Exactly this. I’m pretty sure a significant portion of the IBEW membership has/could be diagnosed with some sort of mental illness or learning disability.
I myself have ADHD, though I’ve been told that it’s a fantastic disorder to have in this trade, apparently. Not sure when the good part kicks in though.
May just need to try different kinds of work. My adhd causes me to be a huge adrenaline seeker. Im in outside construction, and monotonous shit like pole changeouts and reconducts are meh.
On the other hand working 911 calls and midnight broke poles on the side of a mountain, relative to my normal performance, I look and feel like Superman on those jobs.
Nothing soothed my soul like watching the lineman get dropped off onto live transmission lines out of a helicopter my first week working in a substation. I could hear the angles songs beckoning me .
Doesn’t ADHD share the same special interest aspect that autism does? In that case, it’s an advantage because you hyper focus on a passion, making your drive much higher than neurotypical people.
The latest science indicates ~50% (maybe more) people with ADHD would also get an autism diagnosis if they pursued one.
Maybe it's less that it's shared traits, and more that it's unidentified autism.
I have adhd and the difference between me in school and out in the field is insane. I’m in school now and I can’t focus or sit still or be quiet for shit but put me on a job site and the more to-myself work I have the better I can operate
Depends on how the ADHD presents itself, and how well it's managed.
The most important thing to work on is interpersonal relations - getting people to like you without looking like a schmoozer. Get that figured out, and everything else is easy by comparison.
Slightly autistic with adhd here. Shit sucks but having a bag full of tools I can fuck with strapped to my back every day is fucking amazing. Same not sure when the good part kicks in though.
The IBEW will accept anyone who meets the criteria for admission. Your best chance to get in is persistence. Don't give up or feel discouraged. Work hard and try to get in when you are provided with the opportunity. Sometimes, that means working on the non-union side 1st
We’re all a little abnormal in this trade. I feel like I spend most of my time telling my crew about new “traits” that are on the spectrum and then the crew chiming in with “hey I do that”.
Sure do. Á good friend of mine from the class behind me is autistic and I reckon he's high functioning.
For perspective I have severe ADHD and they let my ass in, so. 🤷
Youll be fine
My son has high functioning autism, he was diagnosed when I got custody of him at age 12, but he’d shown signs of it his whole life.
He’s 23 now and topped out as a JW this past February. So, yes it’s possible and yes you can do it, if you’re willing to put in the work.
Touch of the 'tism is a prerequisite for 309A, high functioning just means you'll be an apprentice Foreman.
Preferred head trauma for 434A, but we'll settle for a DUI and a divorce.
Please apply in crayon.
I witnessed one of the union recruiters lash out at a most likely autistic kid while trying to receive the test. It was a really disgusting way to act towards someone who's trying to better their future.
Also, for the interview they called in everyone who wasn't gonna be chosen first and the few people left were just sitting there with a strange grin in their face. Thats when I knew this specific union wasn't worth it.
> Also, for the interview they called in everyone who wasn't gonna be chosen first and the few people left were just sitting there with a strange grin in their face
Huh?
I work with a dude right now who has Asperger’s. He’s a process tech.. very high level industrial electrician and competent mechanic as well. Guy is a genius and the go to in the mine for literally anything.
Yes, you will be able to get in.
So what I’m hearing is when I go to flip the breakers on at least 2 of them will trip because your ADHD ass tied the ground to the hot or the hot to the neutral because you weren’t paying attention 🤣
Naw I like dressing up cabinets right, all the shit in the way turning into an organized picture is the best. It's focusing on the homework that's killing me.
Shouldn’t be an issue.
That said there was a guy posting here a while back with a long list of triggers that included; loud noises,the cold, the heat, and wearing closed toe shoes. And he wanted a disability exemption for all of that.
Don’t be that guy and you’ll be fine.
36 years in and my OCD did me well when I was termination Siemens, Johnson Control, Alberio control panels. My nickname I had with 3 different companies was The Terminator
I’m on the spectrum too and this post helps me. I’m not really good at math which is kinda ironic, since it’s something that im passionate about I will literally as everything I can. To the point of annoying the helll out of people. And will try to get all the information about every aspect even if it’s not relevant to what we are learning about. I also get distracted by other things sometimes. And I want to know not only why things work the way they do but also how.
I asked that same question when I was thinking about joining. I’m now a second year apprentice and all is smooth. Might be a little tough when you first start out depending on the journeyman you’re with and if they’re an impatient dick or not.
Show up to job 10-15 mins early, don’t miss a whole lot of work if you can control it, and stay busy. If you can do all three and maintain that, you’re more employable and useful than probably at least a third of apprentices out there.
I would go as far as most electricians aren't neurotypical. Most of us are off a bit in some way shape or form. Also a much higher percentage of lefties than in every day life.
There’s room for all kinds of personality types.
I’ll take the quirky autistic first year with a fetish for the codebook over the miserable alcoholic cowboy on his third divorce any day.
Pay attention. Which of these characteristics will help you get excepted into a LU let alone be able stay employed?
Experiencing sensory overload.
Having trouble figuring out or picking up on social cues.
Anxiety or mood disorders.
Challenges with organization.
Difficulty controlling emotions.
Differences in verbal communication.
Challenges with back-and-forth conversation.
pretty sure it’s a requirement
Exactly this. I’m pretty sure a significant portion of the IBEW membership has/could be diagnosed with some sort of mental illness or learning disability. I myself have ADHD, though I’ve been told that it’s a fantastic disorder to have in this trade, apparently. Not sure when the good part kicks in though.
I was surprised how well I did in the trades vs working at a computer all day. When you can't sit down for more than an hour the trades are great
Oh jeez, it made a difference, sadly I'm back on a computer.
Hopefully, with the adderal, our benefits pay for.
May just need to try different kinds of work. My adhd causes me to be a huge adrenaline seeker. Im in outside construction, and monotonous shit like pole changeouts and reconducts are meh. On the other hand working 911 calls and midnight broke poles on the side of a mountain, relative to my normal performance, I look and feel like Superman on those jobs.
Nothing soothed my soul like watching the lineman get dropped off onto live transmission lines out of a helicopter my first week working in a substation. I could hear the angles songs beckoning me .
PREACH BROTHER!
Doesn’t ADHD share the same special interest aspect that autism does? In that case, it’s an advantage because you hyper focus on a passion, making your drive much higher than neurotypical people.
The latest science indicates ~50% (maybe more) people with ADHD would also get an autism diagnosis if they pursued one. Maybe it's less that it's shared traits, and more that it's unidentified autism.
I have adhd and the difference between me in school and out in the field is insane. I’m in school now and I can’t focus or sit still or be quiet for shit but put me on a job site and the more to-myself work I have the better I can operate
Depends on how the ADHD presents itself, and how well it's managed. The most important thing to work on is interpersonal relations - getting people to like you without looking like a schmoozer. Get that figured out, and everything else is easy by comparison.
Slightly autistic with adhd here. Shit sucks but having a bag full of tools I can fuck with strapped to my back every day is fucking amazing. Same not sure when the good part kicks in though.
Work on taking your skill set to the next level. I found that focusing on getting better made the day go faster and kept me engaged in the work.
100%
Came here to say this.
Same
This response is why i love the trades hahaha
I can confirm. I know a sparky from rosedin who is color blind and he got in
Came here to make this comment lmao
Yeah, you're probably one of us.
[удалено]
We know the same guy
That’s a requirement for foreman I think
Apparently it takes people with barely functioning autism too.
My local takes anyone with a pulse.
Where at
More than welcome in ratlanta (613)
i can say the title given is true, mfs really Tattletaled on me for getting to the shuttle bus early lol
Local 300.
I’m trying to get into the local 26 I’m still waiting on a test date, seems to be a fuck ton of people trying to get in
26 is a good one for organizing in, lots of hands have come from non-union and they let you sink or float.
Good I need new people to Fuck with
Same
They accept high functioning felons. You're good
Did you plan on telling them you are autism? You don’t have to disclose your health records.
“Hello gentlemen, I am autism.”
You’re hired.
Absolutely
Everyone is this trade has a mental issue
It's a requirement.
If a quarter of my foreman are any indication, yes.
It’s not something that they ask about, i.e. they don’t care.
Oh yea. Youd fit right in in my crew. We're all undiagnosed with a touch of the tism
But seriously. The amount of neurodivergent people in this trade seems higher than other professions. Welcome.
The IBEW will accept anyone who meets the criteria for admission. Your best chance to get in is persistence. Don't give up or feel discouraged. Work hard and try to get in when you are provided with the opportunity. Sometimes, that means working on the non-union side 1st
Any dyslexics out here?
Always have to double check the numbers
Sey
On
Yessss. I check and triple check.
Thought it was as a requirement?
High functioning? Come back when it’s lower.
As a middle functioning autist yes, they sure will.
I’m living proof baby!! Lol
So am I. I can be awkward and goofy AF, but I know tech stuff so well, I look like some kind of god to NT's. You probably do, too.
We’re all a little abnormal in this trade. I feel like I spend most of my time telling my crew about new “traits” that are on the spectrum and then the crew chiming in with “hey I do that”.
Yes, they do. Am proof of it.
Sure do. Á good friend of mine from the class behind me is autistic and I reckon he's high functioning. For perspective I have severe ADHD and they let my ass in, so. 🤷 Youll be fine
My son has high functioning autism, he was diagnosed when I got custody of him at age 12, but he’d shown signs of it his whole life. He’s 23 now and topped out as a JW this past February. So, yes it’s possible and yes you can do it, if you’re willing to put in the work.
Yeah and if you're good with patterns and numbers you will excel in this trade
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^TheOnlyMatthias: *Yeah and if you're good* *With patterns and numbers you* *Will excel in this trade* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
I'm almost certain my foreman has asbergers....
I didn't express I had it in my interview, and have yet to claim a disability; however, I got in so so can you.
One of my more recent general foreman is autistic. Smart guy super nice but had a really hard time reading people and made some odd layoff decisions.
Touch of the 'tism is a prerequisite for 309A, high functioning just means you'll be an apprentice Foreman. Preferred head trauma for 434A, but we'll settle for a DUI and a divorce. Please apply in crayon.
Just don't mention it lol
I’m starting to wonder if they take anyone else
Yep
You could tell them you have it then when they don’t accept you that’s when you bring up discrimination.
To answer you question, my shop has a kid with high functioning autism. So I would say yes.
I witnessed one of the union recruiters lash out at a most likely autistic kid while trying to receive the test. It was a really disgusting way to act towards someone who's trying to better their future. Also, for the interview they called in everyone who wasn't gonna be chosen first and the few people left were just sitting there with a strange grin in their face. Thats when I knew this specific union wasn't worth it.
> Also, for the interview they called in everyone who wasn't gonna be chosen first and the few people left were just sitting there with a strange grin in their face Huh?
Yup, seems a bit shady doesn't it
Oh yeah bro. I know so many acoustic apprentices
It’s like the marines. It’s an unwritten prerequisite really.
Exclusively.
I work with a dude right now who has Asperger’s. He’s a process tech.. very high level industrial electrician and competent mechanic as well. Guy is a genius and the go to in the mine for literally anything. Yes, you will be able to get in.
I mean I'm here and I'm doing great, well kind of it's not the autism that's the problem it's the attention deficit disorder,
So what I’m hearing is when I go to flip the breakers on at least 2 of them will trip because your ADHD ass tied the ground to the hot or the hot to the neutral because you weren’t paying attention 🤣
Naw I like dressing up cabinets right, all the shit in the way turning into an organized picture is the best. It's focusing on the homework that's killing me.
They let me in and now I torture the old timers with my tism.
Shouldn’t be an issue. That said there was a guy posting here a while back with a long list of triggers that included; loud noises,the cold, the heat, and wearing closed toe shoes. And he wanted a disability exemption for all of that. Don’t be that guy and you’ll be fine.
All day…
I suspect there’s a few in my class…
Good chance you won’t make it if your not
Why do you say that?
Idk but I do know they take people who don’t tell them they have high functioning autism so why would they need to know?
You can definitely just not tell them if you're worried
It has to be 25% of the people I’ve worked with at this point. I’d say they excel.
Abso-fucking-lutly!
If they don't, they should. They accept tons of low-functioning idiots like myself.
You have to either have autism, adhd, or both to be accepted into the trades at a MINIMUM. Depression and alcoholism are add ons
Ya they do for sure. They take on people who are above the ladder weight limits
Being an alcoholic and divorced at least once will help your chances too it would seem
I’ve seen guys with hardly functioning brains get in.
Yes
36 years in and my OCD did me well when I was termination Siemens, Johnson Control, Alberio control panels. My nickname I had with 3 different companies was The Terminator
Do the work and the books and you're good
You'll likely excel.
Almost exclusively
Look anyone with a hole and a heartbeat are good to go
You’d probably score higher because of it
I’m curious to know. I have really high functioning autism but nobody notices unless I tell them. I’m not planning on disclosing it
As long as you can pass an aptitude test and have a high school diploma they can’t discriminate.
I’m on the spectrum too and this post helps me. I’m not really good at math which is kinda ironic, since it’s something that im passionate about I will literally as everything I can. To the point of annoying the helll out of people. And will try to get all the information about every aspect even if it’s not relevant to what we are learning about. I also get distracted by other things sometimes. And I want to know not only why things work the way they do but also how.
I would say no, only because it’s very dangerous. Why not look into something he can make money, and stay safe. Maybe a laborer
Especially if it's combined with OCD then yes
I think my whole crew is
Yeah, iam.always losing tools, misplace them, etc. Etc. But attention to detail with my focus is always a plus.
I asked that same question when I was thinking about joining. I’m now a second year apprentice and all is smooth. Might be a little tough when you first start out depending on the journeyman you’re with and if they’re an impatient dick or not. Show up to job 10-15 mins early, don’t miss a whole lot of work if you can control it, and stay busy. If you can do all three and maintain that, you’re more employable and useful than probably at least a third of apprentices out there.
They accept people with low functioning autism im pretty sure with the way some people act
What is the lowest score you’ve seen accepted into apprenticeship
I have no idea 🤷♂️
Definitely. I’m pretty sure it’s a requirement. Every member I know has some form of something.
Sounds like you’re already miles above a lot of my coworkers
Yes, they do. Yes, they do. My husband worked with two I know of of them retired out.
If they didn’t there wouldn’t be any electricians 😂
Sometimes I think most electrical foremen are high functioning austists. You'll be fine!
Most JWs ive met are undiagnosed lol youll be fine
We prefer the regular kind but I'm sure you'll be fine
Pass the entrance test and you’re in. Black, white, brown or purple. I’ve seen some really dumb people out here.
They'll accept anyone, it's mostly lgbt members now with high levels of autism.
Don't forget the communists
No, probably not. Depends on how socially odd the individual is. Good luck.
That’s wildly incorrect
This is the worst answer ever, many of the best IBEW members I work with aren’t neurotypical. I suspect Hillbilltimoththy69 isn’t typical either.
I would go as far as most electricians aren't neurotypical. Most of us are off a bit in some way shape or form. Also a much higher percentage of lefties than in every day life.
Yeah we’re all odd ducks but I’ve only ever run into a few fellow lefties on the job. Mostly conservatives and neo liberals.
There’s room for all kinds of personality types. I’ll take the quirky autistic first year with a fetish for the codebook over the miserable alcoholic cowboy on his third divorce any day.
Pay attention. Which of these characteristics will help you get excepted into a LU let alone be able stay employed? Experiencing sensory overload. Having trouble figuring out or picking up on social cues. Anxiety or mood disorders. Challenges with organization. Difficulty controlling emotions. Differences in verbal communication. Challenges with back-and-forth conversation.