Follow-up to my shop teacher thread. Assume I go non-union. Everyone keeps saying "find a shop that pays for school." Okay, but do those actually exist around Mercer, or is that just something people say?
The guy I work weekends for told me he'd "think about it" when I asked. I'm not expecting a free ride. I'd just like to know what's normal to ask for before I graduate and start applying for real jobs, so I don't ask for something crazy or settle for nothing.
Electrical Contractor · 22 years · Monmouth County, NJ
Mentor✓ Accepted answer
Honestly they exist, I'm one of them. I pay for night classes for my helpers once they've been with me a while, because I'd rather pay for school than keep training new guys. Not every shop does it. Ask in the interview: 'Do you help with school, and when does that start?' A shop that gets weird about the question just told you something.
My cousin's shop in Totowa reimburses you after you pass the class, not before, so he had to pay up front and wait. It might be worth asking how they pay, not only whether they pay. I'm still in school myself, so this is secondhand.