So how does being laid off work? I've never been in that situation, and am curious. And TxVet, you are a newer apprentice yeah? How are you liking it? And any advice?

Being laid off sucks. I am one of the h2h guys like yourself, they just came too the site and said you're laid off. They kind of put you out there with no real info. I was like yourself good taking eager to work still got laid off. People behind me still have there job, it was all random. So there is nothing to really do differently, just show up yes sir every one and always be in a hurry.

I meant the job itself, you liking it overall?

The lay offs really surprised me and I think once everyone gets back to work early 2015, all of us who got hired recently will be able to bust out our probationary period and be a lot more secure going forward.

Banshee the job is interesting, but we are all very new to the trade so as far was what we think of it you will probably just get generic answers. If you have specific questions though, fire away.

I loved it. My job in the coast guard was electrician mate, this job is pretty close to it. Very technical, I never realized how heavy everything is on elevators.

How long is the probationary period? Hopefully I can get in soon enough after yall and long enough to be safe by next winter

And TxVet, that's one thing I'm nervous about. I'm a mechanical minded person, and am a good mechanic, but have little electrical experience at all. I was an Army Airborne medic, so my military skills are less applicable lol.

Hi guys. I'm new to this forum. I am testing for an apprenticeship on December 9th in Orlando. Just curious if anyone else out there is. I live in the Tampa area witch means I'm like 2 hrs away. I just purchased a house with my wife and would hate to have to move yet I would if I got hired. Any advise for someone new to this trade? What tips do you guys have for someone in my position 80+ miles away? Tampa has a local but i have no idea when they are recruiting again. Also if I got hired in Orlando is there a chance I could transfer to Tampa or would I still have to wait for a recruitment?

I'm not sure if I was supposed to writ this post in a new feed or if it's ok to post where I did.

Thanks in advance
Chris

Banshee, they don't throw you out there to do stuff you aren't qualified for. They pretty much start everyone at the same position at the very bottom and treat you as if you don't know what a wrench is... its not bad they just don't know peoples backgrounds so its safer to assume we don't know anything than give us something that we don't know and mess it up. I think the probation periiod is a year but i also heard its 6 months... i don't really know for sure. Where were u stationed? I was in south padre island, virginia and northern washington.

6 months is when you start to receive beni's if you get your hours in, but you have 9 months to get your hours in if you don't get them in the first 6, you'll get the beni's after 9.

Just found out I am 28 on the list here in MN. how fast is the list moving elsewhere?

Ckelly, your post might get a little lost in this thread. You could try creating a new thread and you might get a bit more exposure. As far as tips and what not, you got 14 pages worth of prospective apprentice information you could skim through.

As far as probation goes, I think (but am still not concrete) that we can get sworn in after 6 months of 100 hours, and we start getting bennies. If you read the agreement it says probation is 12 months, but I think the second half of that is really just a company probation. It's confusing though, that's just how I've had it explained.

Jrr1982, a lot of us here who are in Austin are dealing with a super small local (100 something guys), so we were all disproportionately high up because of that. 28 sounds like a good ranking if it for a zone/local that is maybe a bit larger than Austin.

Banshee, electrical work in a commercial setting is for the most part is super basic and easy to comprehend (just be a little more cautious in the machine room). Being mechanically inclined is more than enough.

I've been doing wiring this past week, and your mechanic will pretty much know how everything needs to be wired, and if not there is always going to be a wire diagram and a foreman more than happy to tell you how he wants something done. The type of electrical that will be expected of you early on is likely only going to be dealing with flex/j-boxes/fittings/small wire pulling/connecting stop switches and other basic things. You can honestly learn all that on the fly no problem.

Damn you Txvet, jealous as hell of your stations. On one hand if I could do it agaon, I'd go CG or Navy maybe for the assignments. But on the other hand, I joined to jump out of airplanes and to earn the title doc. Was also aspiring for Ranger medic, but was put out medically before I got to go back to Ft Sam for the schooling. I was at Ft Sam, Ft Sill and Camp Mabry

Banshee, the coast guard was one of those grass is greener things. I couldn't wait to be out now I miss it. I am technically on a temporary separation for care of new born child and can go back with in two years but don't have to, I really have thought about it if work doesn't pick up.

Damn, that sounds like an interesting setup you've got going. How many years do you have in?

5.5 years.