Marcus B.

This is the most useful kind of post. One thing for everyone reading: his third interview went better because he had specifics. Bring two or three real jobs you can describe start to finish, including something you got wrong and fixed. Panels remember that. Stay safe.

Electrical side note: the oil burner circuit and its emergency switch should be removed or properly reused during the conversion. I've seen dead burner switches left at the top of the stairs for decades confusing everybody. Label it or remove it.

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.

Not a step backward. Different trade from mine, so take this as general. Time you've already worked counts for something in the interview, because you can talk about real jobs. Whether it shortens the apprenticeship itself is a question for that program, not for me. Some programs have a way to evaluate prior experience and some don't, and those rules change. What I'd do: apply while you keep the paycheck. Filling out an application doesn't require quitting anything. If you get called, then you decide. Stay safe.

He's right. The locals usually publish their wage and benefit package, so look that up on the local's site if you want a real comparison, and remember the benefits are a big piece of the number.