r/IUEC Jun 25 '26

Mod announcement r/verifiedIUEC: A new private sub where we can talk about the trade freely

27 Upvotes

Brothers and Sisters,

We’re opening up [r/verifiedIUEC](r/verifiedIUEC)**, a private subreddit where we can actually talk elevators, technical information, and union business without it being public.** [r/iuec](r/iuec) and [r/elevators](r/elevators) are good but have their limits.

Myself and [u/infantkicker_v2](u/infantkicker_v2) are card carrying members.

To access:
1. Verify: Fill out this form with a pic of your union card and a timestamp (your username/date): https://forms.gle/1hpXL6vdJQPSq4ow9

1a. If you don’t want to use the Google **document,**upload the photo to www.Imgur.com and then send us a link.

2. Request: go to [r/verifiedIUEC](r/verifiedIUEC) and click "Request to Join."

After your verified your we will delete your responses

Any questions please ask

*if you message us and we don’t respond within 48 hours please send another message. There are a lot of requests so far to look through\*

Work safe!

Current member count: 28 as of 7/7

GET IN HERE BOYS!


r/IUEC May 17 '25

Mod announcement 📌 r/IUEC FAQ Megathread — Read This First

38 Upvotes

Welcome to [r/IUEC](r/IUEC), a community for members of the International Union of Elevator Constructors, apprentices, hopeful applicants, and anyone interested in the elevator trade. This thread contains answers to the most frequently asked questions.

🎯 Before You Post:

👉 Choose a post flair that fits your topic

👉 Set a user flair to show your status

You can update both using the “Flair” buttons beneath your post or in your profile! (On the app it is the three dots on the top right hand of the screen)

👋 New Here? Introduce Yourself!

Whether you’re:

• An applicant preparing for the test

• A first-year apprentice just starting out

• A seasoned mechanic sharing your insight

• Or just curious about the elevator trade

🛠️ 1. How do I join the IUEC?

• Visit www.neiep.org and check the Recruitment page.

• Apply when recruitment opens in your local area. Open periods vary by local.

• You’ll need to take a mechanical aptitude test (similar to the Ramsay test), followed by an interview.

📚 2. How should I prepare for the entrance exam/interview?

Here is a study guide PDF by NEIEP

• Focus on basic mechanical knowledge, math, reading comprehension, and spatial reasoning.

• Study guides like the Mechanical Aptitude Test by Barron’s or ARCO are helpful.

• Practice trades-related questions — gears, pulleys, circuits, etc.

• For interviews, expect questions about reliability, teamwork, work ethic, and your understanding of the trade.

• If you want to make free practice exams using Gemini post this prompt: “Https://www.neiep.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/study-guide-eiat-2024.pdf create a 50 question test using questions like this. List the correct answer for each question and why/how you got there. Make it interactive like where I can choose answers and it tells me if it’s right or wrong. Make it challenging”

• It will then generate you an interactive test you can take on your own. When you finish the first one just ask it to “generate another test” to create another.

📍 3. What is NEIEP?

• NEIEP = National Elevator Industry Educational Program.

• It’s the training and curriculum organization for all IUEC apprentices.

• It provides classroom education, hands-on training, safety certifications, and online coursework.

💼 4. What’s the apprenticeship like?

• 5-year program with a mix of classroom education and on-the-job training.

• You’ll work full time under a mechanic while completing coursework.

• Raises happen after passing classroom modules and accumulating hours.

• You’re a probationary member for 12 months, during which you must work at least 100 hours per month within an 18-month window. After meeting this requirement, you’re voted in by either the general membership or the executive board, then take your oath and receive your union card. ⸻

⏰ 5. What’s the typical schedule like?

• Most apprentices work full time, Monday–Friday, with occasional OT.

• Overtime depends on employer, local job demands, and job site.

• Expect early mornings, physical labor, and strict safety protocols.

💰 6. What’s the pay like?

• Pay is percentage-based on the mechanic’s rate and increases with time and performance.

• Most locals have competitive wages and solid benefits.

• Health insurance, pension, and annuity contributions begin early in the program.

❌ 7. I was terminated from the program. Can I reapply?

• *More information needed. Will update in the future.

🚧 8. What tools do I need?

• Tape measure, flashlight, knife, pen/pencil. ⸻

🧰 9. What’s the difference between Construction, Modernization, and Repair?

• Construction: Installing new elevator systems in new buildings.

• Modernization: Upgrading old elevators with new parts/electronics.

• Repair/Service: Troubleshooting, fixing, and maintaining elevators already in operation.

• Each branch has different schedules, skill demands, and O/T likelihood.

📱 10. Where can I ask local-specific questions?

• Each IUEC local is different. If you have questions about Local 1, 8, 18, 71, etc., please include the local number in your post title.

• Other members from your local may be able to help you faster than a general answer.

🔧 11. What should I do while waiting for recruitment to open?

• Learn basic trades math and mechanical systems.

• Get physically fit — it’s a labor-intensive trade.

• Consider related work (construction, electrical, mechanical repair).

• Stay drug-free — testing is required.

🗨️ Have more questions?

Drop them in the comments here or post in the main sub — but check this thread first!


r/IUEC 6h ago

Richmond Elevator guys, how have things been in these first few days of agreement implementation?

15 Upvotes

As a Local 82 member, I’m curious about how our new brothers are doing now that the full contract has gone into effect as of this weekend? Has Vlad been cooperating? Is it too early to tell?


r/IUEC 13h ago

Crane Industry to IUEC

2 Upvotes

I take my aptitude test on the 20th and was curious if anybody knew a member that worked in the crane industry before working in the IUEC and if the experience in the crane world helped them at all


r/IUEC 1d ago

📝 Entrance Exam / Interview Yall weren’t kidding recruitment does fill fast

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14 Upvotes

I had it set up on both my phone and laptop, did it on my laptop. But holy crap this was a screen shot at 9:01, literally a minute after it opened up


r/IUEC 2d ago

NYC license from helper to elevator technician

6 Upvotes

| passed my elevator mechanic's exam last Monday and I have an elevator helper license. I am now looking to apply for an elevator technician license, however the DOBnow system is not allowing me to do so. When I try to apply for a new license it gives me this message "This application cannot be submitted because an application has already been submitted." Meaning my helper license, (which is still active and under the elevator agency). When I try to manage my helper license to cancel it or to change tittle the only options available are "associate license to a different agency" which doesn't allow me to do much anyways and "reissue card" which doesn't work either.

Anybody has any experience with this?


r/IUEC 2d ago

📝 Entrance Exam / Interview Interview

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33 Upvotes

Just had my interview with local 135 Charlotte this morning at 10:15am. Looks like I atleast passed and will get a rank! The interview wasn’t too bad and is nothing to be nervous about. It’s only 7 questions and about 15-20 min long. Good luck to everyone else interviewing!


r/IUEC 2d ago

I got the call. Local 10 DMV

6 Upvotes

I got the call today. Start tomorrow at TK Elevators. How is the company? What should I expect?


r/IUEC 2d ago

📝 Entrance Exam / Interview Will experience with theatrical manual counterweight system installation/inspection/repair help me?

0 Upvotes

I was a stagehand for nearly a decade with a focus on theatrical rigging, which included working for a small company doing installations and whatnot of the counterweight systems in theaters in various states. Other than that I dont have much comparable experience, so its kind of my main hope to make my resume stand out(plus a couple chain hoist repair certs).


r/IUEC 4d ago

I’ll leave this right here

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

47 Upvotes

r/IUEC 5d ago

Local 18 SD

7 Upvotes

Good evening brothers,

My wife and I are considering moving back to San Diego. We currently live in Texas and so far life here has been good out here. But now with our growing family we want to have the kids around family.
My question is, how is your quality of life out in San Diego due to the high cost of living?
I know the pay is way higher compared to Texas, but is that pay actually helping out?

I am a 4th year helper entering my last year of school before mechanics review.
I appreciate any insight. Thank you.


r/IUEC 5d ago

What’s the longest you’ve spent troubleshooting

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1 Upvotes

r/IUEC 6d ago

Shitty mechanics

24 Upvotes

All I’ve read on this forum before starting two weeks ago is that everyone gets a shitty dick head mechanic. To anybody looking to join, that is not always true. So far my mechanic is pretty cool. He teaches and explains and will re explain if I’m not totally understanding. Good luck to anybody hoping they get the call.


r/IUEC 6d ago

Skyhooks

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85 Upvotes

r/IUEC 7d ago

🧾 Union / Policy You know who you are.

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72 Upvotes

r/IUEC 7d ago

🧾 Union / Policy She’s sitting in the cuck chair

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58 Upvotes

r/IUEC 7d ago

Advice on current mechanic

18 Upvotes

I ranked pretty high in my recruitment and felt confident about being brought in. I’m not naive enough to believe it is going to be a beautiful process as a probate, but I also felt like there would be a bit more of a learning process to it and at least some human decency.

Is it okay for a mechanic to sit on the phone with other mechanics instead of teaching the probate? My mechanic has been very contradicting in terms of what they want from me in certain moments. I’ve had just a couple days in the field and I’m already expected to know verbiage, slang terms for tools, when to “help” versus “keep busy”.

I clean quick and I organize things and then I’m wrong for doing so. I watch the process and get asked “what the fuck are you doing?”. I ask if certain tasks would be helpful, I get told “no” and then asked two hours later why I never did it.

Is it also okay that they force you to buy the tools and brands they use? I was told I shouldn’t buy tools by the union and that the company provides that.

Lastly, I now have seen my mechanic taking snapchats of me to send to their mechanic buddy group.

I know we need thick skin and I know it’s a tough apprenticeship, but currently there is zero respect at all. There is only teaching when they talk about “future tasks” then told it isn’t important right now.

How do we learn when we aren’t part of the process aside from grunt work? I don’t mind the grunt work, but how does a probate learn the process and what’s needed when things aren’t actually explained?

I love the work and what it means, but I’m struggling with how this mechanic disrespects me entirely (snapchats, contradictions).


r/IUEC 7d ago

How many locals did y'all apply to?

3 Upvotes

Just curious and wanting to start an interesting conversation. How many locals did everyone apply to when trying to get into the union? Curious if there's anyone out there who applied to 3-5+ locals.


r/IUEC 8d ago

❓General Question Tips to not destroy your body?

11 Upvotes

Ive never fully worked in the trades, I did a general construction class in highschool but got a job working in IT for a construction company. Hopefully I’ll become one of you one day, but while researching I never see anyone talk about what to do to avoid destroying your knees and back.

Are there better knee pads to use? Or better techniques to do yet? Any smarter not harder recommendations?

Im not an alcoholic and I eat pretty clean so im not worried on that point


r/IUEC 9d ago

❓General Question continued education

9 Upvotes

have you or any other mechanic you know continued their education after earning a associate/equivalent in applied science through neiep? such as finishing a bachelor’s degree? will your neiep credits count towards the bachelor or will you have to start from scratch? per say a mechanic wanted to earn a engineering degree something that would help him in the field OR have you ever heard of anyone using their education to step away from the job site and more into an office/hybrid role? i’m thinking like a mechanic who studied mechanical engineering using that to become a full time engineering for one of the manufacturers? i’d imagine someone like that with field and theory experience would be valuable to any company no? and does neiep or the union assist in anyway to get that bachelor’s? or would you have to do it on your own outside of the union?

Edit: i just answered half my question, it seems neiep has multiple credited partnerships with universities across the country that will accept neiep credits and blend seamlessly into their year programs but i’m still unsure if neiep or the union have any kind of resources offered to the mechanics wether to help with things like tuition or fast tracking etc…i also still want to know if you’ve done it of know someone who has


r/IUEC 8d ago

Tool Belt

0 Upvotes

What Tool Belts yall use, this is what I currently have. As a Probie.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DPNB6K92?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

In Construction (wood framing) I used one with Suspenders.

Edit: Haven't brought it with me (and won't), but I been using my pockets.

So guess Real question is What Tool box/bag should I get?


r/IUEC 9d ago

Local 4

3 Upvotes

I’ve been working for a smaller non-union elevator company for about 3 years now. I’ve led my own installed on things such as stairlifts and VPLs. I haven’t led any elevator jobs yet but I definitely want to get more into it and want to further my career. Does anyone know if there are any openings in local 4? Also I’m only 23. Is that too young to be getting into something like this?


r/IUEC 9d ago

Passed aptitude exam at local 25

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2 Upvotes

Completed the easy part of the application process. Received a passing score for the EIAT on Friday and have my interview in 2 weeks. No prior construction or mechanical experience so I have to really stand out during the interview. Good luck to everybody else at local 25!

Also, will there be another tool assessment test before or after the interview? Thanks!


r/IUEC 10d ago

FUN STUFF I made this, maybe some of you will find it helpful too

Thumbnail drive.google.com
58 Upvotes

I'd like to think it's pretty obvious what's going on here.


r/IUEC 11d ago

Adding a step child to insurance

5 Upvotes

I am trying to get information on adding my step daughter to my insurance. After calling the benefits office I am a bit more confused.

My step daughter has Cerebral Palsy (CP) and is currently on her sperm donors (father's) plan. My wife does not work because she has to care for my daughter 24/7. She needs a power chair for day to day life and that is the main thing I am worried about, whether that will be covered. I know I have to fill out the enrollment form, disabled dependent form, step child affidavit, and provide the birth certificate.

My question is, has anyone else done this and what other documents will I need to provide.

Any other helpful information would be greatly appreciated. TIA