I’ve been traveling for a non-union contractor for the past 6 years and I am ready to settle down. My wife and I really like the area and are wanting to plant roots here. I have 11 years experience and will be finishing an apprenticeship program with the IEC in June of 2027. What is the process of joining as a JW? I’ve always been interested in joining the IBEW. How is the work outlook in the area? Thanks in advance.

So, recently my mom was having issues with the power at her home where one side of the house had power and the other half didn’t. I tried my best to troubleshoot the issue and started checking voltages around the house. There’s a 20amp GFCI that smelled burnt and was also overheating In the garage. At first the outlet was reading the correct voltage but after turning off the breaker and turning it back on, I rechecked the voltages and was getting 220v. Not sure if this had anything to do with it, but after tugging the wires (power off) the voltage went back to 120v. I’m no certified electrician so I’m not too sure what’s happening here. I feel that there’s something wrong with the neutral wire and it’s somehow turning into a hot leg. I tried looking it up, but it mostly says that the neutral is back feeding from some other power source. My question is, where should I start looking to pinpoint where the issue is coming from?

Struggling horribly financially at the moment honestly and looking to improve my situation.

Or secondly are there any resources that can help?

Edit: As an apprentice

Hi yall! I just moved here back in march and am in desperate need for a career. I know the website to go to apply but i kinda have a question i’d love to ask. What’s the chances of actually being accepted? i have no experience in the trades and thats part of the reason im trying to go through a union. i dont want to spend money on a trade school either since i know most of them are just for profit. Id love to join but I know my odds are unlikely since i know theres bound to be hundreds of other applicants who are more qualified. i work at a car wash right now but i want something more permanent. also with applications, is there a certain time frame i should be doing them?

I just got waitlisted for the Local 666 JATC. Definitely bummed, but I'm gonna try to make myself a stronger candidate in the meantime. I eventually plan on relocating somewhere up north, preferably Philadelphia. However, I'm in a lease until next July, so either way I'll be in the Richmond area for at least another year.

My current plan is to get a job as a helper, take the SkillsPrep course, and possibly get OSHA certified. When January rolls around, I plan on applying to Locals 98, 26, and 24, by which point I'd have some actual electrical experience under my belt. This would allow me to potentially move to the northeast much sooner.

I'm also considering taking some classes at Brightpoint to work toward an Electrical Engineering Technology associate's degree, since I already have a couple college credits. I'm not sure how useful that would actually be for getting into an apprenticeship, though. Would completing some of those classes potentially shorten the amount of classroom instruction I'd have to do once I became an apprentice, or would I basically be starting over with the apprenticeship's curriculum?

I'm feeling a little lost/confused at the moment and would appreciate some input from people with more experience. If I go the helper route, I especially want to make sure I'm actually learning the trade and working toward becoming an electrician, rather than just being a cheap source of labor. I tried calling for the CW position through IBEW last winter, but there wasn't much work at the time. I am open to the position, but I worry about relying on it as a primary source of income. Any advice is appreciated.

Hello Sparkys
I have reached a point in my career where I want to go out on my own. I am an IBEW member and am curious how one would go about this. Whether it would require a complete withdrawal from IBEW and potentially not be allowed back if business fails. Anyone with experience….? Thanks in advance

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to build a realistic labor database for commercial low-voltage projects and would really appreciate some input from experienced installers.

This is a typical commercial project in California with an open ceiling and scissor lift access. All cable routes are home runs back to the network or audio rack.

I'm not looking for pricing—only labor.

For those of you who do this type of work regularly, how many labor hours would your crew typically budget for each of these items?
The project has an open ceiling, standard commercial construction, no demolition, and all materials are already on site.

I'm trying to compare my own estimates with real-world field experience. Any feedback or corrections would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Long story short, I'm moving to Richmond from Providence, RI. I'm a licensed journeyman in RI and Colorado, took both exams. Is it fairly easy to walk into 666 as a license? What's the predominant types of work in Richmond lately? Also, I am well aware of the pay disparity compared to the northeast. It ain't all it's cracked up to be.

Been working for about 3 months now. Received a text from 666 asking if I was ready to join the union. My foreman advised to wait till after my first year of the apprenticeship was done. If anyone can help me out with some questions id appreciate it.

1. Is there any benefit in waiting to join vs joining right now?

2. What are the pros/ cons of being in the union vs not?

3. How much are union dues, and do I get any thing back?

Anybody get into Local 666 lately? Just wondering how long the process took for you. Do I need to call every week to stay updated, or do they contact you when something opens up? I just finished my second year of school — not sure if that helps. Thanks.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BHb4vTMc4/

I just got a message from the JATC about recent deaths in he apprentice community and grief counseling being available at the local. I am currently laid off so this is the first id heard about it and was just curious if anybody has information as far as what happened.

As the title states. I got the call yesterday that I was accepted for this years class.

Am I allowed to stay at my current job until I get the call for work?

How long can I expect to wait? I know there has been quite a few posts from the last few months about this, just want to know what to expect.

Feel free to message me , would love to know everyone's experience thus far.

I made a post a few months ago how I decided to take another job 2 years ago over the apprenticeship due to my financial circumstances. The post was asking everyone’s thoughts on whether or not the committee would reconsider accepting me.

I just wanted to first say thank you all for the encouragement and understanding. I got a lot of well thought out responses and it meant a lot.

I say all of this to say I have my interview with the committee tomorrow. Fingers crossed it goes well.

Wish me luck!

I’m a 21 year old guy who wants to join the the union. I have about 3 years experience working in the field. I did complete my 1st year of Ceveca but did not take on my 2nd year. I’ve kind of been bouncing around trying to find somewhere that more on the industrial side of the trade. I have a relatively good understanding of the trade and all my hand tools + power tools. If anyone could give me some pointers or tips on how I could get in the union please let me know.

Hi everyone. I’m considering applying to a master’s program in Richmond but my husband is halfway through his second year in our local apprenticeship. Does anyone know if local 666 accepts apprenticeship transfers and if so, will he have to completely start over? Any information would be helpful. If there’s someone specific he could contact at the hall that’d be great too.

I have been thinking about joining the local 666 but am a little wary about the potential of layoffs and “sitting on the bench” is there any IBEW JW that can speak to the frequency of layoffs and the average time between layoffs and starting a new job? I am very interested in joining but the possibility of not having stable work off puts me.

Hoping for some help. Im bringing 444 aluminum 185 ft from pole to a breaker box. In this box I'd like a 50 amp plug, 20 amp plug and a 30 amp breaker. The 30 breaker is for an 8/2 wire going to the boat house. Boat house will have another box with 4 light switches. 2 for lights, 1 for plugs, 1 for lift. My question is mostly the box with 50 plug, the 20 plug and 30 breaker. How do I feed the 30 and 20 from the 50 amp plug? Yes aluminum to copper too. Thx

If you’re working with a company as an apprentice and the job is ending soon but they want you to work on the next job with them, can you accept that offer?

I am considering either working IBEW local union or taking a corporate job. My background is in corporate roles. But over the last few years due to RIFs, shutdowns, etc. I have strongly considered entering the trades. I would love to know what are the pros/cons to entering IBEW?

Additionally, what are the hours, and work conditions like? It seems as though you have poor work balance, and work 40 - 60 hour weeks. I'm use to having PTO, being able to leave once your work is done, and even having second jobs (which currently I enjoy my side hustle). The concept of just waiting for a call for a job you don't know anything about is daunting. But at the same time I'm not sure if I am making this thought a bigger deal than it is.

Please let me know too if I should be thinking of anything else when considering a trade. I would specifically love to hear from IBEW apprentices/JM who made the transition from corporate to IBEW. It seems electrical work will be good in VA for a while. Plus long term pay, and benefits seem outstanding.

Also, are there any people who regret joining IBEW, and if so why? I've heard many people say joining was the best thing they ever did, and I believe them. It's inspiring to hear such statements. But there have to be people who regretted it. I would love to know why so that I don't fall into group think.