Carpenter or electrician?
I've decided I've had enough of being a janitor for 4 years since high school and want to learn a trade. my dad has been a union concrete laborer for 25 yrs and want to be someone who can provide for his family.. so here locally we have a carpenter and electrician union that offer apprenticeships and classroom with it.. which has better outlook? Pay? Can u branch out to other positions within carpentry or electrical? Any feedback is appreciated!
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Go with the screw driver (electrician) a hammer (carpenter) doesn't earn as much money in the long run.
Depending on the branch of the IBEW that you enter the training can be 2 to 5 years in the apprentice program. At the end you have a journeyman status and the training for a very good career. To learn about the local pay rates you need to ask the locals what the contract rates are. In the Seattle area a Journeyman wireman draws more than $40/ hour including health and welfare. Apprentice draws a percentage of that wage but like all of the building trades how much you make depends on how much you work. IDK about the carpenters pay rates but both unions have a strong history and the training is the original 4 year degree.
Electrical workers cover inside wiring, residential, lineman, telecom, shipbuilding, industrial, electrical generation, industrial maintenance, broadcast, camera operators, lighting for movies and the list can expand from here. Good luck on your choice.
If you are working in a union shop you can not branch out and do other things. If you are a union carpenter apprentice then that is all you can do. If you see some wires that have fallen from the wall studs and put them back in their holes you would be breaking union rules because you would be doing an electricians job. So you need to know what you want to do before you start out. Your Dad is probably doing good why not follow in his foot steps and become at concrete laborer. Its tough work but when your done and look back at the finished project its worth the aches and pains.
Electrician all the way.
Much much more kinds of jobs to get as an electrician: electrical service wiring, telco wiring, residential commercial, industrial, etc. Electrical jobs can on and on.
I work for a federal agency as an electrical engineer and there are plenty of jobs an electrician can get at my place that make great $$$.
electrician-hands down