Poll of the Day > My fifth year apprentice raise goes into effect today.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Getting an extra $4.25 an hour. Next year when I graduate and become a journeyman Ill get a raise double that amount.

I love being in a union, the big yearly raises you get as an apprentice really makes the experience impactful.

Welder?

I do some welding but Im a steamfitter and plumber by trade.

I was in the same trade myself doing the 5 year apprenticeship program. Except my union didn't provide steady employment. Of the few jobs they sent me out most were 80+ miles one way. On my first year when I did have work I was driving 80 miles to the job site, 90 miles to class, then 35 miles back home (Class was 2-3 times a week).
By the time I reached my 4th year I had just enough work hours accrued to make 2nd year pay. Got fed up and quit.

UltraGuest posted...

I was in the same trade myself doing the 5 year apprenticeship program. Except my union didn't provide steady employment. Of the few jobs they sent me out most were 80+ miles one way. On my first year when I did have work I was driving 80 miles to the job site, 90 miles to class, then 35 miles back home (Class was 2-3 times a week).
By the time I reached my 4th year I had just enough work hours accrued to make 2nd year pay. Got fed up and quit.

Damn, were you doing it back in the recession of the late 00s cause I know work was real bad around here then. Work is real good now, constant new construction project. Sorry you had that experience

nice, makin bank

im poor as shit and my retirement plan is to just hang myself at some point

Mensis posted...

Damn, were you doing it back in the recession of the late 00s cause I know work was real bad around here then. Work is real good now, constant new construction project. Sorry you had that experience

No, I started back late 2018. Work got spotty after a major contract started winding down early 2019. When covid did hit everything ground to a halt obviously but by the latter end of 2021 there still wasn't much available. We had like 25% of apprentices without jobs iirc. By that time I was out of work for over a year and realized I was way behind in work hours. As you know, you need all 5 years of your work hours if you ever want to make journeyman status.