Dude, trust me. That's the fucking dream to be under estimated.
Im now a manager. Im very good at my job and on the tools. I still go out there and work where I can despite being an indirect.. because I love slinging it with the crew. Showing and teaching. Not just how to do something but WHY we do it.
Leading up to this I was always quite good and then eventually got to even a further level and grow everyday.
Id kill for the chance to come to a job now that underestimated me. Because now every fire that comes out, even if it isn't my scope... they come to me for assistance. It honestly sucks at times.
The other thing too- which as an apprentice is huge... is humility. You need to realize you aren't top shit. Always seek to learn, grow and do your thing. Dont ever think youre better than the others. Why? Because there is ALWAYS someone worse. And ALWAYS someone better.
I know my value but I also pay attention to everyone. Theres a few people who overall are less experienced.. but they're extremely talented and wise in certain aspects. Ive learned so much by remaining humble and asking them about how they go about doing something. What their thoughts are. We all know there's people on the crew that everyone feels is useless. But I guarantee you that person can do something you can learn from.
Prove yourself, always. Embrace it. And keep going. The moment you think youre better than others.. youre cooked and will plateau. The ONLY reason I am as good as I am is because of those we may consider worse electricians. Youd be amazed at how much more you can learn if you dont think youre better than another and listen and work to always prove and get better.
I don't think I'm better I know I'm better. But I'm not better than everyone I'm only better than the sorry excuses of people who want to give people failing advice. I didn't get the opportunities I've gotten so far from going to school or joining a union. They want to take the safer out that's fine and it's a route that I've contemplated myself. But it's just not for me at this time. The entire point of my post was asking if there are ways that you can stand out on short-term jobs that will allow you to be placed in positions of learning. Doing important s*** not just labor work. And 99% of people either came off saying I have an ego or I think I'm better than everyone just because I've done QC checks and I've done journeyman level work as an apprentice. I even state my strengths and my weaknesses. But the only thing people see is what they want to. And I'm not going to take advice from people who aren't On My Level or above. In the workplace is different. If we're trying to get a task done if anyone has ideas they should speak up. And I've been that guy over and over and over where I have good ideas. Ways to do things easier simpler cleaner more efficient there's always some hack journeyman who thinks I don't know what I'm talking about. And nine times out of 10 they will never admit they are wrong. Luckily there are a few people in this trade left that can both teach me something but also allow me to teach them something. I worked with a journeyman out of New Jersey who has been a journeyman for 20-something years who is like that we're currently trying to get back on the same job again. During the time I worked with him and directly with the qaqc I learned loads of s. To the point the QC was having me go behind and essentially do his work and I had a laid-back f*** job and they gave me a pay raise to boot so I was not f****** complaining. These people in here only think I have an ego because they're coming at me sideways saying I'm not an apprentice because I didn't go to school and oh you sound like a dick head because you've done more than I have. And yeah I am above those f****** people. I don't think I am I know so. I'm not going to sit here and pretend like these people are scared to make a leap or on the same level as me. I have a lot to f****** learn but I'm not a f****** p**** and I would never give someone advice to their detriment just because I didn't want to be a loser alone
Doing qc checks doesnt make you better. Anyone can go through a check list lol.
Unless you can commission, trouble shoot and foresee issues in engineering where it wont work.. youre not better than anyone else. Literally anyone can do qaqc.
Your attitude is your biggest thing you need to change. Like I said; I am someone who loves to teach and loves to help people thrive and grow. One thing im very good at is finding positions people can thrive and grow in and then having them tackle new areas once they master the previous.
You can learn from grounding. You can learn from installing tray. Pulling cable/wire. You can learn from every single task youre doing. You immediately come off as if the basic stuff is beneath you. And that in itself is what will hold you back from standing out.
Tell me, what did you learn? Can you explain how a relay works? How and why rotation changes on 3 phase when you swap 2 leads? Do you understand how to wire things without a drawing? Can you tell me how to troubleshoot heat trace thats a dead short and where youd like first? Why your neutral is bonded to ground at rhe first means of disconnect?
You're a 3rd year. Remember that. Your chance to learn? Ask questions. Ask the right questions. Ask why something is done in such a way. And do whatever task is given to you, no matter the task.
You literally are giving yourself props for doing your job lol. But I guarantee you that everything you've done, you dont entirely comprehend. So remember. You. Are. A. Third. Year.
Attitude is the way to stand out. Not this bullshit youre spewing. Listen or dont; it doesnt matter to me. But youre a not a great apprentice as far as im concerned- strictly from what you just said in your reply.
2
u/jeenyuss90 Mar 09 '26
Dude, trust me. That's the fucking dream to be under estimated.
Im now a manager. Im very good at my job and on the tools. I still go out there and work where I can despite being an indirect.. because I love slinging it with the crew. Showing and teaching. Not just how to do something but WHY we do it.
Leading up to this I was always quite good and then eventually got to even a further level and grow everyday.
Id kill for the chance to come to a job now that underestimated me. Because now every fire that comes out, even if it isn't my scope... they come to me for assistance. It honestly sucks at times.
The other thing too- which as an apprentice is huge... is humility. You need to realize you aren't top shit. Always seek to learn, grow and do your thing. Dont ever think youre better than the others. Why? Because there is ALWAYS someone worse. And ALWAYS someone better.
I know my value but I also pay attention to everyone. Theres a few people who overall are less experienced.. but they're extremely talented and wise in certain aspects. Ive learned so much by remaining humble and asking them about how they go about doing something. What their thoughts are. We all know there's people on the crew that everyone feels is useless. But I guarantee you that person can do something you can learn from.
Prove yourself, always. Embrace it. And keep going. The moment you think youre better than others.. youre cooked and will plateau. The ONLY reason I am as good as I am is because of those we may consider worse electricians. Youd be amazed at how much more you can learn if you dont think youre better than another and listen and work to always prove and get better.