Alberta Electricians - advice needed!

[morgin]

I'm trying to convince my brother to move from Van Island out to AB. He's an apprentice construction/building electrician (as opposed to any other speciality I guess) with I think about 2000 hrs of work experience. He's really having trouble finding steady work out there - seems like a lot of projects are stalled and no one is really hiring.

I'll confess I don't know much about the trades, so I was hoping you guys could provide some tips on where I might want to point him. Is there currently (or anticipated in the new year) a lot of oil field work for electricians, or is it still mostly city based? Being a desk jockey, I don't know any of the AB resources in terms of job posting sites or that stuff, so any links or tips you can provide would be great.

Also, if anyone has any general thoughts about the various options open to someone in AB working towards their electrician ticket, also helpful to know. Out there he is really limited to smaller construction projects (although I think he worked on a hospital expansion) and stuff like that.

Thanks in advance.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

http://ibew424.net/

If he moves here, have him agree to not complain about Alberta and tell endless stories about how much better BC is.

I sent you a PM with contact info regarding a possible job opportunity in Northern BC.

[morgin]

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteEbola

http://ibew424.net/

If he moves here, have him agree to not complain about Alberta and tell endless stories about how much better BC is.

I sent you a PM with contact info regarding a possible job opportunity in Northern BC.

He's had me filling his ear for six years about how great AB is, so no worries there!

Thanks a lot!

[Yanda]

He can easily use google to find lists of Electrical Contractors.

http://www.canpages.ca/business/AB/c...275200-p2.html

[RT14]

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteEbola

http://ibew424.net/

If he moves here, have him agree to not complain about Alberta and tell endless stories about how much better BC is.

I was just going to write the exact same thing. I'm a 4th year electrical apprentice and we hired a 2nd year girl from Van Isle...I have been so annoyed by a person in my life.

No work ethic whatsoever and was ALWAYS talking about how great life is "back on the isle". Every day I thought 'if it's so great, why don't you go back there?' but never said anything. A few months later she got canned and I think she went back, so I guess it worked out for everyone!

And that's my cool starry bra.

[Yanda]

Originally Posted by RT14

I was just going to write the exact same thing. I'm a 4th year electrical apprentice and we hired a 2nd year girl from Van Isle...

I just finished a job with a 4th Yr girl that didnt know what a kick-90 was.

[morgin]

Originally Posted by Yanda

He can easily use google to find lists of Electrical Contractors.

http://www.canpages.ca/business/AB/c...275200-p2.html

Is it more union stuff out here or private contractors? (And if the distinction isn't so clear, it's my own ignorance). Basically I think he was fed up with how little work was flowing through the union out there for apprentices and found the private folk were tightening belts pretty hard. I thought perhaps out here there would be a lot more entreprenurial non-union type shops. Like I said though, I know pretty much nothing about trades and I'm sure he could figure it out quick but I thought I'd ask here in case there were some cool job sites or something specific to that industry I could pass along as kind of an enticement.

[Yanda]

The majority of In-City work is Non-Union. There is a mixture of both small and large companies. As for specific jobs? Even if you apply to the company that you know has a job or a bid on a specific site there is no guarantee that if you were hired that you would be on that site. It sounds like he's looking for a bigger company so I would try Allied, Custom, Concept, Canem, Trotter or Western. Also he should try searching on Kijiji if he doesnt mind the smaller companies because thats the best reference to scout out small companies.

[morgin]

Originally Posted by Yanda

The majority of In-City work is Non-Union. There is a mixture of both small and large companies. As for specific jobs? Even if you apply to the company that you know has a job or a bid on a specific site there is no guarantee that if you were hired that you would be on that site. It sounds like he's looking for a bigger company so I would try Allied, Custom, Concept, Canem, Trotter or Western. Also he should try searching on Kijiji if he doesnt mind the smaller companies because thats the best reference to scout out small companies.

Info is much appreciated, thanks.

[RT14]

Originally Posted by Yanda

I just finished a job with a 4th Yr girl that didnt know what a kick-90 was.

I guess if you've only done residential, you might not know what a kick 90 is, although you'd think after being in the trade that long she would've come across it somewhere.