Smokes wild ride.....

[Highplains Drifter]

,

About an hour ago, I got a call from the guy who owns the powerline construction company that I know from the story on page 1.

He told me to be in his yard, ready at 4AM to go out on storm as a Groundman!

So maybe this won't turn out so bad after all. I called mountain states and left a message on their answering machine, letting them know that I won't be able to make it, but would love to be able to interview again, if at all possible.

Stickin with it no matter what.....

If the owner dispatched you this is bad news, because it is more than likely a non union contractor and for you to give up an interview with an IBEW local and bloat about this says a lot about ya man.....I think your handle is appropriate....you blow lot of smoke for a nobody wanna be.....

[T.O_Hydro]

You definantly don`t lack the effort, hope everything works out for you. Good luck working on that storm damage. One thing is for sure, durring storms are when you`ll learn the most.

[mtlinehand]

GOOD NEWS!

I also have an interview scheduled for January 10, 2011 at 9AM in HELENA, MONTANA, with the Mountain States Line Constructors Apprenticeship Training that I was telling you about. Yes. HELENA, MONTANA, and yes, I live in Michigan. I really want to go to this, and would love to do my Apprenticeship out there, but not sure I'll be able to make it.

This is short notice, as I only applied there about 2 weeks ago. I have not had a lot of carpentry work during the last month, so I'm not sure I'll have enough money to pay for the flight or econobox rental car for the trip. I actually would like to make the drive, so I could sign more groundman books along the way and increase my chances of getting called up.

Might have to get a co-pilot who can throw down some cash for the trip, or clean gutter, de-icedam peoples roofs and whatnot to pay for this!

dang smoke... thats to bad you couldn't make it to the interviews, i actually interviewed this morning with mountain states in helena.... less competition for me i suppose

[smoke_eater]

Thanks for all the words of encouragement guys! I have been really busy the last month. I went on storm work to Georgia for that ice storm for 5 days, and then had 2 weeks off. Then last Monday, I got the call and ended up in Indiana all week during the "storm of the century" as the weather channel put it. I've been having a ball doing what I'm doing. I'm meeting a lot of awesome guys. Some younger who are new journeyman and some older ones who are just as eager as the younger guys to ante up and help me out and give me pointers. I'm loving it.

If the owner dispatched you this is bad news, because it is more than likely a non union contractor and for you to give up an interview with an IBEW local and bloat about this says a lot about ya man.....I think your handle is appropriate....you blow lot of smoke for a nobody wanna be.....

Actually....they are a signatory IBEW contractor for local 17 out of Detroit, MI. He called me because he called the hall and talked with them about where I was on the list and asked them what the chances would be of me getting called out to work for his company based on where I was at on the out of work list. They said I fell into the cluster of guys that would be getting called to work for his company, since they were emptying the books and needed all the grunts they could get. He asked if it would be alright if I went to work for his company, and they said that would be fine, since I would have gotten called out for another contractor or him either way. The reason he, the owner called me and the hall didn't is because he is a nice guy and was just trying to help out the Union B.A. and make his job a little easier for him by giving him one less guy to call. Plus, he knew me and thought it would just be cool for me to hear it from him for my first storm and all. Also, in our union contract, the contractors that get called out for storm work do have to pull so many journeyman lineman, grunts and operators off of the out of work books. But they are also allotted a certain amount of spots that they can use at their own discretion to fill for people they know who may be out of work.

By the way, if you'd read what I posted, you would clearly see that I DID NOT GIVE UP THE INTERVIEW WITH MOUNTAIN STATES. I had a bad luck incident happen, and I had to do what I had to do to keep the job I have when I'm not on storm! I don't know where you're getting this attitude and image about me from dude. I had car trouble the week before that trip was planned, and the repair costs ate up the money I was going to use for the travel expenses to get to Montana from Michigan.

Take a chill pill man.

You definantly don`t lack the effort, hope everything works out for you. Good luck working on that storm damage. One thing is for sure, durring storms are when you`ll learn the most.

Thanks a lot for the motivation. Yea, I have been fortunate. I've been on 3 storms now and each time, I've been teamed up with awesome journeyman and foreman with excellent attitudes who are really willing to work with me and whatnot.

dang smoke... thats to bad you couldn't make it to the interviews, i actually interviewed this morning with mountain states in helena.... less competition for me i suppose

Hahaha....Lucky ass. So how'd the interview go for you? What kind of things have you done personally before the interview? Anyways, Good luck man! Maybe we can end up in the apprenticeship together or something!

They rescheduled me for March 14 with no problems. I talked to a guy who sits on the interview panels and he totally understood what happened and was happy to reschedule me. I'm going to drive out when I go out and sign the books along the way, because on March 18, I have an interview in Wisconsin for MO Valley. I'm stoked about the trip!

Well I got one thing to say. You got one hell of a good work ethic. You apply that much effort into linework, get a couple credits in Trig, Algb, and even those skills you already have as building trade, and you might be one hell of a hand to carry water for. Hell i had new apprentice's show up that last two years as Safety Director, with a background of WalMart employee.
But after becoming a lineman don't quit.With your prior college credits, and the twenty five you get for the completion of the IBEW Line program look into electrical engineering. I had one lineman that took that course and it took him 10 years in night school. I was a great lineman, and last I heard from him, he was one of Quanta's Vice Presidents. It's you ball don't drop it.


Good Luck!!

Thanks a lot man! Yea, I was thinking about something like that waaaay on down the road. Maybe Construction Management because some of the classes I've taken were towards that.

good luck on your interview with mountain states, im from around Kalamazoo, MI and interviewed in helena just outa HS about 2 1/2 years ago and was hired the same day as my interview, should they hire you i know you will like it a lot so long as you dont get sent to colorado springs glueing conduit LOL. right now im working in sidny MT on the east side of the state got another week or two left here and will be going to work on a transmission line near great falls,

Thats awesome man! How's the transmission work going for you? You ever come back this way and look for work back home?

[smoke_eater]

Well, good news. I have an interview on the 18th with MOValley Line Constructors in Eau Claire Wisconsin through Local 953.

About a month ago, I applied with ALBAT out of local 145.

I also drove to the Grand Rapids area last week to pick up an application for Local 876 out of Comstock Park, MI for the ALBAT apprenticeship.

And tonight, I am leaving at midnite to make the 6 hour jaunt to the Chicago area to pick up the ALBAT application for Local 9....

My brother is going with me so it should be fun.

WISH ME LUCK!

[shocksystems]

WISH ME LUCK!

Good Luck!

[Highplains Drifter]

WISH ME LUCK!

Good for you, Good Luck!

[Boomer gone soft]

Good luck!

[smoke_eater]

Good Luck!

Good for you, Good Luck!

Good luck!

Thanks Guys!

I got to Chicago about 4:30AM Central time in the morning, and had a hell of a time finding the Local 9 hall. FWIW, the people reading this who may use this information in the future, THE ADDRESS ON LOCAL 9's WEBSITE IS CORRECT! No matter how much you don't think it is, and don't want to believe it is........So if you're like me and show up there waay too early to pick up the application, and think it can't be, it is. There are no signs out front and it is in Suite 330 of a big 5 story office complex. The address is 4415 West Harrison Street, Suite 330, in Hillside IL.

Anyways, like I said, we get there way too early, so I backed in the spot that was front and center in the parking lot and put the seat back to get some shut eye, since they didn't open until 8. I wake up and hear my window being smacked off at like 7:06 and freak out. I look to my window and some homeless guy is hitting the window trying to break in or something. I bolt up real quick and fling the door open and he jumps back about 10 feet saying he doesn't want any trouble, just to wash my windows.

Of course that's what you wanted.....

He takes off running and I don't see him again. Only around Chicago. And Detroit. I look around and there are other people in the parking lot, so I go inside the place and find the union hall......with a locked door still. Oh, and.....

WITH NOBODY WAITING OUTSIDE OF IT FOR APPLICATIONS! Apparently the boys around Chicago arn't like us guys from over by Detroit. When Local 17 hands out applications, the line to pick them up snakes out the door with a couple hundred guys picking them up. Well anyways, another guy shows up and I start talking with him and find out that he lives about 20 minutes away from me back around Port Huron in Michigan. Nuts. The first 2 guys in line are from another state 5 hours away!

Anyways, the guys who work at the hall got there early, and let us in and start filling out the applications and explained to us that their work picture was kind of uncertain at this time. We both asked some questions and signed the gorundman books while we were there. Then we took off. Still nobody waiting outside.

Drove 3 blocks away and shot it out at the post office at 9AM right when they opened. This one went reeeaal smooth.

My brother who goes to Ferris State University and I ended up driving over there to Chicago last night and drove back today. We took his 1999 Ford Escort that gets about 32 mpg. I definitely need to get one of those cars! Beats driving my 1996 Z-71 all over for applications and interviews getting 10 mpg! I feel like kind of a pussy, but with girls these days going for guys dressing up in skinny jeans, maybe this will fit me right in.

Anyways, my fingers are crossed. I gotta make some money this week to go out for my interview next Friday on the 18th with MO Valley.

[smoke_eater]

Had the interview last week with MOValley for IBEW Local 953 in Baraboo, Wisconsin. I think it went pretty well. They asked me quite a few questions and whatnot. Here are some of the stuff I remember.



-Tell us what you know about linework.

-What is the job of an apprentice lineman?

-What makes you think you can do this job?

-Do you think you can deal with climbing powerpoles and towers?

-Do you think if you make it up there, that you can work once you get up there without being so scared that you won't be able to work?

-If we give you a shot at the apprenticeship, what would you do if you were on a job and the foreman saw you on your knees on the ground snapping and tieing in a plastic guard for a guywire, and he came up and told you "There is no room on this job for people who sit down or kneel on the job" and then he kicked you in the side of the head. What would you do then?

-What do you know about the travel requirements for this job?

-Are you willing to travel anywhere within our training jurisdiction coverage area for this apprenticeship?

-What would you do if one of you and your wives vehicle wass in the shop for the week, and your wife needed to get to work and back and so did you? What would you do to make this situation work out between you guys so you could still get to work?

-If you were horribly sick at home, would you still come to work?

-Have you been able to climb at all yet with anyone willing to work with you?

-What else have you done to prepare for this job?

-What sort of things have you learned while working as a groundman?

-Where else have you interviewed?

-Where else have you applied?

After the interview, they asked if I had any questions, so I talked with them about what else I could be doing to prepare for an apprenticeship. They said to go sign the groundman books for 953 in Eau Claire and 2150. I also asked them how valuable the training could be for me by going to a training school such as Northwest Lineman College or VOLTA. They told me that it couldn't hurt, but that they don't give "extra credit" to those who have attended vocational type training programs at this time, like Northwest, CalNevada and Mountain States Line Apprenticeship areas do.

So after I got done with the interview, I fueled up and drove up to Eau Claire, then back over to Milwaukee and signed both out of work gorundman books. It was sad to see how much the Governor in Wisconsin has been trying to bash the unions in. Horrible.