SAIT Pre-employment Electrician

[twisted_offroader]

This course is 3 months, costs $5000 in total, including books.

What are the benefits of taking this course?

What is the process if I don't take the course?

I am a little confused on the pay rates.
If I take the course, I get my first year ticket within 3 months. Would this put me into the 50% pay rate, or the 60% pay rate of a journeyman salary? Because wouldn't I technically be in the 2nd year. Because normally a person would work for a year, then take his 1st year exam.

If I didn't take this course, what is the process of becoming an Electrician?
I assume I would have to work as a General Laborer for some time, the employer would see my work ethic then I would get indentured, get paid 50% of the journeyman rate, work a year then take my 1st year exam. Then get paid 60%, work a year, take exam. And on it goes.

The pay rate before getting indentured would be what? Lower then usual, because the gain in the end is higher. Or do company's indenture you right away. I really don't know what the process is.

[Broich]

I don't think the pre-employment is the way to go at all. A lot of money and time wasted. If you are a dedicated person and have a brain in your head, and actually like to work and show up to work then you shouldn't have a problem getting a job. There is such a need for guys out there just go find a job. Print a lot of resumes and hit the trail. Dump them off everywhere.

You'll start as a grunt, but prove yourself and you'll be indentured in no time. Again prove yourself, ask questions and want to learn - and you won't be a grunt doing dumb crap for long. Some journeyman will like ya and want to work with ya all the time.

As  for the money, it's different everywhere but trust me the four years will go by fast. The gov. has lots of grants etc up for grabs.  Write a nice asskissin' letter with your application and they'll throw money at ya. Happend to me.

Good luck.

D

[FiEND]

i would try and find a job before you pay any money.

go to http://www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca/  lots of info there.

[McClare]

Don't take the course. Just find a job and they have to pay you by law 50% of the journeyman rate.

And getting indentured has nothing to do with the company. It has everything to do with the apprenticeship board and all you have to do is sign up. Nothing other than sign up.

I took the pre-employment in NS and it was a waste of time and it's definately a waste of time in Calgary. Just get on with a company, talk to the apprenticeship board and then sign up for your first year of schooling.

The other guys here speak the truth

[SteveO]

If you are a reliable, hard working and committed worker let me know and I can get you a job with one of the best commercial electrical companies in the city.  A good friend of mine called me Thursday and he's looking for apprentices but I'm hesitant to refer people to him in case they don't work out but if you're sure, shoot me a PM and I'll give you his info if you promise not to screw it up.  

He'll set you up with all your apprenticeship stuff, pay you a good rate (50% of J-man rate for a first year) and make sure you get good experience.  

Not sure if you know much about the trade but being a first year apprentice isn't a glamorous job.  You'll be the low man on the pole which means cleaning up, fetching material and generally being everyone's bitch until you learn enough to be useful.  You need to be able to work outside in the cold all winter, dig trenches, carry pipe up to the 10 floor of a building when the skip's down and work well with others, even when they're being rude, drude and degrading.  You'll also have to be able to buy about $300 worth of hand tools within a week of starting work.

Think about it and let me know.  I've been in the trade for about 15 years and love it but it's hard work if you want to do well.  The benefits are a great skill, you generally work with good guys and hard work is rewarded with better jobs and added responsibility.  Once you have your ticket for three years you're able to do your Master's which allows you to run your own business in the city.  In this city right now, that means an electrician with a reputation for being on time and doing good work for a fair price can do very well.  

If you have any more questions let me know. .....Steve

PS.  Don't take pre-employment unless you're unable to find a job or are on some government subisdized find work program.

[McClare]

I would do residential to start. Don't do commercial. Ressy is the basics of all circuitry and there's really not a lot of grunt work so they basically have to teach you pretty quick for you to be useful. Do that for a year and you'll know everything yuo need to know about ressy. Then move into commercial.

[cLAY]

Holy Crap! $5000 for a 3 month course? When I took my AST program(1/2nd year automotive) it was less than that for a full 8months! Ok sure that was almost 10years ago but still thats insane.

Having taken the automotive pre-employment course I highly recommond taking one, but not at that price. There are so many jobs right now in trades I would look for a job to start as a helper with the understanding that if you show some smarts they'll sign you up.

[twisted_offroader]

Hey thanks everyone for their responses, especially SteveO. I am currently busy working up north, so I don't have much at home time. I think I will skip the pre-employment course, it did seem expensive, for what I got for it. I thought in the back of my head if I took the course I would still end up at the bottom of the heap. I realistically can't start until middle of 2008.

I heard the top company to work for it Trotter Morton, that would be ideal.

I will throw ya a PM SteveO.

[Rookie]

Hey thanks everyone for their responses, especially SteveO. I am currently busy working up north, so I don't have much at home time. I think I will skip the pre-employment course, it did seem expensive, for what I got for it. I thought in the back of my head if I took the course I would still end up at the bottom of the heap. I realistically can't start until middle of 2008.

I heard the top company to work for it Trotter Morton, that would be ideal.

I will throw ya a PM SteveO.

My 2 cents

Skip the pre employment

Trotter Morton are ok but any of the big company's with plenty of work are ok

Custom
Canem
Western

Are all good avoid Amelco you will have to sell everything you own to get all the tools they require you to have

I have worked for Western for 14 years they are a good company (good wages , good benefits, and no employee association )

They have over 400 field employees and are looking for a couple hundred more in 2008

J-man rate just went to 34.00 an hour

Good luck

Steve

[ert01]

Don't pay $5000 for that!

Think about it... you'd be paying 5K to get yourself ahead of the game by 9 months (less if you put in good hours because you don't need to actually work a full year before you goto school, you just need to fulfill the required number of hours... working 10's or 12's up in Ft. Mac will get you up to the hours in no time...).

So you'd be up by 9 months and making an extra 10% pay... But when you goto school after working, your EI kicks in so you get PAID to goto school if you go after working instead of taking this pre employment course. OR you could get your hours in and if you feel confident, just challenge the first year test. It's not that hard...

If your company is a Merit company, they will also reimburse you money after you sucessfully complete school.

Right now I'm working in Ft. Mac on a 10 day on, 4 off rotation as an industrial electrical apprentice (2nd year). We're doing 12 hour days so 8 hours a day is regular time and 4 hours is overtime at double time. Plus 10% vacation pay, room and board is covered at the Albian Village (Check it out online... SWEET camp). The company has an RRSP contribution matching program and we get 12 hours paid time to travel.

You can make some serious money up here right now and also work on getting your hours in like no ones business...

[twisted_offroader]

ert01, that job sounds sweet.

I work the oil rigs, low on the pole. I do 2 weeks on 1 week off. But its slow now. I love working long hours, if the pay is there. I own my house here in Calgary outright. So I think I could rent it out easily, and could work anywhere in Canada very easy. But I would like to stick to Alberta, so Fort Mac sounds good. I know its expensive there.

I think the trades is the way to go. Even though they do have a trades program for Derricks and Motormen thru pits/enform.

[jessica7894]

It seems good offer.

[cLAY]

LOL. You just replied to a 10yr old thread.

Since its bumped up anyway... How did the OP make out?

[w squared]

Yup....Alberta has been through a couple of different economic phenomenons since the original post - so it'd be good to know how that tradesman made out.

Are you still up at Horizon Clay?

[Rainish]

If you are a reliable, hard working and committed worker let me know and I can get you a job with one of the best commercial electrical companies in the city.  A good friend of mine called me Thursday and he's looking for apprentices but I'm hesitant to refer people to him in case they don't work out but if you're sure, shoot me a PM and I'll give you his info if you promise not to screw it up. 

He'll set you up with all your apprenticeship stuff, pay you a good rate (50% of J-man rate for a first year) and make sure you get good experience. 

Not sure if you know much about the trade but being a first year apprentice isn't a glamorous job.  You'll be the low man on the pole which means cleaning up, fetching material and generally being everyone's bitch until you learn enough to be useful.  You need to be able to work outside in the cold all winter, dig trenches, carry pipe up to the 10 floor of a building when the skip's down and work well with others, even when they're being rude, drude and degrading.  You'll also have to be able to buy about $300 worth of hand tools within a week of starting work.

Think about it and let me know.  I've been in the trade for about 15 years and love it but it's hard work if you want to do well.  The benefits are a great skill, you generally work with good guys and hard work is rewarded with better jobs and added responsibility.  Once you have your ticket for three years you're able to do your Master's which allows you to run your own business in the city.  In this city right now, that means an electrician with a reputation for being on time and doing good work for a fair price can do very well. 

If you have any more questions let me know. .....Steve

PS.  Don't take pre-employment unless you're unable to find a job or are on some government subisdized find work program.

hello Let me know if you are still active in this topic. thank you.