New Generation Lineworker

[ridgeiron]

We were all new grunts and dumb as a sack of hammers at one time. Everyone learns differently. If they are worth a salt, you will figure them out.

[MEGA81]

Some Journeymen are WAY better than others. The Lineman I work with every day, is a non stop f*%k up. When he tells me to do it "his way" I have to stop and think about it. Sometimes he's right, sometimes he's wrong. And a lot of the time I don't even know the difference! I am in my mid to late 20's and love the trade. I want to be a good hand. For myself and my union, but some of these guys are REALLY BAD lineman, and even worse teachers. I struggle with some things, and do well with other things.

[Boomer gone soft]

No way in hell will you be a 3rd year apprentice without 3 years of OJT.
As far as these fast food apprentice's go, after you show them and tell them, let them fight it. Pole position, you name it. Then I say stop! Do it this way! And make them do that way, or move over here and work, after there done, I say, "now wasn't that ez'er?" Once the apprentice knows you are not out to get them, and see you know what you are doing and you can help him learn the trade. It starts to smooth out for both of you. I tell all by apprentice's that I want them to be a better Lineman then me. I also let the apprentice show me new things he has learned in Apprentice school's. After he knows what to do, I let him work without getting in there face. I say, I don't need to tell you what to do up here, you are one of the team, I'll tell you if I want you to do something. I'll fine him over on my side of the pole helping me, or doing my job. In the early days this is how he learned the trade, "here hold this, press this, pull that," but now it's time to work as a crew. Get the F--on your side of the pole before I cut your skid. "You know what to do, do it."

10-4!!

I could not agree more.

[LOCAL84]

Man is this ever a good one.....as a tramp I agree 100% with what swamp said about every once in a while getting a good one. It is so hard to reach some people....I think its even harder when you hit the road on a 2 or 3 month gig and you have a "window" to teach in. But I have learned this....some guys are in this trade for a buck! Those are usually the ones that you cant hardly tell anything too! Usually the good ones are in the trade because they love what we do....and those are the one that really do make it all worth while! I am 28 years old and have been a journeyman for almost five years.....I dont think its so much a twenties thing. I think it is just a WORLD thing......like some screwed up microwave society where people want something for nothing and they want it now!

[Roy56]

Maybe article time for the trainers. Learn to be a human being, sort through personalities. Just becuase a kid can't wire a 3 phase bank, climb a 50', and run every truck his first day, doesn't mean he won't be a good lineman.

[duckhunter]

We currently have 1 lineman and 3 apprentices under 30. The lineman and 2 of the apprentices are go-getters, smart and safe. One apprentice does not seem self motivated, but does what he is told. One of them prefers only to work overtime the week he is on-call. other than that he wants just 40 hours. 2 of them will work all they can. What is the difference? 2 of them have families to feed, 2 are single.

[grizzlybuck]

I agree with PaBen, when I was coming up, my company was just transitioning from the tie or tape up the loud mouth apes, as well as rip them a new one, to only being able to verbally abuse us, if we weren't whiney [censored]s who would run to HR.

The thing the Journeymen would do, and I did as well (before taking a trouble truck) was give advice on how to do a job, if we heard "I know" then we just let em go, and work themselves into a bind, sore feet are one of the best teachers. If the apes were receptive to advice, then we taught, if not, they learned to be receptive.

I tried to stress early on, small habits (like "a good apprentice always carries tape") and ripped ass when they f'ed up the little stuff, pointing out that it is the habits that keep us safe, and that we learn to get into habits, good and bad early on. I would also stress and try to teach them to think about, if I do this, then that will happen, actions, reactions, consequences etc.

When they started working secondaries, I always felt that a little fire was a great learning tool (one of our more respected and Elder J-men says this, just don't tell management that ) and would let them get into a bind, not hurt, just in a bind. If they don't learn to respect electricity at the secondary level, then they could be seriously hurt not respecting primary.

When they were starting to work primary, I always would ask them "how are you going to do this?" If I liked the answer, here we go, if not, go over options and scenarios, actions and consequences, or just say "you're not ready" and do it yourself.

When I had young J-men on the truck who wanted to teach the ape, I'd ask, once again, how are you going to do this, if I liked the answer, I'd let them go up, if not, I went up with the ape.

If the ape was afraid of heights and electricity, he climbed all the time, and we did everything hot, jumpered out cutouts and never took outages, I told them, look sometimes we just can't have outage, so here hold this and handed them a hot mechanical head. I loved taking the 'fraidy cats up into a rubber tree. One time we set a new pole and were moving three phase, we had a double dead end, corner pole (small wire) that we cut straight through onto armless (fiberglass angle arms) construction, we had hoses (guts) and blankets as well as hoists everywhere, he was ducking and looked like a bobble head with his head moving everywhere (I was driving ) When we were done, I noticed him standing a little taller and straighter, made me feel good.

The toughest would be the lazy ape, some of them are hard to shame, and you'll have to work your ass off to get them to work their ass off. Do everything the cave man power and light way and work em late, is my only advice.

Bottom line guys' do your best, keep them and yourselves safe. If they aren't ready to do it, don't let them, do it yourself.

[Brad Lillie]

I was following this thread and missed this post. Great post Grizzly. I am just a wannabe, but hope to have a Jman like you to learn from one day.

Brad

[loosescrews]

i have the same problem with a young lineman. he went through college got a degree and app school. now he thinks he knows more than i do. i'll ask him questions and if i like the answer i'll say okay if not i'll do it myself.no matter what he wants to do it his way and it is always harder and he fights what he's doing so i just let him get give slap out then say do it this way and make him finish the job. best learning and teaching he could get.

[freshjive]

Everybody does linework a little bit different. As I was once told by an elder crew leader."there are many different ways to skin a cat in this job". I wish some of the older guys would understand this..What works for me may not work for them..I like to use my head more than my muscle..I like to use blocks to pull up house services..Some of the older guys don't like this, but why am I gonna fight with something when I have a way that works for me 100% of the time and looks smooth as silk..If they don't like the way I do it, then they can come up here and do it.. Beng a second class I've learned a hell of alot from a lot of seasoned vets, and I've developed my own style which works for me and is safe and I'll be damned if someone is gonna tell me to do it differently no matter if he does have 30 odd years in. I'm not hard headed and I listen to all suggestions, but the bottom line is I'm the one in the bucket with the live stuff all around me. I'm gonna do it my way if I feel it is safe and going to make my life and the job go easier.Some old tiomers get a kick out of seeing a second, third, or even a rookie first class struggle with something in the air. They tell them to do it a certain way to make it difficult, so they can get a chuckle and tell the guys back at the garage that the guy he was with is a sissy. Just something I don't agree with. I'm not stubborn and never claimed to be a know it all, but when I'm up there I like to make my job as easy as possible when I'm up there.