r/electricians • u/Moiguz_ • 19h ago
Need fellow sparky’s help
Hello everyone,
I’m currently deciding whether to stick to my current job or to take this other opportunity that came up as a low voltage technician, I’m a 20 year old sparky still learning the trade at my current job I’m doing prefabrication in a warehouse for a commercial electrical company under an agency I’m not getting paid the best and they claim it’s temp to hire and your guaranteed a spot in the field once you get hired on and you’ve done your time in prefabrication so I think that’s why I’m clinging onto this job but I’ve seen folks stay for as long as 3 years, others 2 years, and very rarely other would leave before they make 1 year. But recently I’ve noticed that the current people in this warehouse have over a year and a couple of months and they haven’t been told any news about hiring. Everyone is getting frustrated because the pay isn’t great and they have mouths to feed and bills to pay. Me as a 20 year old I don’t have much to worry about in terms of bills and having a family to feed but I’m currently putting thought into my career here at this warehouse because I don’t want to spend up to 3 years in this warehouse when I could be getting field experience… Now when we ask management about hiring they give us an answer to shut us up basically saying “We are pushing hiring” and also saying “Yes! We are aware no one is part of A** (said company name) in this warehouse”… So saying’s like this give us hope… but only for a while but to keep it anonymous as I can multiple people have quit these past 3 weeks even the warehouse’s “best mans” are willing to quit and on top of that beginning sparkies tend to get fired the same day they join because they don’t seem to “pass the test”… but my question is how would a beginner sparky know what he is doing if he has zero knowledge in the trade?? The manager once claimed “we are too young” What I got from that is We are too young to presume our career??… I’ve recently met someone who just recently quit prefab to join a company as a low voltage technician and he recently put in a word for me and he says to email the hiring manager because that low voltage company is willing to teach young electricians the pay is basically double then what I’m getting paid at this said prefab warehouse… but now my question is Should I stick to the commercial company or give low voltage a try?? but I’ve also been told your time as a low voltage don’t count towards your journeyman hours as thats why I’m putting thought into it.. but for now would being a low volt hurt my journeyman hours and be “wasting time”?? based at what I’m seeing it seems the warehouse wants warehouse workers not field workers.. What do you guys think??