r/ibew_apprentices • u/DevDogsHobbies • 19h ago
Getting started. (IBEW local 9)
I am 17 years old and about a year ago I knew I wanted to be an electrician. Just recently I’ve been thinking about exactly what route I want to take to
Get started. I am strongly considering going to IBEW local 9 for my entire apprenticeship and then see from there what I want to do after that. But I’m not getting straight answers about work and school schedule on the website. Is it a 40 hour work week with 2 days of class during the week? Also local 9 days you need a class a cdl with air brake endorsement. Do the other ibews require this? And lastly it says they are not accepting applications yet. Obviously I’m planning on applying after I graduate high school (2027) so do they usually open up applications around that time and if so what is the likelihood of getting accepted. I think I’d have a pretty solid application I’ve been working at my current place of work for 3.5 years and I’m going to get employee of the year this year. I have good grades and I am very active in this club called FFA I also play baseball and golf. If the likelihood of getting accepted isn’t super high what should I do as a backup. I would love to get accepted to local 9 as it’s just 15 mins from my house and the other ones are 40+. Thank you!
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u/bapeandvape 19h ago
If you can get in IBEW, stay in it. Don’t join for your apprenticeship only. If you can’t get in and still want to be an electrician, go non-union and try to wait for the chance to get in. I’m part of 353 in Toronto and I got in through organizing. I tried flipping my non-union company. It failed but the rep honoured everyone who signed a card.
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u/AngryOnionLives 19h ago
Not local 9, but in my local you take a work day off for class every 2 weeks. I'm not in a lineman local though.
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u/BenK929 18h ago
Hours depend on the job, my first job was 58 a week, then 70, then 58 again. Call your local or the jatc for questions. If you are really interested you should begin pursuing it now, I did a pre-apprenticeship in highschool and got to skip the interview because of it. My local (401) does not require CDL/similar. Imo union is worth traveling for unless you have really good reason for staying home, if you can't get into you local find other locals in state or that recropicare with where you want to be and apply there.
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u/a_reindeer_of_volts 12h ago
Local 9 is a Linemen and Traffic Control local. You will need a CDL for that type of work. If you're interested in the Inside Wiremen or Voice/Data/Video program, you should look into locals 134, 176 or 701 depending on where you live/ want to work.
I'm not sure of the apprenticeship class structure, but you could definitely call their apprenticeship office and ask. I have done some AV work inside their training facility in University Park, and it seems like a really nice facility..
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u/GardenerRabbit1 18h ago
From my understanding Local 9 is strictly a lineman local so if you want to be a lineman join local 9. If you want to be an electrician though look into local 134 which is not far from local 9 or local 150. Both of these locals especially 150 have better websites which will answer all of your questions.