Discussion on Mike Holt - Journeyman Pay
ra...@myrealbox.com
Mike Holt's forum.
http://www.mikeholt.com/code_forum/showthread.php?t=82989
The moderators there are required to delete any topics that may cause
passionate Non/Union dabates. Edits were made here for accuracy
ramsy is online now
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Fullerton, CA
Posts: 544
Quote:
Originally Posted by bikeindy
"For all of you with no military experience let me enlighten you...
When you sign up what you do is give up your life liberty and persuit
of happiness for minimal pay.."
May I also offer an account of my military and NJATC experience, which
is open to addition or correction of bias that in no way will provoke
a response or debate from me, or violate the rules of this forum.
Back in 1985, long distance from high-school sweethearts ruined all
the 462X0's in my class at Lowry AFB, CO. I was the last holdout, and
fell the hardest. Nomadic servitude ruins us all, no matter what
institution causes it, and the indentured servitude of NJATC (charter
school environments) may be similar.
If the military already got you accustomed to no sex, no drugs, no
wine, no women, during the next 5 years you'll feel right at home
trading your "Letters of Reprimand", Article 15's, or Bad conduct
discharge for the NJATC indentured apprenticeship, which if working
with NECA or Union contractors must justify your eventual-prevailing
wage --usually above market-- by busting substance users and poor
academic performers.
You will attend your NJATC classes at 1600, straight from leaving work
at 1530, and you will learn to read and study in dirty work clothes,
with burning sweat in your eyes. If your heroic-military survival has
lost basic algebra concepts you better suck it up and re-mold your
mind. It doesn't matter if you wear your dress blues or a purple heart
to class, you're mettle will be tested, right alongside the other
slackers.
Unlike other trade schools NJATC charter schools will cancel any
apprentice that receives poor work reports or quits a jobs for any
reason. I'm not sure if NJATC arranges your work assignments
exclusively with union contractors or not.
If your late, academically challenged, or walk off a life threatening
jobsite, the NJATC schools may cancel you through the state Division
of Apprenticeship Standards. You may then discover, most electrical
contractors will employ JW cards (journeyman) from any school or after
passing state exams (Mike Holt study guides), and the union still
organizes entire shops or individuals no matter which school they come
from.
However, both non/union contractors may terminate anyone who fails to
keep up with other journeymen. International Union bylaws were
recently amended to require a year suspension for two unsatisfactory
terminations in a 12 month period.
However, people lacking either academic success, proficient
experience, or abstainance from cell phones, and controlled substance
may be miserable with the NJATC, if their non/union sponsors can't
employ them with a canceled apprenticeship.
On the other hand, your fast track to contracting school could include
more revenue, and more liberty with your existing military discipline
and reliability.
If you find a reputable contractor school or university program, you
can learn from your mistakes, rather than get canceled because of
them. But, you must carefully avoiding recent contractor-school scams
and bankruptcies that don't refund your tuition.
The way I see it, as long as you avoid temp agencies before you get
your JW card, non/union apprentice pay is more equal between
contractors (direct hire), and there is no reason to jeopardize having
your classes or career cancelled, much less your life jeopardized by
jobsites that take advantage of the fact that you can't quit under the
NJATC.
You can still work Union, or as a signatory contractor pull your help
from the hall if preferred. The difference is rather than jeopardize
yourself under the NJATC, the path to becoming a contractor teaches
you to kick them to the curb when your done. NJATC charter schools
are paid for by the sponsors, except for books, but the opportunity
cost you sacrifice is the reason I quoted those words above. Also, Air
Force retirement has been 0-Dark-30 years since 1987.
__________________
Roger Ramjet
Last edited by ramsy : Jan 21, 2006 at 06:59 AM.
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