I'll try to give the full picture. I'm in the electrical program at the Passaic County vo-tech, senior year. All summer and now on Saturdays I've been helping a residential electrician out of Wayne. It's mostly carrying, sweeping, holding the ladder, and the occasional Wawa run. I like it anyway, and he's a good guy.
My parents want college. They say if I'm "just carrying boxes" I should quit and spend Saturdays on SAT prep instead. Part of me thinks they have a point, because I'm honestly not learning a lot of electrical yet.
Is carrying boxes at 16 worth anything? Or am I wasting time I could use on school?
Foreman, Inside Wireman (IBEW) · 19 years · Morris County, NJ
Mentor✓ Accepted answer
Talk to your parents with facts. Most apprenticeship programs I know of want a high school diploma and solid algebra, and they look at your grades, so school is part of this plan, not against it. Show them you know that. Then keep the Saturday job if you can keep your grades up.
And whatever you're doing on site, glasses and boots every time, even for sweeping. Stay safe.
Kid, your parents aren't wrong that school matters, and you're not wrong that the job matters. Every one of us started carrying. Don't quit because it's carrying. Quit if he's not teaching you anything when you ask.
vo-tech grad here. the summer job i had before senior year is honestly why i got hired out of school, the boss called my summer guy. so it counts even if its sweeping
update: kept the job. Parents agreed as long as my grades stay where they are. He let me make up whips for two condenser disconnects last Saturday (nothing live, and he checked every one). Small thing but it felt huge.