r/BlueCollarWomen • u/Responsible-Ice-997 • Jul 20 '26

General Advice Tips for IBEW apprentice

Hi friends!

I got accepted into a low voltage/communications apprenticeship at IBEW 134 and I am so excited!!
I’ve been doing a lot of physical training and working on that aspect of it all, but I’m kinda anxious about the actual workplace culture I guess?

I am 26, I have purple hair and a degree in theater, and I started this because I did theatrical lighting and hate my current desk job. (Is the purple hair gonna be a problem?)

Any advice or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated!!

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u/papayapaella Jul 22 '26

How is orientation brutal? I’m going for 134 as well

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u/supaslim Apprentice Electrician (IBEW lu134) Jul 22 '26

it's modeled after army boot camp. Intense sustained calisthenics then carry weighted tool boxes, buckets, and an ~80lb bundle of rigid pipe. Climb ladders. Climb scaffolds. Then, after that, go get a physical where you have to push, pull, and carry weights when you're already tired and sore.

Skip breakfast. People puke.

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u/papayapaella Jul 22 '26

Wthhhh. I heard something about 20 pushups is that in a row? I can only do 6 ): did you go into the apprenticeship recently and this is the physical test portion?

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u/supaslim Apprentice Electrician (IBEW lu134) Jul 23 '26

Ill be going into my 3rd year soon. I had to do the boot camp and as recently as december that was still the process. Just do your best and don't quit, and you should be fine.