[RE-wrenches] Apprentice interview

Tue Apr 28 13:03:29 PDT 2015

An apprenticeship is the original 4 year degree. If the trainers are good, high quality workpersons, and the apprentice WANTS to learn, the apprentice will learn the trade. It's exactly the same in a college situation except that the newly minted journeyman, unlike a college graduate, will actually HAVE a trade and experience.

On Apr 17, 2015, at 5:41 PM, Chris Mason wrote:

The US currently puts little value on craft versus academia,  now everyone smart is expected to go to college.  Consequently there is a stigma on vocational education. When I did my electrical apprenticeship in Ireland, we did two years of college, one year of training school and one year in the field. There were 8, 000 applicants for a handful of positions. 
I had a third year electrical apprentice from the US work for me on a three month project we took on. He was absolutely unqualified and could not answer the most basic questions on electrical theory. 
I recommend you detail the educational opportunities and fund adequate training enabling the apprentice to acheive the target qualification.

On Apr 17, 2015 4:53 PM, "Ray Walters" <ray at solarray.com> wrote:
Hi All;

Thanks for the replies so far; I apologize for my misunderstood attempt at humor in my initial post.  I agree with Chris here, I hire contract labor all the time, but an apprenticeship is different.  Laborers top out pretty quickly and just aren't capable of learning the nuances of off grid electric design.  Much of the time that's all that's needed: pick this up and take it over there,dig here, etc.  I'm not looking for labor, as much as someone who could some day take over the business ( I'm 50 now) and go out and troubleshoot systems on their own.  I consider off grid solar to be more of a craft than mere construction contracting.
An apprenticeship implies a much longer term arrangement where they may be paid less, but can expect training to the point of getting their electrical license and making a career out of it.  I'm having a much harder time finding the sort of person that wants to make that sort of commitment both in time and in learning.  Folks that have the smarts and ambition necessary are already busy.

Thanks,
R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer, 
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760
On 4/17/2015 6:22 AM, Chris Mason wrote:
> I'm not sure how the term is used in America, but generally "apprentice" does not mean cheap labour. An apprentice program should be an education path to a qualification with state recognized standards, such as Electrician or Plumber. if you just want inexpensive labour, that's not an apprentice, that's a helper, labourer, intern. As someone who started life as an electrical apprentice, I object to seeing apprenticeships shortchanging the applicants.
> 
> On Thu, Apr 16, 2015 at 7:27 PM, Dana <dana at solarwork.com> wrote:
> I interview & definitely check references including: look at a tape measure and tell me what those little marks are between 0 & 1”, & I look in their truck or car.
> 
> If it’s clean they may take care of your vehicle then same and if it’s a mess that’s what you can expect them to do to your truck.
> 
> Are they smokers? Is that OK in your truck?
> 
> Can they work without checking their cell phone every time it goes Ding or rings?
> 
> Do they have their own tools and do they know how to operate tools like your hydraulic draw punch or wire tugger without F%$ing it up or hurting themselves?
> 
>  
> Does anyone do a background check on new hires?
> 
>  
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Dana Orzel
> 
> Great Solar Works, Inc -  NABCEP # 051112-136
> 
> E - dana at solarwork.com  - Web - solarwork.com
> 
> O - 970.626.5253  C - 208.721.7003
> 
> "Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988" 
> 
> P Please consider the environment before printing this email.
> 
>  
>  
> From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Ray Walters
> Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2015 4:50 PM
> To: RE-wrenches
> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Apprentice
> 
>  
> Hi Folks;
> 
> I am considering hiring an apprentice, and I wanted to know if any else has tried this, and what advice and experience everyone had to offer.
> Also what would be the best way to advertise: Craig's List?  
> 
> Wanted passionate techy soul to share warm fires and cold brews with, watch beautiful sunsets over off grid arrays in remote locations, sometimes carry leaky hazardous materials.....
> mmmm.  Obviously I need some help.
> 
> Thanks in Advance,
> 
> -- 
> R.Ray Walters
> CTO, Solarray, Inc
> Nabcep Certified PV Installer, 
> Licensed Master Electrician
> Solar Design Engineer
> 303 505-8760
> 
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
> 
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
> 
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
> 
> List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html
> 
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
> 
> Check out or update participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Chris Mason
> NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™
> Solar Design Engineer
> Generac Generators Industrial technician
> 
> www.cometsolar.com
> 264.235.5670
> 869.662.5670
> Skype: netconcepts
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
> 
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
> 
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
> 
> List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html
> 
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
> 
> Check out or update participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
> 

_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

Change listserver email address & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html

List rules & etiquette:
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out or update participant bios:
www.members.re-wrenches.org

_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

Change listserver email address & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html

List rules & etiquette:
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out or update participant bios:
www.members.re-wrenches.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20150428/099d4e5e/attachment-0002.html>