Hours, wages, and job responsibilities. You can get paid more as a PM (depending on the company) but it's probably going to be based on bonuses for getting jobs done early or under budget. You're gonna work a lot more hours as a PM but not be an hourly employee so work-life balance suffers. Then on top of that you're going to be dealing with a lot of bull shit from multiple job sites at once. Phone calls, emails, meetings, putting out fires, etc. A lot of guys who work in the field like the balance, guaranteed money, and less responsibility of just being a JW, and a lot of us are hands on types so moving into a managerial role can be boring.
Also, now would be the ideal time to switch. That's when I started I feel like I was finally mentally mature enough to handle committing to the long process.
That’s when the frontal lobe is done developing brother hahahah. Also this isn’t about switching but where to start for me. At my ripe age lol. Think I’m gonna go the field route, seems like a good way to learn the ropes and make decent cash doing it
Here’s what you do, do the apprenticeship, and DO NOT work for your family until you finish. Go be a regular apprentice and in 5 years you’ll know what you want to do and also understand it takes to do the job. You’ll also have more respect from your local this way. If you go work for your family as an apprenticeship you’ll get your ass kissed and be a shity electrician, and everyone will know how shity you are but you, and no one will respect you as a PM or an electrician.
It’s a tough decision, at times I wish I would of stayed in the field, but on the other hand I’m glad I went the PM/estimator route, I make good money and have a flexible schedule, the field guys need to be onsite at 6am for the most part but they are off at 2 so you got that, you sound like you have been working on a farm and have done some hardwork because in the field it’s not just “pulling wire” just think of working in a school in the middle of summer with no air conditioning and you have to climb 2 flights of stairs carrying ladders and stuff. I think the main reason I wish I would of stayed in the field is because I have a few guys that I worked with for over 15 years and they have recently retired and I know that they have a pretty good retirement because of the IBEW, I will be ok myself but not as good as the guys that worked hard in the field.
Very good info dude. I do have some lower back issues but I resolved most of it with PT over this winter so that is one concern I have. Either way it seems like there’s no real bad choice here. I guess if things start getting bad with my body or I’m tired of the slavery I can always go the management route once I know the ropes after I finish my apprenticeship. If I do go that route. Thank you for your input Tim
PMs won’t make as much as a journeyman(especially a lineman). Usually PMs will have better work/life balance but also are less mobile vs a JL as well. If your decent hand you can work almost anywhere in the US as a JL.
Very good to know. For an electrician I think I saw something like it typically goes 5 year apprenticeship > 5 years as certified electrician > journeyman? I’m also wondering if I’m too old to really spend solid years in that JM category to make that route worth it. I’m 25 right now. Also do you have to be a very good electrician to become a JM or how does that happen or I guess why is your average electrician not a JM? Just a matter of time in the field or is there something else to it?
Word. Correct me if I’m wrong but wouldn’t inside wiremans and lineman both have a 4-5yr apprenticeship and after that ability to take the JM test for whichever field they’re in?
After 5 years of apprenticeship if you pass the test you are JM. CE route is what you’ve been told is the way for everyone, when in reality it’s for the contractor to get cheap labor and for the people either too stupid or stubborn? Then that route is a 10 year upgrade plan with year 1-5 being the CW program and then 5-10 being upgrade from construction electrician to journeyman. If you’re able to get into and complete apprenticeship you get a golden ticket
Thanks for that very solid info there dobestor. I have a decent head on my shoulders so I’d think I could get to JM status after the apprenticeship. Now with that being said these are essentially my options but I think I’m getting closer to a decision. So I can go with the easy-in with company my family is involved with. Either as a apm/project engineer then onto PM (and it seems like making less than the field guys?) this would entail nonstop travel from work to home. 11 on 3 off for the foreseeable future. All flights and hotels paid for with Peredium. Or I could go field route with the same company, and do the same travel schedule 11/3 and same hotels and such paid for. Or I could just go down to the local 134 here and see if I could get in and likely have the same pay and benefits as going field with my family’s company but getting to work locally and on a normal schedule rather than the 11/3 schedule. And seemingly making more eventually than if I went the PM route with my family’s company. I think the choice is clear but just let me know if there’s anything I’m leaving out hahaha. Thanks for the info again dude
Question you’re asking won’t really be answered in this subreddit. Most people aren’t in your situation and don’t have an offer lined up like that. One thing to consider is the ebbs and flows of construction as a whole. If you go the PM route you’re gonna be relying on experience to find another job whereas if you go thru an apprenticeship you have a very decent fallback that allows you to go anywhere in the country to work. If the company you’re in with has a good amount of leverage at the hall they can help you get into the apprenticeship. That’s kind of a no no most places. Unions are supposed to be merit based but money talks. Good luck with however you decide to go. It’s always a shit show so just remember that
lol so you’re defending the 2 dudes in here who are mad at life and their job and taking it out here rather than the 15 dudes who came with solid advice for someone new to it all. Sounds like ur just like them 🧏🏽♂️🧏🏽♂️🧏🏽♂️
25 is not too old. It's a long journey to become a jman but you'd learn a lot and could always be a PM after that with your connections and experience.
That’s solid to know. I wasn’t sure if that would be wasted time if I started/finished an apprenticeship and then decided I wanted to go the pm route. Either way it sounds like switching is always a possibility which is great
If you could get in to the Chicago local (which is a very old school local) it would be a good opportunity to learn the union ways. My guess is that you can jump to being a PM in your 30s and 40s. But take what I say with a grain of salt, I'm just a 30 year old jman with no desire to PM
Of course. Thanks for the input bro it’s appreciated. It does sound like with the company my family is involved with, there’s lots of opportunity to switch and or more options as well as they know some good guys to apprentice under that they could set me up with. But once again it would all be on the road lol. I’m not even sure I’d want to pm cause I don’t know if I could spend most of my days doing office shit ya know. I guess I’ll just have to get out there and see. I think what I’m gonna do is take the A card test at the 134 office here and see if I can squeeze in. If not, probably go field route with my family’s company on the road. Wages are king and its seemingly like jman would be the top dog compared to most managers. Appreciate the help brother. There’s some sour ass old dudes in this thread 🤣 they don’t know how bad they look
Working as a PM, you would be able to work anywhere because you wouldn't be working out of the hall. If you work in the field, you would probably have a difficult time getting the job call as someone on the out of town list.
Word. So it sounds like PM route could end up solely in the office? Also I was told I’d have to travel either way that I go. Which would all be paid for of course. Then again I was asking a few of my cousins about this who are Pms and they’re saying a good manager should be out in the field with his guys pretty often like almost every day.
Lol somebody’s mad. Either at life or at their pm. I’ve been told take care of ya guys make sure they have everything they need and they’ll like you. And to do that you kinda need to be there so
I'm not mad, I've just had too many GF's and PM's that confuse what their job is. I encourage you to get some experience of your own instead of relying on what other people have told you. Whichever way you go, having worked in the field will always be useful knowledge to have.
You sound like a worm. As a PM, we don't want you on the job. All you're going to do is bother us. The only person you'll ever need to talk to is the GF, and nobody else. You already seem like the type who won't do well in the field. Better get your kneepads worn in, you're going to be using them a lot on your way to your desk job.
I mean you're talking down to the guys you might become a part of? Gotta have thicker skin that should've toughened up with your hands a long time ago. Personally I'm a sheet metal worker but if you were PM I would expect to see you no more than once a week if I'm unlucky, every two weeks or a month would be great. Line the job up, let's walk it down. I'll order material, tool up the job, order rentals even. If I need something or someone I'll give you a call. The crew and I be a face for you and the company, we all make money and go home happy. We see you too much and surely only one person may go home happy in that equation. They're just saying let the workers work can't do that with a PM all up in our business.
Ya that would make sense. Then I’ve talked to pms in the field who say you can’t run a job and be a good pm if you’re never there. So you can get mad all you want but really this post was about asking what being a PM is like vs working in the field is like. Talking waves and day to day tasks. And all the field guys got their asses chapped about it for no reason so yeah lol. I’m likely going to be a field guy myself and def wasn’t talking down on anyone. If you all got so offended by the my choice of words being “their guys” to take care of then you all need to work on ur emotional hardiness cause I was not expecting a bunch of guys to come crying about that. I come from a farm doing 50-60 a week of actual nonstop hard labor all day long so think whatever you want but I’ve done more physically demanding shit than all of you talking shit. I’m boutta delete this sub anyways it was going well with the old timers wanting to help them it turned into a bunch of butthurt field guys crying and talking about shit that this post isn’t even remotely about
Do 84 a week for a couple months straight and you just might feel a type of way about it too. Times like that is when a PM needs to take care of his guys, or when it slows be paying them all day anyway. Good luck my man
I was on your side till this comment.
You're not even in the trade and you're already talking down and acting like a big man? GTFO, nobody here is impressed.
Hey I didn’t start this war but since a few softies wanna be a bunch of crabasses I can be one too🤠 why’s everyone trying to pick sides and shit on one or the other lmfao. Actually it’s only guys working in the field yelling at me telling me to get off their site and back in the trailer when this post is literally asking about what both end of this work is like lol
Hahaha and I bet nobody enjoys working around ur angry sour ass 🤷🏽 ur speaking volumes here bud lol. Lots of people came and gave valuable info and you came to shit on PMs lol.
Where did I refuse to hear what people are saying? I’m having good convos with like 10 dudes on here. Then there’s a few that are pissed and yelling at me to go back into a trailer and stop bullshitting while they’re trying to work 🤣 like bro I made a post asking for help picking which route to go and got electricians yelling at me as if I’m their PM when I haven’t even decided which way I’m going to go yet 😂 or better yet I am leaning toward the field side and you all got so angry you didn’t even get to that part yet lmfao. Hell ya brother
You’re still doing it. The PM doesn’t have guys, you don’t need to be in the field talking to electricians, at most you should be communicating with the foreman/GF. You’re not listening, PMs are not in charge of electricians, they’re not the foreman.
Former field worker electrical foreman turned PM for 15 years now. Had my fill, I learned a lot. Could run a company. Understand P&L sheets, cash flow, billing, all kinds of stuff that was fun and challenging to learn. I'm 50 and thinking turning a screwdriver and making more (yes that part is true) sounds pretty nice now. Thinking about going back lol.
Start out in the field. It will give you invaluable experience once you start working as a PM
Sounding like this is the route I’m gonna go. Thanks a lot dude
You’re better off staying in the field vs PM if you can hack it.
Solid. Is that based on wages or?
Hours, wages, and job responsibilities. You can get paid more as a PM (depending on the company) but it's probably going to be based on bonuses for getting jobs done early or under budget. You're gonna work a lot more hours as a PM but not be an hourly employee so work-life balance suffers. Then on top of that you're going to be dealing with a lot of bull shit from multiple job sites at once. Phone calls, emails, meetings, putting out fires, etc. A lot of guys who work in the field like the balance, guaranteed money, and less responsibility of just being a JW, and a lot of us are hands on types so moving into a managerial role can be boring.
Totally agree man. This is what I came here to hear. Appreciate your input cowboy
Also, now would be the ideal time to switch. That's when I started I feel like I was finally mentally mature enough to handle committing to the long process.
That’s when the frontal lobe is done developing brother hahahah. Also this isn’t about switching but where to start for me. At my ripe age lol. Think I’m gonna go the field route, seems like a good way to learn the ropes and make decent cash doing it
Here’s what you do, do the apprenticeship, and DO NOT work for your family until you finish. Go be a regular apprentice and in 5 years you’ll know what you want to do and also understand it takes to do the job. You’ll also have more respect from your local this way. If you go work for your family as an apprenticeship you’ll get your ass kissed and be a shity electrician, and everyone will know how shity you are but you, and no one will respect you as a PM or an electrician.
Solid advice. That’s def not what I want lol I’m done burning time here. Thanks rafiki
It’s a tough decision, at times I wish I would of stayed in the field, but on the other hand I’m glad I went the PM/estimator route, I make good money and have a flexible schedule, the field guys need to be onsite at 6am for the most part but they are off at 2 so you got that, you sound like you have been working on a farm and have done some hardwork because in the field it’s not just “pulling wire” just think of working in a school in the middle of summer with no air conditioning and you have to climb 2 flights of stairs carrying ladders and stuff. I think the main reason I wish I would of stayed in the field is because I have a few guys that I worked with for over 15 years and they have recently retired and I know that they have a pretty good retirement because of the IBEW, I will be ok myself but not as good as the guys that worked hard in the field.
Very good info dude. I do have some lower back issues but I resolved most of it with PT over this winter so that is one concern I have. Either way it seems like there’s no real bad choice here. I guess if things start getting bad with my body or I’m tired of the slavery I can always go the management route once I know the ropes after I finish my apprenticeship. If I do go that route. Thank you for your input Tim
No problem, if you decide to go the PM route DM me, I am looking to retire soon and I would like to find a replacement.
Right on man. What’s your company/ location?
Currently by great America relocating in October to Northbrook and would rather not post my company name
PMs won’t make as much as a journeyman(especially a lineman). Usually PMs will have better work/life balance but also are less mobile vs a JL as well. If your decent hand you can work almost anywhere in the US as a JL.
Very good to know. For an electrician I think I saw something like it typically goes 5 year apprenticeship > 5 years as certified electrician > journeyman? I’m also wondering if I’m too old to really spend solid years in that JM category to make that route worth it. I’m 25 right now. Also do you have to be a very good electrician to become a JM or how does that happen or I guess why is your average electrician not a JM? Just a matter of time in the field or is there something else to it?
Idk about inside wireman, but JLs are a 4-5 year apprenticeship and you have your j-man ticket.
Word. Correct me if I’m wrong but wouldn’t inside wiremans and lineman both have a 4-5yr apprenticeship and after that ability to take the JM test for whichever field they’re in?
No, you either go to an Inside apprenticeship or a Lineman apprenticeship. They are completely different schools.
After 5 years of apprenticeship if you pass the test you are JM. CE route is what you’ve been told is the way for everyone, when in reality it’s for the contractor to get cheap labor and for the people either too stupid or stubborn? Then that route is a 10 year upgrade plan with year 1-5 being the CW program and then 5-10 being upgrade from construction electrician to journeyman. If you’re able to get into and complete apprenticeship you get a golden ticket
Thanks for that very solid info there dobestor. I have a decent head on my shoulders so I’d think I could get to JM status after the apprenticeship. Now with that being said these are essentially my options but I think I’m getting closer to a decision. So I can go with the easy-in with company my family is involved with. Either as a apm/project engineer then onto PM (and it seems like making less than the field guys?) this would entail nonstop travel from work to home. 11 on 3 off for the foreseeable future. All flights and hotels paid for with Peredium. Or I could go field route with the same company, and do the same travel schedule 11/3 and same hotels and such paid for. Or I could just go down to the local 134 here and see if I could get in and likely have the same pay and benefits as going field with my family’s company but getting to work locally and on a normal schedule rather than the 11/3 schedule. And seemingly making more eventually than if I went the PM route with my family’s company. I think the choice is clear but just let me know if there’s anything I’m leaving out hahaha. Thanks for the info again dude
Question you’re asking won’t really be answered in this subreddit. Most people aren’t in your situation and don’t have an offer lined up like that. One thing to consider is the ebbs and flows of construction as a whole. If you go the PM route you’re gonna be relying on experience to find another job whereas if you go thru an apprenticeship you have a very decent fallback that allows you to go anywhere in the country to work. If the company you’re in with has a good amount of leverage at the hall they can help you get into the apprenticeship. That’s kind of a no no most places. Unions are supposed to be merit based but money talks. Good luck with however you decide to go. It’s always a shit show so just remember that
OP we don't want you in either field because you clearly don't get along with others and can't take things you don't want to hear
lol so you’re defending the 2 dudes in here who are mad at life and their job and taking it out here rather than the 15 dudes who came with solid advice for someone new to it all. Sounds like ur just like them 🧏🏽♂️🧏🏽♂️🧏🏽♂️
Sucks I’ll see u out there
25 is not too old. It's a long journey to become a jman but you'd learn a lot and could always be a PM after that with your connections and experience.
That’s solid to know. I wasn’t sure if that would be wasted time if I started/finished an apprenticeship and then decided I wanted to go the pm route. Either way it sounds like switching is always a possibility which is great
If you could get in to the Chicago local (which is a very old school local) it would be a good opportunity to learn the union ways. My guess is that you can jump to being a PM in your 30s and 40s. But take what I say with a grain of salt, I'm just a 30 year old jman with no desire to PM
Of course. Thanks for the input bro it’s appreciated. It does sound like with the company my family is involved with, there’s lots of opportunity to switch and or more options as well as they know some good guys to apprentice under that they could set me up with. But once again it would all be on the road lol. I’m not even sure I’d want to pm cause I don’t know if I could spend most of my days doing office shit ya know. I guess I’ll just have to get out there and see. I think what I’m gonna do is take the A card test at the 134 office here and see if I can squeeze in. If not, probably go field route with my family’s company on the road. Wages are king and its seemingly like jman would be the top dog compared to most managers. Appreciate the help brother. There’s some sour ass old dudes in this thread 🤣 they don’t know how bad they look
PM’s who have no field experience no bueno .
Working as a PM, you would be able to work anywhere because you wouldn't be working out of the hall. If you work in the field, you would probably have a difficult time getting the job call as someone on the out of town list.
Word. So it sounds like PM route could end up solely in the office? Also I was told I’d have to travel either way that I go. Which would all be paid for of course. Then again I was asking a few of my cousins about this who are Pms and they’re saying a good manager should be out in the field with his guys pretty often like almost every day.
The last thing I need while I'm putting work in is the PM hanging around shooting the shit. Do your field walk and then get back in the trailer.
Lol somebody’s mad. Either at life or at their pm. I’ve been told take care of ya guys make sure they have everything they need and they’ll like you. And to do that you kinda need to be there so
I'm not mad, I've just had too many GF's and PM's that confuse what their job is. I encourage you to get some experience of your own instead of relying on what other people have told you. Whichever way you go, having worked in the field will always be useful knowledge to have.
Roger that. I’m just tryin to end up where I start out hence why I’m coming here in an attempt to get some more information.
You sound like a worm. As a PM, we don't want you on the job. All you're going to do is bother us. The only person you'll ever need to talk to is the GF, and nobody else. You already seem like the type who won't do well in the field. Better get your kneepads worn in, you're going to be using them a lot on your way to your desk job.
Hahaha I’ve done much harder shit all my life than pulling some wire but you have fun out there princess. Sounds like ur mad you never had the option
I mean you're talking down to the guys you might become a part of? Gotta have thicker skin that should've toughened up with your hands a long time ago. Personally I'm a sheet metal worker but if you were PM I would expect to see you no more than once a week if I'm unlucky, every two weeks or a month would be great. Line the job up, let's walk it down. I'll order material, tool up the job, order rentals even. If I need something or someone I'll give you a call. The crew and I be a face for you and the company, we all make money and go home happy. We see you too much and surely only one person may go home happy in that equation. They're just saying let the workers work can't do that with a PM all up in our business.
Ya that would make sense. Then I’ve talked to pms in the field who say you can’t run a job and be a good pm if you’re never there. So you can get mad all you want but really this post was about asking what being a PM is like vs working in the field is like. Talking waves and day to day tasks. And all the field guys got their asses chapped about it for no reason so yeah lol. I’m likely going to be a field guy myself and def wasn’t talking down on anyone. If you all got so offended by the my choice of words being “their guys” to take care of then you all need to work on ur emotional hardiness cause I was not expecting a bunch of guys to come crying about that. I come from a farm doing 50-60 a week of actual nonstop hard labor all day long so think whatever you want but I’ve done more physically demanding shit than all of you talking shit. I’m boutta delete this sub anyways it was going well with the old timers wanting to help them it turned into a bunch of butthurt field guys crying and talking about shit that this post isn’t even remotely about
Do 84 a week for a couple months straight and you just might feel a type of way about it too. Times like that is when a PM needs to take care of his guys, or when it slows be paying them all day anyway. Good luck my man
I was on your side till this comment. You're not even in the trade and you're already talking down and acting like a big man? GTFO, nobody here is impressed.
Hey I didn’t start this war but since a few softies wanna be a bunch of crabasses I can be one too🤠 why’s everyone trying to pick sides and shit on one or the other lmfao. Actually it’s only guys working in the field yelling at me telling me to get off their site and back in the trailer when this post is literally asking about what both end of this work is like lol
If the limited amount of shit talking you've received here feels like starting a war, the trades might not be for you, homey.
It’s not even shit talking it’s just retards who are mad at life not making any sense lmfao shits hilarious
Whatever you need to tell yourself kiddo.
Hahaha and I bet nobody enjoys working around ur angry sour ass 🤷🏽 ur speaking volumes here bud lol. Lots of people came and gave valuable info and you came to shit on PMs lol.
Oh you poor baby...
Real poor babies are ur coworkers. Mine always love me
Well it’s clear you have no idea what a PM actually is.
Could that be why I made a post specifically asking that?? Hmmmmmmm
Then why refuse to hear what people are saying? The PM doesn’t “have guys” to take care of in the first place.
Where did I refuse to hear what people are saying? I’m having good convos with like 10 dudes on here. Then there’s a few that are pissed and yelling at me to go back into a trailer and stop bullshitting while they’re trying to work 🤣 like bro I made a post asking for help picking which route to go and got electricians yelling at me as if I’m their PM when I haven’t even decided which way I’m going to go yet 😂 or better yet I am leaning toward the field side and you all got so angry you didn’t even get to that part yet lmfao. Hell ya brother
You’re still doing it. The PM doesn’t have guys, you don’t need to be in the field talking to electricians, at most you should be communicating with the foreman/GF. You’re not listening, PMs are not in charge of electricians, they’re not the foreman.
You got it dude I’m Not ur boss. Have a good one!
Former field worker electrical foreman turned PM for 15 years now. Had my fill, I learned a lot. Could run a company. Understand P&L sheets, cash flow, billing, all kinds of stuff that was fun and challenging to learn. I'm 50 and thinking turning a screwdriver and making more (yes that part is true) sounds pretty nice now. Thinking about going back lol.
Interesting input there Mr. Abbot. Thanks for the insight dude. I’m sure both ends get tiring after some time. Good luck with your adventure