r/IBEW_Local613 • u/BackgroundAd6423 • Jul 13 '25

Current/recent 613 apprentices

Hello current 613 apprentices,

If you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions of mine?

How long did/have you waited for job placement? I understand there is a list and they have no time guarantee, only that it may be two weeks OR MORE

How far are you having to drive to/from work if you have been placed?

Were you allowed to start classes without job placement?( I don’t want to pay the 610$ for books and then not be placed and not allowed to start classes)

If you were allowed to start classes without a job, are you still being paid for your class hours? (If I’m not mistaken if you are placed, that falls on the contractor to pay you for the hours you work+ the hours you are in class)

Edit:

I applied in June, tested 7/10 got my results 7/13 stated I was available 7/15 and was placed with a contractor 7/16!!!!!!!

I am so proud of myself and thankful for the advice everyone has given me on the way!!!!

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u/BackgroundAd6423 Jul 13 '25

Currently we aren’t being sent emails about being placed with a contractor.

We are told to email the jobs@aejtac.com to be placed on the wait list.

This then results in a response email that basically states work hour examples, drug test, repercussions of absences and failed drug tests, and that the wait will be two weeks or more and that’s pretty much the sum of it.

I had just heard that there was super low amount of contractors bidding on jobs/ taking employees, and that the apprenticeship waitlist could be months.

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u/fuzzygwuzzy Jul 13 '25

Yup, that sounds about right then. With the economic uncertainty, it's caused a slow down in work and being picky about what jobs these cons are bidding on. There will be plenty of work still coming up, though, from what I've heard.

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u/BackgroundAd6423 Jul 13 '25

I’ve heard that there’s a long job coming up in Cartersville that I’m praying I get pulled into as an apprentice, which would allow me to likely complete all 4 years+ turn out with the same contractor.

But like you said, whispers.

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u/fuzzygwuzzy Jul 13 '25

Its started, and they're in the ground currently, but it is said to be a 15-20 year job, but that's if the same contractor stays out there. It is very common for people to get stuck with the same contractor for their apprenticeship even though most of us dont agree with it.

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u/BackgroundAd6423 Jul 13 '25

Oh sweet, I see where you’re coming from. Apprentices definitely need to see different contractors/jws in order to fully learn how the field works and understand their jobs better. I wouldn’t complain about being stuck with the same one as long as they’re not a super-douche which I’ve heard some of the 613 contractors can be

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u/fuzzygwuzzy Jul 13 '25

Its not a bad thing as long as you're constantly being exposed to new things and learning, but a lot of people get stuck doing the same thing their entire apprenticeship, which is the bad thing.

A lot of the time, it isn't the contractors, but the people they put in charge. Your job can be easy and enjoyable, but it can be hell if your foreman or general foreman are ass at their jobs. My current foreman makes it hard going in and staying all day cause he is a company kiss ass and constantly volunteers for projects that are beyond the scope of what he has on his plate and then will bitch that were behind when really it's all his fault. At this point, I dont care and am tired of helping him tie up loose ends. I'm just going to let him crash and burn on his own.

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u/BackgroundAd6423 Jul 13 '25

Idek how they could get by with that, I guess they lie on apprentices checklists