Pros
2 weeks off per year
Cons
This experience has been a nightmare. They act like this apprenticeship is such an exciting opportunity to learn a valuable trade while being paid, but after orientation you are on your own. If you get paired with someone who speaks the same language as you, you’re lucky. The company talks a lot of talk about safety, but it’s all talk. Ive seen supervisors yell at journeymen for trying to do the right thing and report unsafe working conditions. If you need a certain tool to do your job safely, you probably won’t find it! And you better get that job done! And if you’re caught doing it unsafely that’s a write up! If you are injured in an accident they will try to fire you. A lot of higher ups seem to thrive on power trippin. They’ll try to get under your skin to test you and get you fired. Even in the “weld school” there is no welding instruction. You just run beads for 10 hours a day for 3 months. They have their own “emergency response team” to attend to injuries and accidents. You contact them via radio, but I’ve never worked with anyone who has a radio here. I don’t know what I’m learning or what skills I am supposed to have at the end of this apprenticeship. Every day I go into work with no idea what my day could look like. Sure, there’s “college classes” which you have to attend unpaid on your days off, but they consist of being told things about the company like not to go to your supervisor with a problem until you have solved the problem yourself. C’mom, at least pay me to drink the kool aid. Work starts 6am sharp, but most people arrive at 5:30 to ensure they can find parking. Also, the water fountains and eye wash stations are filthy.