4 ms·

Electricians are a skilled trade. Not only are there not enough, many of them are older. As they retire there aren't as many becoming electricians as there are

by mfer 4y ago

Electricians are a skilled trade. Not only are there not enough, many of them are older. As they retire there aren't as many becoming electricians as there are leaving. If we want more electricians we need to embrace skilled trades as a positive path. Some details for the US are at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/electricians.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/electric.... Note, the average income is higher than the average income per person in the US.

Scoundreller 4y ago
Are electrician apprenticeship spots going unfilled? If so, are they so poorly structured that they discourage applicants?
- whstl 4y ago
  The structure of apprenticeship spots isn't the only factor able to discourage applicants. For example: in the last years people have been pushed into college by being bombarded by messages of "you'll die poor if you don't". Wages are another.
- mfer 4y ago
  There has been a culture in the US, for some time, that everyone needs to go to college. Many high schools have removed classes that guide/prepare people into skilled trades and guidance counselors almost always push everyone to college. There is some change for that now where some schools are starting to go the other way. But, these are in the minority. It's a culture thing. I know a number of younger people who had the impression it was better to toil in a low wage job (like a sandwich shop) and pine for a college degree than to choose a skilled trades career path. To them choosing skilled trades felt like failure. This is the culture they were raised in.
  - briffle 4y ago
    that isn't the problem. the problem is, that in many 'gated' professions (electricians, plumbers, nurses, police officers, etc) the training is required, and usually restricted by the state. And usually, the classes are full, and they have to turn away many qualified applicants. While they talk about how desperately they need new people in the career.
mturmon 4y ago
OP was discussed in a thread in r/electricians (a worthwhile sub if you're interested in tradecraft), which I saw last night. The recurring points I remember were, "then why aren't wages rising to meet this demand"; and "you will feel more benefit from the electrification boom if you're IBEW." OK, found the link: https://old.reddit.com/r/electricians/comments/11efewl/america_is_trying_to_electrify_there_arent_enough/ https://old.reddit.com/r/electricians/comments/11efewl/ameri...
- mfer 4y ago
  The US is huge and the stat I shared was US wide. Pay is going to be a big regional. There's a ton of data at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes472111.htm https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes472111.htm There are lots of companies out there that pay low wages compared to others. And they do a lot to make their people feel like they only deserve that amount. Happens across so many fields. I'm sure it happens for electricians and other skilled trades.
rchaud 4y ago
There needs to be a significantly better pitch for electrician jobs than 'it pays more than the avg US salary'. The US avg is skewed by a giant chunk of the labour force working unskilled jobs at McDonalds, Dollar General and Walmart.

by mfer 4y ago

Scoundreller 4y ago

Are electrician apprenticeship spots going unfilled? If so, are they so poorly structured that they discourage applicants?

whstl 4y ago
The structure of apprenticeship spots isn't the only factor able to discourage applicants. For example: in the last years people have been pushed into college by being bombarded by messages of "you'll die poor if you don't". Wages are another.
mfer 4y ago
There has been a culture in the US, for some time, that everyone needs to go to college. Many high schools have removed classes that guide/prepare people into skilled trades and guidance counselors almost always push everyone to college. There is some change for that now where some schools are starting to go the other way. But, these are in the minority. It's a culture thing. I know a number of younger people who had the impression it was better to toil in a low wage job (like a sandwich shop) and pine for a college degree than to choose a skilled trades career path. To them choosing skilled trades felt like failure. This is the culture they were raised in.
- briffle 4y ago
  that isn't the problem. the problem is, that in many 'gated' professions (electricians, plumbers, nurses, police officers, etc) the training is required, and usually restricted by the state. And usually, the classes are full, and they have to turn away many qualified applicants. While they talk about how desperately they need new people in the career.

mturmon 4y ago

OP was discussed in a thread in r/electricians (a worthwhile sub if you're interested in tradecraft), which I saw last night. The recurring points I remember were, "then why aren't wages rising to meet this demand"; and "you will feel more benefit from the electrification boom if you're IBEW." OK, found the link: https://old.reddit.com/r/electricians/comments/11efewl/america_is_trying_to_electrify_there_arent_enough/ https://old.reddit.com/r/electricians/comments/11efewl/ameri...

mfer 4y ago
The US is huge and the stat I shared was US wide. Pay is going to be a big regional. There's a ton of data at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes472111.htm https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes472111.htm There are lots of companies out there that pay low wages compared to others. And they do a lot to make their people feel like they only deserve that amount. Happens across so many fields. I'm sure it happens for electricians and other skilled trades.

rchaud 4y ago

There needs to be a significantly better pitch for electrician jobs than 'it pays more than the avg US salary'. The US avg is skewed by a giant chunk of the labour force working unskilled jobs at McDonalds, Dollar General and Walmart.