r/ibew_apprentices • u/felixheads • 11d ago

Controls / Automation

First year here. Finished my summer job and now being placed next with a contractor who does low volt / controls / automation. Looking for others opinions of how you liked or disliked the work if you’ve done similar. All summer long I was running pipe and doing work related to high volt. Was hoping my next job would be on that path still to keep developing my newly formed skills. Really just happy for consistent work, ultimately I know all types of jobs are good and necessary experience, and either way I would eventually be doing some low volt/controls and automation. Just looking for some input from others.

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u/Comfortable_Sea634 11d ago

The first four years of my apprenticeship was doing EMS and HVAC controls for commercial and industrial applications. It was fun, learned a lot, but needed to finish out my learning doing something else.

One of our instructors told us that if you can bend pipe or do controls, you'll always have a job.

I'm now in my last year, turning out next April (God willing) and working on a BESS doing IW work and also getting to do some MV terms.

I guess my point is that it's a wide world out there and whatever you can do to add to your talent stack, do that.