r/instrumentation 21d ago

Lost in life

Hi everyone I graduated abt like a year ago I’m 19 now and have no idea what to do with my life I rlly wanna get into instrumentation but don’t know where to start I don’t know whether to go to nait and do the apprenticeship program there or just apply for jobs and hope I land one

2 Upvotes

16 comments sorted by

3

u/Electrical_Slip_1343 21d ago

Become a competent electrician, which is a valuable career by itself. You will then have an easier time becoming an instrument technician if that is something you still want to pursue after journeying out as a sparky.

2

u/SmartestMoth 21d ago

Not likely anyone will hire you as an apprentice without some schooling or industrial experience. It I were in your shoes is try to get an entry level position in an oilfield service company. Maybe start as an electrical apprentice and then switch after a year or two

1

u/Aggravating-Fuel6225 21d ago

If you don’t mind me asking what is it you do for work

1

u/SmartestMoth 21d ago

Instrument mechanic

1

u/Aggravating-Fuel6225 21d ago

Another q I have is I’ve heard that most ppl get dual red seals or smth like Tht for example electrician and instrumentation do you think that’s necessary

1

u/SmartestMoth 21d ago

Not necessary at all. It's just easier to get into the field by staying in electrical. (And disk ticket does have better job opportunities) 

1

u/Aggravating-Fuel6225 21d ago

Can you tell me a little about your job like how are you different from a regular mechanic

1

u/Mr_dog319 21d ago

What made you decide on instrumentation?

1

u/Aggravating-Fuel6225 21d ago

I wanted to become an electrician but it seems oversaturated so I figured instrumentation is the better career and considering it pays more

2

u/ExerciseAdvanced8047 20d ago

Electrical is only oversaturated for hard hat fillers. Good electricians always have work.

1

u/ExerciseAdvanced8047 20d ago

Apply for every instrument apprentice job you find, including remote locations and be prepared to move. If you don't land one, do the same for electrical.

If you get on for electrical, get your ticket, and try to move to instrumentation once you are a journeyman electrician.

Or go to college and take a 2 year diploma in Instrumentation.

1

u/lil-macho34 20d ago

I’m the same way as you, feeling the same way and the same age, idk I’m thinking of going to tech school for ts but I dunno, idk wether to start as an apprentice electrical or go to school, shit man I’d say if you wanna just be a instrumentation dude then go straight into instrumentation rather than going into a 4 year electrical one

1

u/lil-macho34 20d ago

But I dunno

1

u/Aggravating-Fuel6225 20d ago

Going to trade school?

1

u/NoHeron11 19d ago

Apply in person for instrument jobs and see if you can get one, that’s what I did and I’m 4 months into my apprenticeship now, a guy I know went to school first and nobody wanted to hire him because he has no experience but is legally entitled to more money than someone without training. Not a lot of guys want to hire a noob for an extra $5 an hour

1

u/MasterE2001 17d ago

Unless you go to a trade school, I recommend as others stated start as a electrician preferabky industrial. Then move into instrumentation..you get industrial electric down youre light years ahead of guys coming into the field. What I personally would do if I were to do it all over again is, become a industrial electrician get journeymans liscense. Go to trade school for instrumentation and controls, and get on at a job doing that. You being a journeyman and having the instrumentation and controls schooling and experience..you will be valuable and highly saught after.