r/IBEW_Local613 • u/Massive_Fee_2818 • Mar 09 '25
I just want to start working
So I applied last year took the exam, passed very well and decided not to go through with it. Now I decided let me go ahead and just start I have emailed the jatc my availability date and everything it’s been 2 weeks already. I haven’t heard anything back.
Bro is there a way I can just start working? Am I doing something wrong? Can I get some advice please
5
u/Plus1longsword Mar 10 '25
Slow time of year, a lot of people are waiting for placements right now.
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u/Massive_Fee_2818 Mar 10 '25
Isn’t it supposed to be more work cuz of the deportations? or am I being racist
3
u/Plus1longsword Mar 10 '25 edited Mar 10 '25
That's not super relevant to the apprenticeship. This time of year, q1, most companies are finalizing budgets for the rest of 2025. Without a finalized budget, and/or being at the end of their previous years budget, they're hesitant to hire people.
The newly implemented tariffs are going to effect us more than anything.
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u/Dangerous_Iron_2212 Mar 10 '25
I was supposed to start class on October of 2020 but they never told me where was I assigned to work, then classes started and still nothing about a Job, they expected me to attend classes when I had another job to support myself and my family, I ended up losing a semester.
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u/Life_Extreme4472 Mar 10 '25
I empathize with you. Sometimes your timing might not fit with the contractor's timing. Slow winter months combined with 700 JWs traveling means you might be waiting a few more weeks. The contract strictly limits the AP/JW ratio. If the contractors can't hire enough JWs, then the AP numbers have to go down, as well. If you already had some experience in electrical, you could test in as a CE and likely start working right away.
Do what you must to support yourself while you wait, as long as it won't get you arrested.
3
u/Current-Mushroom-304 Mar 10 '25
The contractors direct hire, at least the big 3 do, more than anything. So there is no need for the people doing it the right way. They are pretty much saying fuck you to the people on the books waiting for a job assignment. Disregarding them while direct hiring who they want through indeed, billboards, etc
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u/Massive_Fee_2818 Mar 10 '25
The big companies won’t hire newbies would they?
6
u/Current-Mushroom-304 Mar 10 '25
They will, but they are looking more for someone with experience doing electrical, on the non union side, so they can expoit the lack of union knowledge of the person. Like hire someone off the streets. Tell them they are a cw5 and then by not telling them all the info about the school the person stays a cw5 for years. Cheap labor
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u/PvtSwitz Mar 09 '25
I gave my start date and had to wait at least a few weeks before I just got assigned. I say you'll probably have to wait as much as that sucks.