Summer time -

[mexfishguide]

Well it looks like we have hit the summer doldrums here on site.
This is the time of year all the coon hounds, tree dogs, and running hounds, want to stay under the front porch. Sure do not blame them but in order to feed them I have to get out in the sun and work, what a deal.
Look like from the lack of posts, every one except for a few bro, are working, the ones out of work appear to be trying hard to get out on a project.
Kind of a shame guys that are working, do not come on site and tell us whats going on, on their job. No one knows of a decent project needing help? If you help even one rat get on board, you have done an excellent deed.
The serious threat to our work & bro,s, is where are we going to put the influx of workers off the China project?????? The guys that are and were there as first timers, I am sure thought they were building a future for them self and family. But I doubt it will work out for most of them.
If the powers that be, could be convinced to man all the work with expats??? We then could set down and decide what approach we should take with beginners, like a state side apprenticeship? You start at the bottom and work your way up, If you are in the first couple years of a career path be it painting, carpendary, plumber, or electrician, you are a beginner
you may disagree thats fine. But the truth remains, it takes years of on the job training plus to be a real journeyman it also takes formal schooling.:banghead
On my projects overseas, if I am sent a person to train at trainee wages, I will help. But do not send me a person as journeyman and tell me I need to train this person, not going to happen. Example if we are drawing the same wages and you are a beginner, no ridgid pipe, no IMC, no tray work, no high voltage even as low as 13800, no controls, then why would I want5 to train you?:wtf
We have talked on site among ourselves, about a way to prove a person is a journeyman, do we give a test, do we require you produve a license, ???? Other wise we can get the reputation of a site full of
labor's.
I am very proud of my trade and yes even the fact I seved a union inside apprenticeship. So freeloaders are not my special friends.

Take Care
Mexfishguide:cheers

[mrbreeze38]

There were some seasoned guys that went to Beijing, but they were few and far between. Some of the guys that were foreman over there I bet could not hold a laborers job back in the US, much less qualify as a journeyman. I still would rather stay for one year there for less money, than one year at a place that totally sucks where you are in a mancamp and can't go anywhere because its unsafe. That was the draw for alot of the good, experienced people, to see the mystery of China and Asia, and also build the largest US Embassy (until Iraq is finished).

[Gabriele]

Although I worked for a major telecom for 30 years, which was under a union contract (CWA, IBEW and a few others), the union did not train me, did not offer any classes for my development or any others, but did work with the company during layoffs in scheduling some retraining programs. So when I work anywhere I do not expect to be trained by anyone, but do expect to be aided in learning the particulars of that job and I also do the same for those who come aboard. What does the term "journeyman" mean. does it necessairly mean trained by a union or was who is skilled to do the job. :cheers

[mrbreeze38]

Excellent post Mex, I agree with alot of it. I think the majority of the China "idiots" will drop off eventually. Alot of the good guys from there have already found other work and if they haven't by now then they must not have much on their resumes other than the China job itself. There is plenty of work out there if a man just looks for it. The fact is, you have to dig deep and do some research. One way to stop the free sharing of info on this site is to not allow any posting until AFTER you have paid your money. :2cents

[mexfishguide]

Journeyman or journeyperson, is one with the experience and training to pass an acepted journeymans exam, given by one of our United States.

If you are union or non-union on this site it makes no difference
( my training happens to be IBEW union ). :blahslap

Some non union contractors and orginizations offer good training programs. The firm of Interstates has training programs, dealing a lot with pipe work and they have some good pipe men. But they are not all cross trained to do power and controls.:lol:

OK bro?

Take care
Mexfishguide:cheers

[River Rat]

I was in the Carpenter Union consistanly for 24 years. Then I started this Embassy gig. I can spot a union trained hand with out being told in about 5 minutes, some times it takes longer, but I can pick 'em out.

The same goes for employers, They don't want to be training some smuck the basics. They want to hire dudes that stand out, excel and produce. Not that non-union can't. I worked with a turd herder on the last one that past the test and went beyond.

I hear a lot about the glut from Beijing. We can use all their good hands, the rest will end up in the shit can. It will take a while. Anything like this does.:2cents