Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted February 17, 2018 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted February 17, 2018 24 minutes ago, Snoslinger said: completely electrical or some electronics too? i went to a tech school called "RETS" right after high school. i think there are a few still around. that was primarily electronics stuff. from there i worked as a tech for several years and then decided to get my electrical engineering degree. Still in it ? Still enjoy it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f7ben Posted February 17, 2018 Author Share Posted February 17, 2018 3 hours ago, sledderj said: That really surprises me. I would have thought with the heavy focus on safety in O&G that they would set a minimum standard for an electrical worker as a journeyman. Ben's right in that apprentices only take cursory schooling on technical equipment, but they are taught theory and are tested to make sure they are able to do basic calculations. Even things like hand signals and rigging are pretty useful to maintenance people. O&G here are JM as a minimum. We are rigorously trained through work. I have attended many classes from PLC schools to station electrician training working with sf6 breakers and love cover up line work. Maintenance staff are all qualified riggers. We take many hours of signaling class. Etc etc etc. We are well trained. We just don't get licensed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoslinger Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 11 minutes ago, steve from amherst said: Still in it ? Still enjoy it ? love it. i'm an advanced manufacturing engineer, developing fixturing and semi-automated systems for production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted February 17, 2018 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted February 17, 2018 1 minute ago, Snoslinger said: love it. i'm an advanced manufacturing engineer, developing fixturing and semi-automated systems for production. cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f7ben Posted February 17, 2018 Author Share Posted February 17, 2018 49 minutes ago, Snoslinger said: completely electrical or some electronics too? i went to a tech school called "RETS" right after high school. i think there are a few still around. that was primarily electronics stuff. from there i worked as a tech for several years and then decided to get my electrical engineering degree. I did 3 semesters of electrical maintenance school and 1 semester of electronics and programming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f7ben Posted February 17, 2018 Author Share Posted February 17, 2018 3 hours ago, Mileage Psycho said: In Chicago we have a lot of inside wireman that have that have the experience and education to do all that, our apprenticeship program is a five year program that cover all aspects of the residential, commercial, and industrial disciplines. The apprentices who complete the 5 year course also earn 53 college credits towards an A.A.S. in electrical construction technology, Chicago area contractors have always invested heavily in training, our program is the model other programs across the country want to mimic. Wow...that is an excellent sounding program. Especially the college credits. Up here in MN you have a 5 year program. You get 1 year credit for tech school and 4 years of apprenticeship. When I move home I may join the union. I have discussed this with my buddy and some of the guys that sit on the apprenticeship committee. They may offer me 3 years of credit for my school and work exp. I could turn out in 2 years and have my license. I would probably go back into maintenance at that point but I'd certainly like to get my license also. I could see myself getting my masters and running a small 1-2 man shop into retirement after i am done working industrial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mileage Psycho Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 1 hour ago, f7ben said: Wow...that is an excellent sounding program. Especially the college credits. Up here in MN you have a 5 year program. You get 1 year credit for tech school and 4 years of apprenticeship. When I move home I may join the union. I have discussed this with my buddy and some of the guys that sit on the apprenticeship committee. They may offer me 3 years of credit for my school and work exp. I could turn out in 2 years and have my license. I would probably go back into maintenance at that point but I'd certainly like to get my license also. I could see myself getting my masters and running a small 1-2 man shop into retirement after i am done working industrial. While obviously not everyone absorbs all the material presented to them, you can if so inclined leave the program with the equivalent of a EE. If we pick up a project where we need someone with a specific skill set we ask for that and it is generally filled with an individual/individuals who take pride in there skills and deliver what is needed in a professional and time efficient manner. The link below will take you to our program. BTW you mentioned medium voltage, way back I went to night classes to get my cable splicer cert, at the time I needed my superintendents OK as it was a JW class and I was a 3rd year apprentice, my super looked at me and said "why the fuck do you want to certify for a job where you will be in a cold wet hole in the ground with nasty furry things with beady eyes keeping you company?"................ good question https://www.ejatt.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambroski Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 On 2/13/2018 at 8:01 PM, f7ben said: Working in a drive cabinet my last shift on friday at about 5am. Was done trouble shooting and reached down into the bottom of the cabinet to grab the drive cover that I set down there and got belted hard. It got my left hand and arm and thankfully I wasnt touching anything with my right hand or it could have been bad. I stepped back and collected myself and saw that there was what appeared to be two wires twisted together sticking up bare at the bottom of the cabinet. I knew I got belted hard but wanted to know by what voltage to ascertain what my immediate future risk was. I got my meter back out and when I went to check the wire to ground it blew up in my face. Full arc flash...me blind and my meter blown out of my hand. Turns out it was two legs of a 480V circuit that had melted their tape off and melted the wire to the point where they werent touching but were very close. I caught both legs with my hand and then when I put my meter on them I shorted them out. I ended up going to the emergency room mostly as a precaution where they ran a of of blood and urine work etc.....my labs showed elevated levels of muscle damage so I have to have two liters of fluids through IV to flush my kidneys. I had a nasty burn on my finger This was the 2nd worst shock I have received and it highlights the danger of working industrial electricity. All of the cabinets on the cranes that are similar were inspected afterwards and the same two wires were found hot and taped in several of them. A drive upgrade was done and the old drives had a 480v feed to a fan transformer that the new drives didnt have and these wires were somehow just taped up and overlooked. One minute you are minding your own business and the next you could be laying on your ass wondering what the fuck just happened. Mind your P's and Q's boys JESUS CHRIST! We can chaulk this up under "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger (smarter)". Lucky fucker. I got popped real good building my current house. I've been hit before by 120 but no bid deal. I fucked up and brushed on a 240 this time. Not as dangerous as your flirt with losing your feet but, needless to say, I took a minute to reflect and get feeling back in my arm and neck. Fuck. Glad you are ok though...well, "OK" is relative I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledderj Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 5 hours ago, f7ben said: We are rigorously trained through work. I have attended many classes from PLC schools to station electrician training working with sf6 breakers and love cover up line work. Maintenance staff are all qualified riggers. We take many hours of signaling class. Etc etc etc. We are well trained. We just don't get licensed. I sort of get that from an employers perspective. They train you specifically to their facility. That keeps you a little more captive as an employee IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 He just can't pass the test and make the big bucks and mean while he spends his time at the emergency room while his employer looks for somebody to replace him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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