My kids are approaching graduation and one of them wants to go to lineman school. He said he needs to go to SELCAT in Newnan, GA. My buddy is a lineman for FPL and he agrees that SELCAT is the mutts nuts. There is another school local to me in Edgewater, FL and that would save a metic shit ton with him staying at home while he does school. Thoughts? Advice?
wife works for a power company in GA. After the stuff I've seen I always tell friends that have kids graduating from high school that might not want to go to college to consider that career. Solid career with solid earning potential. I asked her and she'll ask around and see if she can find any recommendations.
IBEW126 Lineman here If he wants to be a line worker, the IBEW apprenticeship is the gold standard. The pay rate, down south, is considerably lower than in the north east or California. However, once he becomes a journeyman, he can travel and work where ever he wants (as long as he is a good hand) If he wants to be in this trade, Union is the only way to go.
Lineman up here in PA. I didn’t go to a lineman school, but went through a “boot camp” once I was accepted into the apprenticeship. Even if he goes through a school, it’s still a million times cheaper than any college. Im not “union or die”, but I would say to try and get into the union through the IBEW apprenticeship. It’s awesome pay and great benefits. It’s hard work, but it’s a great trade. Wish I would have started right out of the Marines.
I like the Dave Ramsey approach, get the piece of paper as cheap as you can. The way you carry yourself in an interview and your work ethic matter 100 times more in most professions. I know there are exceptions where you need a degree from a prominent university to even get you foot in the door but I’m guessing this isn’t one of them. I can only tell you where one of my doctors went to school and that’s because he talks about it ALL. THE. TIME! My wife worked for him for awhile, she thinks he always talks about it because he’s still paying for it...12 years in practice.
Depends on what he is looking for, but if he wants to be the most well rounded lineworker and have freedom and likes to travel, yes. There are 3 options with line work....Power company, union contractors, non-union contractors I've done all 3
They have a program inFlorida but the headquarters in Georgia would be cheaper for rent. Who here is from the Newnan area and wants a very respectful Dits kid for a few months? I’ll kick in a few Benjamins each month.
This is good info. I appreciate it. The boy is super smart and works his ass off at 17 at a fish camp. He’s a surfer and a gypsy. So yeah...
Like stated above, he'll need to have thick skin too. People can get killed and seriously inured out here and guys can be tough on apprentices to make sure that doesn't happen. We don't have "HR" out in the field and tempers can flair at times. For my personality, I couldn't have found a better line of work.
He works 12 hour days roofing cabins, cleaning boats, dealing with adults, digging drainage ditches, beating alligators and cottonmouths off the dock (I shit you not), mowing etc at 5:30 am, gets boats out of the stacks with a forklift. He’s hard AF. (Florida AF ). I’m very proud of him. He goes surfing after all that.
Have him apply. It's best to walk into the interview having a class A CDL, but not required. Usually the union will give you a 6 month grace period to obtain it (if he gets accepted), but he will absolutely have to have it. He will also have all the responsibilities of having and maintaining that CDL his whole career. Which means, no drugs, no drinking until he is 21 and very carefully after that, physically taking care of yourself to pass physicals.
We were talking about the CDL yesterday. He has to wait until his 18th birthday though (a few months) He doesn’t drink. But he understands no weed is a job requirement.
