lifetime helpers

[reppy007]

How many of you older guys had what I call lifetme helpers,they woul start and finish their careers as a helper,just wondering if it was only us that had them.

[birdog37]

We had what you would call ground-man,soon they would bid into an apprentice lineman job and journey out.then the company would go threw a phase and hire nobody but Journeyman or an apprentice.To me because of working rules they all need to be journeyman or apprentices to come up threw the ranks because your so limited with what you can actually get done with trying to set poles or transfer unless there journeyman or a hot apprentice.They use yo hire summer helpers,college kids for summer to do odd jobs and the big joke on that was some r help.LOLNow they went away from that too.Liability reasons Im sure...........

[rob8210]

Years ago there used to be truck driver/groundman. Some of them were better on the ground than lineman. We have a saying - a good groundman can make a lineman look real good. Too many of the younger fellas don't take the time to learn how to be a good groundman.

[thrasher]

Our ground personnel are considered Equipment Operators, they work the trucks, backhoes, trenchers. Our apprentice program is an up-or-out program, once admitted you either advance on time or you hit the street, some guys are nervous about the bookwork side and so choose not to sign-up. Also some guys are happy at Equipment Operator and work thier entire career there.