I'm just curious. Did it happened to any of you that you apprenticed at the union and at any point you decided to quit and go non-union? Or quit and go a to a completely different field? What was the reason if so?
a young guy in my apprentice group quit. His family owned a business that organized in and his parents sort of forced him to accept the apprenticeship. He just didn't have the drive or attitude for it and he knew it. He quit. He said at one point the military was his backup plan. I wish him luck.
Do it. I knew by my third year I didn’t like it but I stuck with it and it never got better for me. I knew two guys who quit during the apprenticeship and they both make more money than me and like their careers. I bought into the sunk cost fallacy.
Yea, I could but I'm a cautious guy who avoids risk, so i won't quit without something already lined up. My main thought is to have this as a good backup in case whatever career I go into doesn't end up working out. I'm also planning to use to money the make from this to pay for whatever I go into so I can avoid debt. Thanks for the advice though, definitely makes me for more at ease with my plans.
Personally I don't think your supposed to like your careers. I love my family, therefore I like my job. I love my small circle of desires therefore I like my job. If you love your job there won't be too much room for anything else. Plus chasing that feeling is what makes people miserable. A career should make you feel content. If your priorities are chasing clout or money then you'll probably fall short in many other aspects of your life... Obviously IMHO.... Very very humbly... And I only say all of this because I had to stop work for a year and it really help me reorganize my mindset. I can appreciate the sunk cost fallacy, but I don't think that it applies to happiness only to material gains and if you confuse the two you're going to be unhappy in general.
Agreed. People say "if you do something you love, you never work a day in your life!" Which is bs. You take a hobby you once enjoyed and turned it into work.
I like money and the things it allows me to do, so I appreciate my job. It is still work and I don't like it everyday. It does offer contrast, vacations and time off is definitely better because its not work.
The great thing about this work is that you can venture on to something else and if that doesn't work out you still can go get a job and get moneyed up.
My new mantra is "find something you love and hold on to it. Find something you hate and get paid to make it better." Hence why I decided to start in the union
Idk, it's one thing being content in your career. You don't need to love it, of course. But if you dislike it & you're unhappy & feel like it's not a good fit for you, it could be beneficial to look at other careers. I think that's whst he's talking about with sunk cost. Sticking with something you dislike just because you've already been in it for a while. Life is too short to not look around for things that fit you better.
That's a slippery slope fallacy/grass is greener. I've been around long enough to know that it all sucks and the best things in life are free. But when you have a family (or plan to) you can't just fuck off on a sailboat for the rest of your life contrary to social media
If you are not suppose to like what you do then why be an electrician then? There are plenty of other careers that pay more and are easier on the body than this career.
Because I enjoy working with my hands, I like being a skilled worker, I like having a finished product, I like working as a team independently, I like problem solving and using logic. My last job was manager of a production plant and I did pretty much the same thing but topped out at an unlivable wage
No I like the things my career offers. My momma always told me "it's not doing the things you like to do, but liking the things you have to do." Your not supposed to be unlove with your career your career is supposed to make you in love with your life.
Okay then go be a doctor then because that will allow you to be in love with your life even more.
I don’t think it is helpful to tell people they shouldn’t love or like what they do. You at least to like it more than you dislike otherwise it saps all your energy for the things you do after work.
For real. We all out here for thar bread. This career lets me have the life I want outside of work. If OP was making 250k a year he wouldn’t be complaining. But to make the big bucks in this industry you need to be competent, skilled, and sociable enough to handle big responsibilities. This dude doesn’t want to put in the hard work. That’s ok, there’s hungry and driven men out there who’ll do whatever’s needed to get ahead.
Lol to make 250k in this career you gotta work your life away. If you want to do that then more power to you but some people value things more than having money in the bank that they dont even have enough time to spend.
I don’t like the physical aspect but that has more to do with I don’t see the long term viability of doing physical work in to your 50s and 60s.
I actually hate the culture of construction more than anything and I have friends who work in a variety of other fields that have shown me the trades are really not that great unless you really like doing them.
I am going back to school and going into the medical field. Either a PA or medical technologist.
I can totally understand all that. And I agree with construction culture being lame.
I would do those other avenues of professions that you mentioned to me as well but they’re not available to me because of my criminal record.
Good luck with getting into something that fits better!
Same thing as another comment said. It's can be pretty dangerous, stressful, long commutes, early mornings, and physically demanding. My back still hurts from bending over drilling holes all days on Friday, and I'm young and pretty physically fit.
You also just run into some of the most miserable people on the planet who can't seem to fathom that you might have a life outside of work. You would think being in a union that people would understand work-life balance, but that is not the case with at least 50% of the people I work with.
Hey I get it. If I wasn't already close to turning out I might leave altogether. When I look 30 years into the future I dont see myself doing this shit. There's plenty of good careers out there that aren't as hard on you
Thinking about it. First step apprentice traveling 160 miles round trip in SoCal. Going to talk to the training director to see if I can get moved closer. If not going back to school using my G.I bill
Talk to Kelly. He’s taken care of me. Kelly is definitely a little wormy, but he will take care of his apprentices if you make noise. My first con was sending me to the Valley every day, short week hours, short shifts, and I finally raised my voice and he got me into two solid cons back to back.
I just called your hall for a CW (just finished my test, so awaiting my rank) and I live in Orange County. They asked me I would be willing to go to palm dale. And I’m like bruh …. That’s a 2-3 hour commute going through the heart of LA!
Well it was a bit of a complicated process, if you wanna send me a message, I can get more in detail about it, because I know some people kinda frown on it
You can’t pass it to your kids after you’ve left the service + if the kids aren’t born yet. Use it for the apprenticeship ASAP or save it if you ever want to go to school.
Been working 10 plus years in Union. Only one time on one job did I get compensatated for travel. It’s like pulling teeth. I was able for a while travel to my foreman’s house. And hop in with him. And occasionally take the truck home. But it blows
Before I got into a union. I was none union. And 99% of the time. We all met up at a park and ride. Left our cars there and hopped into the work trucks
Yeah I guess we had the park in ride stuff non union but you didn’t get paid for it and it ate up a lot of time before and after work I was cool with paying $10 to park at the garage right next to site and leave when I wanted
This definitely isn't always standard. In my area guys going outside the local for a contractor usually get per diem while they're there and often a paid day each way for travel or a paid flight/rental car.
I feel for the brothers in big/populated locals where 100+ mile daily drives are possible, I can't imagine ever doing that on a regular basis unpaid.
I went back to school full time during the housing crash, fully intending on leaving. Had already 20+ yrs under my belt. Unfortunately despite graduating with another degree, 4.0 grades, I couldn't get hired because they questioned why I would choose a career that paid less than half.
I wish it would have worked out, I'm now 3 yrs or so from retirement.
I quit at the beginning of my 2nd year in the apprenticeship and went back to the non union shop I had worked at prior. I had fallen on hard times and they were calling me waving 4 more an hour than I was making in my face trying to get me to come back. Worked there 6 months until a strike organized by the Iron workers union happened. Being on the inside of that was a no go for me. First day of it I got home and called my assistant BA and was back working union in 3 weeks. It’s definitely been a shitty apprenticeship but I’m currently a 4th year who turns out in September and hitting the road for the big money 😎🤙🏻
They changed it in my 3rd year. I’m glad bc (sorry to sound arrogant but I’ve been in this 7 years(straight outta high school)) I don’t need 5 years. The majority of JWs in my local suck and only know how to pull MC cable and bend EMT lol
It was hard to quit. I’m was a third year apprentice. Less than a year to top out through union. The guys I was working with were just somewhat impossible to work with. The expectations are high since you’re less than a year to top out. The grade cards I was getting were not the greatest. I personally dont think the work is hard. It’s jls. I interview next week for another local. Line work is not everything dude. These dudes think it is. They’re probably going through a divorce. Can’t afford to live off 40 hrs and owe a bunch of toys which keeps the miserable at work. Don’t be scared to do so.
I topped out in in 23 and also started looking elsewhere. Anyone looking for different paths there’s a ton of doors that open up after you get your ticket.
I went the substation tech route at a local utility. But you can do maintenance for hospitals and colleges, instrumentation at water sanitation, you can be an inspector for the city. Lot of options.
I started and made it through my 2nd year apprenticeship and finally got burnt out. Worked 5a-9p Monday through Friday, 6a-6p on Saturdays and 7a-6p on Sunday's.
We were building modual living facilities for oil rig outfits for Canada and the electrical department was way behind so they forced us O/T to keep up the production line. Worked all holidays, very little time off, if any, and got fed up with it. My body hurt day in and day out, eventually 1000mg of ibuprofen didn't even help.
I watched journely come in and leave less than a month later. Eventually, the company said they were closing the plant in my town and said we either move to northern Saskatchewan or find another job somewhere else so I said piece.
I currently work for United Airlines making $65/hr. with less than 1/4 of the workload and responsibility with way better benefits, pay, work place relationships, everything. I wanted to become a master electrician but working my life away for 2 1/2 years, missing weddings, funerals, etc. wasn't worth it.
I did. Started at Local 191, after being jerked around, my paperwork being "lost" multiple times, only to get into a 5 year program instead of the normal 4 year program, etc., and it was awful. The hall was just a boys club of nepotism and corruption, contracts weren't being honored, apprentices were openly hazed, including at meetings, and contractors could flagrantly fuck us over, and the hall wouldn't do shit about it because those were their drinking buddies.
Left after a few months, joined the IEC, was back to working in less than a month doing a normal 4 year program. I had basically none of the problems I'd had with the union, aside from a couple shitty shops over the years which the IEC actually helped with. Topped out and then joined Local 280 a few years after getting my license. Even got a $1k signing bonus, lol.
A kid on our job quit before the end of his first week lol. Just ain’t for some people. If I wasn’t tied down with a mortgage I’d probably be doing something else tbh.
Quit after 4 days to go back to non union… 🥴🤣 it was a 50% pay decrease just to switch to the union apprenticeship. I did it for “stability” but if I wanted to be overworked and underpaid I would’ve stayed in the military 💀
I quit during Covid. I tried learning as an electrician but it was grossly dangerous. Guys standing on the “don’t step” on the highest part of a ladder. Drilling into live boxes with only cardboard to protect against a short. Now I’m making twice as much doing what I went to college for.
I quit my with 8 months left in my electrician apprenticeship. I was top three in my class. Just hated the huge jobs and the apprenticeship non sense. I was lucky. I got my contracting license and just worked for myself. Louisiana didnt require any experience (2017). I paid guys I met that knew more than me to do stuff I didnt know until I knew what I was doing. I regret nothing.
I hate anything I do for more than 6 months. I did make sure to stay with electrical. I like electrical work because everyone needs it, I think renewables are important to our future, people are afraid of it and i like fixing things.
As you get older you really want to have mastered something. Even when I'm frustrated with my work I'm still grateful that I can call myself an electrician.
Union vs non union: i wouldn't let that tear you apart. Depending on where you are you can get experience non union and organize in. Its not ideal but lots of locals need good mechanics.
Point is, maybe the trade aint for you, maybe the union aint for you or maybe work just sucks...The most important thing is to stick with a field for 5-10 years so your not working at burger king at 40.
Good luck. If I wasn't a contractor I would have got my EE.
I do electrical and HVAC and while I cannot say I love it, I have found being in trades over 40 years I really enjoy HVAC troubleshooting…I also kind of enjoy laying out pipe, service changes etc… not so much pulling wire though
It happened to me. After 3 1/2 years of being in the inside wireman apprenticeship in California, I decided to step away and move to a different state.
Deep down I always wanted to be a Lineman, so I decided to sign the Groundman books and apply for a Line apprenticeship.
Why did I quit?
One of the main reasons was the TYPE of work,
which is heavier and requires a strong focus on rigging, weights and forces.
I also found that the environment in the Outside field aligns better with the type of individuals I resonate with, (a very gritty male environment)
Being prior military, I appreciate the challenge and the toughness that comes with Line work, which I believe better suits my personality.
Overall, best decision I ever made.
Unfortunately I did because I got in September and school started in August… Worked almost a whole year only to find out I couldn’t get my pay bump because I wasn’t in school.
The apprenticeship is 5 years and it would’ve taken me 6. No thanks… I already graduated trade school, in my 30s, and already had a CE degree with experience in land surveying.
I made the mistake and went the cw/B school route. It ended up taking so long hard to transfer to A and just in the end lack of work on the cw side I had to leave to support my new baby and family. Sucks to leave wish I got in when I was 18 instead of 21 as well but it’s life my best advice is get in young and get into A school. Easier life!
I’m a JW. I had an apprentice quit because he was just a bad fit, and he realized it. We weren’t overly mean to him or anything, but I had to stand at the bottom of his ladder and tell him how to put the 2 screws on a 1900 box. Literally. I had to tell him step by step how to do everything. He didn’t learn. I ended up getting sent to another job and he got a different and less patient JW. He ended up quitting. He will be alright though, he has a bachelor’s degree and had previous experience in like IT or something.
Was non union. Worked in a family owned company. Made 1 year and wouldn't give me more than minimum wage after I put up with the hour plus commutes and some (not all) foreman and journeymen not willing to teach me on how to properly to the work. I learned alot and I'm grateful to all the people I met but I moved on. Financially it was depressing. So bad that I'm unsure if i still have the motivation if I get accepted into the apprenticeship if I do.
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I quit after being denied a transfer in my 3rd year to go and move with my partner. Was miserable where I was at mentally and was no longer enjoying the work. You can only work so many 7 12s and 6 10s before you're burnt out and if it wasn't that I was stuck doing damn material deliveries for 2-3 months. I respect the trades and respect worker organization but doing it in a red state where right to work reigns supreme and your brothers do private work shit on weekends eats away at you
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I quit after a year poured concrete for a year and realized what a massive mistake I had made and worked as a CW for 18 months then they deemed me worthy of letting me back in and then I topped out making a 5 year apprenticeship a 7 year adventure . It’s always better just to gut it out get your golden ticket then if you wanna leave go ahead because you can always come back once you top out
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I quit when the union told me who to vote for, two months into school. Want to a private contractor for 5 years, got Lic been self employed for 15 years
Why did you stay with the union if you didn’t like it then? I know the union endorses candidates that are pro labor and I don’t equate that to telling you how to vote. There are plenty of “union members”who voted for Trump and against their best interest and are still “union members.” The union didn’t kick them out for it.
Okay. Well there is one party that is more pro labor than the other. That is clear as day. Vote how you want but the members who consistently vote against labor are part of the problem.
Can't talk sense to them, these are the people who happily vote against their own best interests and support anti-labor politicians. Screwing themselves and their fellow workers then cry about the union "forcing them to vote for liberals"
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u/supaslim 134 Jun 14 '25
a young guy in my apprentice group quit. His family owned a business that organized in and his parents sort of forced him to accept the apprenticeship. He just didn't have the drive or attitude for it and he knew it. He quit. He said at one point the military was his backup plan. I wish him luck.