apprentice with Union questions please advise

Bill_14

I recommend you consider the union only if they have a strong apprenticeship program that trains and cares about young people turning out the right way. If your local union jurisdiction is primarily made up with new construction members and if the signatory contractors are not doing the type of work you are interested in, chances are the training will not be suited for your interests either.

I personally belive a young trainee should stick with a smaller company and work his/her butt off. Large firms will never recoginze you unless you are lucky enough to have a journeyman take you under his wings and allows you to do things other than be a "gopher" all the time.

Beware of getting caught up with the "union mentality"...be your own man and try to learn everything you can. Attend every possible training session that is provided by the union and by local vo-techs. Ask questions, show interest and work hard.

Working for a union contractor has many short-term and long term benefits, but there are good merit shops out there that train and provide competitive wages and benefits also.

A good man will generally always have plenty of work opportunities in good times, as well as slow times. Being a member of a union does not guarantee you any more than what you are willing to do yourself.

Good Luck.
Bill

theprentice

apprtc w/union qsts pls advise

i am a second year apprentice in the plumbing and heating trades and i'm getting ready to leave my current position and join the local union. i was just wondering if someone could advise me to some pros and cons of this decision. i love the mechanical end of this trade and the continuing education along with the benefits and pay are definitely appealling. any help i could get would be much appreciated.

thanks again

Unknown

HVAC career

A career in the HVAC industry is very rewarding, but you need to be aware of one thing.

You can be in a situation where you will be out of work for long periods of time. To cover that situation you will need to eigther moonlight at the trade or be able secure work from other sources other than the union.

Union benifits are excellent especially the education that offered. I recommend that you go to the welding school and get your pipe fitters welding certification and try to work in that field.

Good pipe welders that can secure certifications for x-ray welding often get paid above scale and often work overtime.

That end of the business is not driven by the economy as much of that work is performed in the utility, aviation, nuclear, fuel farm and fuel production, and high pressure steam supply industries.

If you are multey skilled you can work nearly with out losing time.

I retired from from the plumbing and heating industry and worked as a consultant for ten years and live quite well on my pension and othe income sources that I derived from my consulting business.

One special note never stop going to classes provided by the union, keep installation and service manuals for the equipment you insatll and study them well, that in it self can make you an expert trouble shooter.

To have that skill, which you may eventually need because the trade is not kind to the body and at one point in your career you may not be able to perform in the installation end of the business.

Learn electrical and electronic controls as these items make the equipment you install work.

Education and multiple abilities will keep you working longer than the average tradesman.


Jake

Hvacman

Not for everyone...

My experience has been that I've done better for myself at a merit shop... and I've looked at opportunities on both sides of the fence. The nail was hit squarely on the head by Jacob, "have the education and multiple skills",if you do this you will seldom be without work whether union or not. I hold licenses in multiple trades in Massachusetts (heavily unionized). A recent offer from the local operating engineers that required both licenses I hold would have meant a $6 per hour pay cut, poorer bennies and smaller retirement. Weigh all of you options carefully before making your choice... what works for one individual may not work for another.

singh

been there

I also worked for two years as a helper , before going into the plumbers union in NYC.

The education you receive is second to none. And I never lost any time,as an apprentice or as a journeyman. I moved out of the city, and rather than keep commuting, I looked for other options, before going on my own.

Understand, when doing commercial, industrial type of work, after a while it becomes boring. You just become a well paid pipefitter. By far, I now have the freedom to do much more, from wiring, controls, design, and piping, something you may not get a chance to do later. I did the welding thing also, Very competetive, and you may be out of work more frequently, as jobs can only be two week stints for a contractor who may need something welded briefly. And there is a lot of favortism and politics in the local halls, not for everyone . But overall, I would not change a thing , I enjoyed my time there, and if your young, I say do it, you always can do something different later.

Good Luck.


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theprentice

the company i work for now specializes in hydronic heat. small three man shop with no bennies or health insurance. i like my job i just think it's time to start thinking about my future. i am learning the controls and would like to continue that. by entering the union am a sacrificing the opportunity to learn the electrical end of our field. another question, what is a 2 year apprenctice typically responsible for in the field. will i be spending the majority of time fetching fittings and digging trenches or will there be a fair amount of hands on as well. either way is fine i know that everyone has to start somewhere.