Anyone still hiring helpers?

[reppy007]

To me this might be interesting,because I dont see much people talking about helpers nowa days,but anyway I talked to a friend today and I asked if the local utility was short-handed,which they are.As the guys up in their 50s are having one health issue or another the company is hiring helpers,but theres not too many apprentices that will be able to be on the poles with them like the old days,cause they are short on apprentices also.The older lineman will not be able to do certain things on a pole with them.I can only wish these new guys good luck.....anyone else hiring helpers or is it just the guys that are in some type of school/schooling ?

[rustyhook39]

As a young guy reppy i have got too say us younger guys are gettin a bad deal. Alot of coops bug utilitiez even contractors are not taking many guys anymore. We are losing out on opportunities too learn from older guys and when we can we have so many rules or guide lines to follow. Like me we cannot climb cant be in the bucket until after a year cant work live secondary till the second year and no dead phase work till the forth year. How am I suppose too learn? How do any of us young guys get into a place with a good base to start from? And the employment testing is a joke as well. Lots of guys are book smart but cant do the work and the ones who can work hard never get a chance do too the testing its not right in my eyes.

[reppy007]

rustyhook 39,if your already in the trade and your young,you are blessed,your already in the door,at a time when thousands want to be where you are,watch everything,read what you can,ask questions....pay attention....your turn will come,and you will be telling someone else what we are telling you.None of us were given anything,we earned it,and ask anyone we had to wait also,some might have been grunts longer than others.....looking forward it looks like it takes forever...but looking back even 20 plus years...it sometimes seems like a flash...and we wonder how the hell can time go by that fast....you will see,just like we had to see.

[rustyhook39]

I think alot of good workers never get a shot and i am lucky thank god im in the door i jope and wish alot of other guys get their chance as well

[reppy007]

I think alot of good workers never get a shot and i am lucky thank god im in the door i jope and wish alot of other guys get their chance as well

We do too,after seeing all these guys attending the different types of schools and the test they have to take its fustrating to hear that some are coming short of their goals.Personally ,Im wondering what use,if the companies are not hiring...I talked to a contractor a few days ago and he told me that right now with them,nobody was being hired..but the look on his face told me that it will be a good while before that happens again....I dont see much change in the near future,I think we are looking at a few years before things get turned around.How many,is anyones guess.

[rustyhook39]

Im guessin five years thats when alot of older guys should start to retire.