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  1. #1

    Default Something ive missed,something everyone missed

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    Knowing that alot of apprentices use this thread for info,posting and such .Ill give you a x-mas present my way.Theres been questions on why you might be a lineman,what you will say in interviews.Questions about different types of tools,hooks,ect.Questions about schools,other utilities,contractors.We know you read some of our threads and sometimes will not understand what we are saying.We dont know it all,and we all learn from each other.Some of us like me,are used to hot weather,I dont mind the cold,guess the Army helped me with that.But as far as working in that cold,snowy ,iced over poles and lines weather for long periods of time,well IM not too experienced.Weather is a big factor.Ill try to give you all a few words that will help you in this trade.One word will sum it up,which Ill say later.Attitude,is a must,agressiveness,that helps.motivated,willing,challenge,experience,knowl edge,and so on.I can tell that there are some good lineman on this website,no doubt about that,even if i dont know them.Can tell by what they say,and what they experienced.Even the guys that have been banned,no doubt they know linework,they just get carried away.Linework isnt the only job in the world,theres better jobs.But it is a job that we wound up doing.There is a word that we all feel,we feel it everyday.Sometimes it shows and sometimes not,but its there.And that word is Pride,these guys are proud being what they are.You go to work with it,and you come home with it.Sometimes the harder the work is,or doing something diffilcult just adds to the pride,doing a good job and helping the customers really brings it out.Doing more than you have too works.IT happens,its not actually learned,classes dont teach it,lineman dont teach it.It just appears and never goes away.Saying that,there is cases where the same pride can backlash on you.Meaning,dont get too big for your britches,that type of pride will bring you down.This trade has been around before me and you and it will be around when we all die.So dont take the fall that i talked about,manage it with care.Have a merry x-mas from the rest of your fellow lineman.

  2. #2

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    Thanks for the words. I'm actually shocked on what 1 semester has done in helping understand what you guys talk about in the other forums like troubleshooting and stuff... the only fear i have is not getting work after this next semester because so many schools are pumping out kids for this line of work and it seems like the market is saturated, and it still seems like you have to know someone to even get a interview... oh well gotta keep trying i guess.

  3. #3

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    Thanks for that. It means a lot that you would take the time to post this. I don't know very many linemen personally. I don't know that much about the details of line work. But I have figured out the pride. That's what attracts me most to this trade, the pride. Most people on a cold stormy friday night see their power go out and think "i want that on, i want it back on right away, but i **** sure don't want to go out there right now and fix it". I have seen the pride that journeymen have, its littered all throughout the posts in this forum. Even spouses of linemen have pride in what their husbands or wives do. I want that.

  4. #4

    Default anytime little brother

    Quote Originally Posted by SMUD View Post
    Thanks for that. It means a lot that you would take the time to post this. I don't know very many linemen personally. I don't know that much about the details of line work. But I have figured out the pride. That's what attracts me most to this trade, the pride. Most people on a cold stormy friday night see their power go out and think "i want that on, i want it back on right away, but i **** sure don't want to go out there right now and fix it". I have seen the pride that journeymen have, its littered all throughout the posts in this forum. Even spouses of linemen have pride in what their husbands or wives do. I want that.
    Theres alot to learn in and out of class,what kind of class are you in?When i was coming up the company had two sets of apprentice locations.But they wanted to make their own,trained there way.So what im saying is that if any lineman,even JY came from somwhere else the company wouldnt accept them,thats not really fair but it was just that way.Though i did see a couple of guys that came from some school one year,one was pretty good and the other was a so-so apprentice.I saw them one week and the next week they were gone.We were union ,and in some way they were treated like non-union,or treated like contractors.Maybe it was a practice run.Theres so much that you will learn in the future that someday you will forget all you know.I never even think of what i know,when faced with a situation its a reaction that takes over,experience i guess.Being on a two man truck is most likely where i got some of my best teachings,constantly going place to place,seeing different situations at every location.Can be one problem with that though,and thats the other guy that your working with.Most guys have been throuh it,you wont get along with some of these guys,and you will be placed with some good ones,and you will have to leave those crews also.Leaving a crew or a guy that you work well with is tough,but thats a part of the trade.Having patience is a gift,hope you have it,cause you will need it.Along the whole way you will see lineman with bad habits and good ones,its your decision to either follow the good ones or bad ones,and one day you will be telling some young kid the same thing that im trying to say,thats quite a ways off right now.Stay healthy and good luck little one.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by reppy007 View Post
    Theres alot to learn in and out of class,what kind of class are you in?When i was coming up the company had two sets of apprentice locations.But they wanted to make their own,trained there way.So what im saying is that if any lineman,even JY came from somwhere else the company wouldnt accept them,thats not really fair but it was just that way.Though i did see a couple of guys that came from some school one year,one was pretty good and the other was a so-so apprentice.I saw them one week and the next week they were gone.We were union ,and in some way they were treated like non-union,or treated like contractors.Maybe it was a practice run.Theres so much that you will learn in the future that someday you will forget all you know.I never even think of what i know,when faced with a situation its a reaction that takes over,experience i guess.Being on a two man truck is most likely where i got some of my best teachings,constantly going place to place,seeing different situations at every location.Can be one problem with that though,and thats the other guy that your working with.Most guys have been throuh it,you wont get along with some of these guys,and you will be placed with some good ones,and you will have to leave those crews also.Leaving a crew or a guy that you work well with is tough,but thats a part of the trade.Having patience is a gift,hope you have it,cause you will need it.Along the whole way you will see lineman with bad habits and good ones,its your decision to either follow the good ones or bad ones,and one day you will be telling some young kid the same thing that im trying to say,thats quite a ways off right now.Stay healthy and good luck little one.
    I'm not in a class right now. I'm trying to get on as a groundman in my local union hall, and i'll be getting my class A cdl in a week. I'm also applying for the IBEW JATC programs. Just trying to get my foot in the door somewhere.

  6. #6

    Default theres nothing like the real thing

    Quote Originally Posted by SMUD View Post
    I'm not in a class right now. I'm trying to get on as a groundman in my local union hall, and i'll be getting my class A cdl in a week. I'm also applying for the IBEW JATC programs. Just trying to get my foot in the door somewhere.
    Linework is like coca-cola,I dont know anything about jatc or college line schools,maybe some other guy can help you better than I could ever do.I will say that Ive learned way more in the real world,meaning out of class,theres nothing like the real thing.Thats some job you have,trying to get in the door,Ill bet you will,might be a little fustrating but hang in there.

  7. Default

    Thats a nice x'mas present Reppy! Really nice post!!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
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    Quote Originally Posted by Joshi82 View Post
    Thats a nice x'mas present Reppy! Really nice post!!
    So Josh... are you a lineman? I haven't read much about you yet. Just want to get to know you better.

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