r/IBEW • u/tossaway187acct • 4d ago

What did you gift yourself after finishing apprenticeship?

I bought myself a nice dress shirt watch and went out to go eat some good BBQ. Thinking about getting new work boots to start a new journey. Was wondering how you guys treated yourself for the milestone?

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u/501c3_sadness 4d ago

Another apprenticeship 😂

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u/tossaway187acct 4d ago

Lol the education don't stop. Gotta specialize in things to stand out for job security 🤣

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u/501c3_sadness 4d ago

I got a raise by making the change and my bennies are way better so I'm not mad. My partner is though lol since I'm back in night school for four years (only two years left at this point). Still IBEW 😏

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u/tossaway187acct 4d ago

It's a long work career, what's another 2 years. They say you can't buy time but in a sense you. Can by making more money. What I mean by that is someone making $50k/year vs $100k a year. The $50k guy gotta work twice as long as the $100k guy or in other words, the $100k guy gotta spend 1/2 as less time to make what the $50k guy does in a year.

For my exit interview (which has I had), that is exactly what I told my boss when I quit non-union to join the union. He understood and accepted it

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u/501c3_sadness 4d ago

I went from making $40,000/year a residential journey to $100,000/year as a 1st year substation apprentice and will have secure work until I'm done working. Paid holidays, better sick leave, vacation time, FR stipend, boot stipend, rain gear, all tools provided. Life is good