licenses degrees

sorry, this is a rant by the way. It bothers me when a license or degree is used as proof of intellagence. i would wager that there are quite a few very smart people on this that have neither and quite a few that have both. What got me to thinking about this was a change in the law in TX about electrical license for years it was required to have one in about every city. Then the law made it state wide. However in doing so they grandfathered in anyone who had a license anywhere in the state. now mater what kind of test was required in that city.or if you wired bubbas house and there was no license required in your area you could get one too, no test required. I know that in the long run every electrican will have to pass a test. but until then buyer beware!!! I once had to join the electrical union to do instermentation work, to join i had to pass a test. that was i had to bend a piece of conduit. did that make me an I&E tech? just wanted to here your thoughts on this. Thanks, Steve

Licenses and Degrees just go to show an employer that there may be potential there for someone who may not have a lot of experience.

Two people, both with no work experience to record on their resumes, but one has a 2 or 4 year degree in an electrical field from a tech school/college/university or has a license from the State. Which one will the employer look at when thinking about a position for an maintenance electrician. You need some way to show your potential worth to an employer, even those without work experience.

Your example of licensing law changes... how would you feel if you were a licensed electrician for 10+ years and they decided to change the requirements and forced you to go through 4 years of apprenticeship again? Hell, I was ****ed when the state of Michigan changed their apprenticeship requirements when I was only 2 months away from being able to sit for my Journeyman's examination after being registered for nearly four years. I had to go out and register for courses at my local community classes, even though I had a four year Electrical Engineering degree from an accredited university. And if by chance I didn't pass my examination I would have had to take the full four years of related technical instruction to sit again. (I did pass, but that's not the point).

It's about being fair to those who came before, yet still wanting to ensure the next generation of workers are properly trained (and of course... getting more money).

Good point Tharon. i also look at time spent in school not so much about the degree but the willingness to learn and the methods of research that it takes to stay up with todays world. i used to think that using the web to do homework was kinda cheating. but thinking about it i could not keep up with my job without the database of the www

I do E&I work and have a Degree(two infact) and can do some electrical work. Not saying that I can go install a X00 amp service for a submersible pump, but I can sure trouble shoot the hell out of the service, drive, and downhole equipment. We also have an electrician with a license, he pays contractors to change light bulbs and basically do all his work. At my place of employment, we are considered equals and our work relationship is one sided. I can help him but I can't take more than a day off of work without him trying to get me to fix plcs from over 8 hours away. So while my example of bubba electrician is indicative of all of them the whole license degree issue will be an issue for years to come. While both show either experience or dedication just think of how many people have drivers licenses that shouldn't be driving....

human nature

I got a degree in mechanical engineering and no one has even checked to see if I actually did except for my first company. Not regretting it since it got me going, but jeez that was a lot of time and money…so I do brag about it sometimes. Does having that degree mean I'm intelligent? Hell yes, LOL.
If I had a license or certification I'd probably tell people. Its just human nature, like the way buff guys like to show their arms.

I am just an electrical fitter. No other balony or bits of paper for my trade. I write specification outlines for consultant engineers on an hourly rate - they will probably plagerise these for the next 30 years!!! Who needs a piece of paper.
I was refused an interview for a job once because I did not have a piece of paper. They employed a guy with a piece of paper that I had sacked because he was absolutely and totally useless.
I am more qualified in management - management degree, marketing degree. Walked away and went back to the trade working for myself. Absolutely wonderfull!!!
I tend to disregard pieces of paper and set a test to find out what an applicant knows - half the time the piece of paper means that someone knows how to write stuff to suit the university lecturers.
No, I am not having a go at all you people with pieces of paper, just an observation or two, particularly after a very large company employed a useless person I had sacked as useless because he had a piece of paper and the gift of the gab.
By the way, he has lasted 8 years now because of the gift of the gab. Trades people go to do work for the company and virtually all fail to understand why he still has a job on lots of dollars. Taking money under false preteces.!!!

williamlove said:

I got a degree in mechanical engineering and no one has even checked to see if I actually did except for my first company. Not regretting it since it got me going, but jeez that was a lot of time and money…so I do brag about it sometimes. Does having that degree mean I'm intelligent? Hell yes, LOL.
If I had a license or certification I'd probably tell people. Its just human nature, like the way buff guys like to show their arms.

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