Should I Become An Electrician?: Why?
As an employer, one of the first things I like to ask applicants is… Why?
What is it that makes you think you would like to pursue a career in the electrical field?
This can be a very simple reason or a very deep philosophical one. Each individual has their own reasons to enter the ranks of the electrical trade, and we shouldn’t make any assumptions. In fact, that is the root of this question. There is the person who genuinely has it in their blood and just cant resist the urge to pursue it. There is the eager person on a mission to prove to someone in their family that they can hack it in construction. Sometimes its ends up being they are honestly not quite sure but they know they don’t want a desk job. All of these scenarios have validity. Some just have more of a chance of working out than others. Let’s dive into some common reasons people give for wanting to join.
I just cant work a desk job.
Again, I can relate. I was very interested in music and art when I toured college campuses following graduation and everything I could find always came back to being a teacher. I did not want to teach, I wanted to do. So those options just sit well with me. However I have heard there are so many more options today it would make your head spin. Also there is the factor of college debt. We used to be pushed to go ahead and go to college even if we couldn’t find what we wanted career wise. The idea being, “you will figure it out as you go.” As so people I know struggle with college debt they amassed years ago, I cant help but think this was mostly misguided. There are so many opportunities in the trades that do not require a degree. Take a look and you will be surprised.
Im not sure what I want to do, this looks interesting.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying something. Sometimes there is no other way to find out without strapping in and just going for it. This is no different. I am a visual learner and no matter how someone explained to me what this career looked like, I just couldn’t see it. It wasn’t until I was wearing the tools, going to class, and sweating in the trenches that I truly had a handle on things. For this reason, companies like Electrical Specialists have a specialized program. This allows interested parties to come in for the summer and swing the hammer, put on the belt, pull the wire and make up the switch box they just couldn’t visualize doing. There are very mixed results so we wont speculate on your interest once the summer closes, but one thing is certain. You will know if you like it, or if you hate it. Ask around in your area to see if companies have similar programs to get you started.
