 12 years as a journeyman there, then went on to another utility for 12 years and then with an outside contractor for couple of years and now with another utility until my retirement. I have worked with hundreds of guys that have a very similar past working all over. Get your journeyman card and get with a union and do what is best for you at that time. Right now the trade is needing journeyman everywhere and you have opportunities to go anywhere. Your apprentice training is what you put into it. Get connected to those 'ol boys' for their experiences and knowledge. There are a lot of good linemen out there to learn from young and old.
What stage are you in right now? Looking to get in? Already in? Journeyman?

good luck, be safe, pass knowledge on...

suddsy
07-29-2007, 02:34 PM
please allow me to shed some light on the worth of your journeyman ticket. construction tickets have and always will be held in higher esteem by the trade as a whole individual utilitys sometimes think thier ticket is better than the rest. out west a journeymans ticket is generally a journeymans ticket.If you come from an rea, rec and decide to head out and tramp you might find that your ticket reads "Lineman" with journeyman nowhere on your ticket. depending on the local your hired through you might find you're making a significantly lower wage. as far as guys heading out from a utility to go tramping it happens an awful lot. generally guys that have already retired come out for 5 years on a dock crew to help beef up there retirement. also a tramp hand can be treated better by management when the rubber meets the road because the tramp can and most importantly WILL quit and go elsewhere if they are bieng treated like crap. It really doesnt matter in the long run where you work as long as your happy and can live with your decisions.

WAlinehand1970
07-29-2007, 03:06 PM
The utility route is the best way to go if your with the right company. Many utilities do all the same things that contractors do and more. usually you will get a more rounded experience urd, overhead, cable work, substation and transmission. There still are many company's that do all there own work and don't hire contractors. The apprenticeship if its a state sponsored program is good at any ibew shop. I liked the utility never wanted to contract out to other company's. Some say its the freedom to come and go when you want. That is just as true for a utility hand cause u just quit and go somewere else. All in all i say utility is better. Many contract hands have come over to us all good hands. Never saw a utility guy go to contractor Its rare. Lots of contract hands come to us. That alone should answer your question.

The training you get from either will be excellent. Bull Dog is right about getting a little more rounded experience from the utility. But, I do know quite a few former utility hands that are in construction now. They left the utilities because of the BS politics that take place. I personally went thru construction, and I enjoy the freedom.

rustey
08-03-2007, 11:03 AM
Thanks for your opinions, i'm just getting started in this field and I'm looking for an apprenticeship. Sounds like going through the jatc might be a better choice, looks like you've got a little more freedom and the utilities will still hire you.I want to learn as much as possible and not deal with too much b.s. Then maybe in the future take a job with a utility somewhere.

newbie22
08-03-2007, 08:17 PM
Here in central California, (Bakersfield) we have non-union contractors that have lineman that work in the oil fields. Would I have to work for a union contractor to get a journeymans card?