3rd year

      3rd year apprentice. Almost sounds strange to say thinking about how far I've come in which what seems so little time. Almost feels like just yesterday I was walking into the apprenticeship office to apply for this opportunity. And now almost three years later here I am having gained more experience than I ever could have imagined. I was just asked last weekend if I'm still enjoying it and if I could go back would I do anything differently. Without a doubt I replied absolutely not, I've found something that I really enjoy doing thus far and wouldn't imagine going back. Being able to really apply myself at work, all the benefits that have come along with being in the union, the pay, all things that I think someone of my age is lucky to have and all things that I look forward the continuing.
     Moving up to the third year has also brought along some changes in scenery. For about the past month now been part of J.E. Richards one of the larger companies out of local 26. From working in College Park for the past year now have moved into DC for the first time, all which in itself is a new experience. Have moved to a pretty large tenant build out, largest of any job I have yet to be on. So far definitely have no complaints minus the traffic but hard to fight that. Have been able to work on a numerous amount of different project. From piping out electric closets, putting up numerous different kinds of lights, and most recently testing floors out it has been very good experience. In the short amount of time I have been there definitely have been able to learn a lot.

OT

      With work continuing to move along smoothly at the University of Maryland project, I've recently had the chance to mix things up and experience another first in my career. I was given the opportunity to work a few OT hours recently over the weekend on a shutdown. Working along with two others, together we were able to clock twenty-five hours tearing down an old motor control center and replacing it with an entirely new cabinet. This brought on one very nice paycheck along with work that I found to be very intriguing. Due to it being a shutdown it made it a very fast paced job with things needing back up and running before the start of the new week. This fact, along with it being work on motors, starters, and different controls, things that I have never had to work hands on with before made for a very interesting time. I found it to be a very good experience to have under my belt for the future.
      I have also been lucky enough to tie in on the job training with the start of book four in the apprenticeship. Book four introduces you to motors, motor controls and everything else you could hope to know about this type of work. After being on this job I have found myself very excited to move into this lesson and further expand what I know. I have to say with over two years in the trade now I am still continuing to learn new things on a daily basis and really am enjoying going to work everyday. Below is a picture of the new MCC. 

Moving Right Along

          With a few months under my belt now at the University of Maryland site things are continuing to move right along. Lately, we've started to increase our amount of projects and break loose all over the site. We are now up to eight guys on site and it feels like we'll be adding a few more in the near future as the workload increases. I've been fortunate enough to get my hands on all sorts of different projects that I really find interesting. I've found that I enjoy understanding each aspect of the project rather than just a few select details.
           Like I mentioned in my last blog, this is a slightly different kind of job than I've ever been on before. One being its a knew building coming out of the ground and two we are doing all the control work. So far getting to have a hand in many of the different projects has really given me a better understand of how all the pieces work together towards the final picture. In just running branch piping have really started to understand how different pieces all tie in. This past week we have spent piping out thermostats and trunk lines for different troughs and devices. I have gotten to understand how these devices drive others telling them what action needs to take place among other things. For example, how the multiple thermostats in each room cause a action in the supply and return ducts to keep the room temperature at a constant. Also how all of these devices tie back into a control point so all of this can be run and monitored from a central location. I'm finding all this to be very intriguing work, really enjoying my time so far and looking forward to it continuing.

New Site

     It's been a while now since my last post but between school and work things are still going really well. With my last job site going into the finishing stages I now have been moved to another site on the University of Maryland campus. While still with the same company I am now getting to experience a whole new scope of work. A new physical science center is being built on the campus and we are responsible for completing all of the control work for the building. This has allowed me to experience a whole new set of thinking and requirements different than any job I've been on as of yet. Just looking at the various sets of prints and the hundreds upon hundreds of devices we are responsible for is almost overwhelming.The prints at first looked like a foreign language, loaded with symbols and terminology that I have never seen, let alone heard of before.
    But with a few weeks under my belt now, I'm still no expert but catching on rather well and really enjoying the work. It has been my first chance to work with rigid pipe which definitely brings a few more elements to the table.You really have to study ahead of time and pre-plan how you intend to position each piece. Unlike EMT, rigid pipe must be threaded together so when  installing in some of the tighter locations it takes major planing ahead for everything to work.

Mixing it Up

      After the past few months now of being on the fire alarm learning the in and outs have finally gotten the chance to jump ship so to say mix things up a little bit. Seems like for about the past month or so now have gotten the chance to do something totally different each week. From hooking up VFD's for air handling units, pulling feeders, setting and wiring up an UPS system, to simply hanging lights. Many of these I had never previously received the chance to be around or work with, so to say the least it has been quite the interesting month. Makes the days go quick when your constantly into your work and learning honestly say i have been really enjoying it lately.
      One of the more interesting things was hooking up the UPS system(aka: Uninterruptible Power Supply). Put simply just a large bank of batteries together to supply power to certain equipment when the main supply of  power goes out. Definitely was pretty cool getting to work with the system and very challenging getting the pieces set. Mostly because pushing 4,000 pound bank of battery's up a ramp isn't the easiest thing in the world but all in all everything worked out. Below is a couple pictures of two parts of the UPS.

Moving On Up

       Though it may be a small step but still an important one all in the least, my fellow classmates and I now have all moved from the less then glorious first year classification to all being second year apprentices. This brings yet another small pay raise bringing us to 50% of what an A journeymen earns. This marks the third raise we've had in just our first year, no complaining there that's for sure! Also not to mention a new waive of first years to hopefully take our spots when the general contraction calls for a composition clean up crew.
      But most of all which I find of the highest importance this marks the time when money starts to be contributed into our retirement fund. Though I don't pretend to yet fully understand everything that enters into this I do know this is a huge step in my career. It's very exciting to be twenty years old and have such a plan already set up. Really makes you think about what a great opportunity this really is definitely leaves you with a very good feeling.
     
    

Piping It

      Coming up on my third month now with the new company after transfer time and things are going great. Have gotten many opportunities to bounce around and work with a variety of different things and people which is pretty neat. Seems like everyone you work with always has some new trick up there sleeve for doing different things different ways pretty cool getting to see.
     For about the past month now have been on the fire alarm crew running 3/4 pipe. In school during book one you getting a lot of time in one of the labs learning how to make a few different bends but other than that never really had the chance to work with any small pipe before. When we first started out it was pretty much just writing measurements down and attempting to make the bends. A few pieces and a few trips to the dumpster later started to learn things pretty quick. Now that I've caught on pretty well have gotten a lot more responsibility which I rather much enjoy. Have been able to work on my own a lot more as of late getting to take the measurements and lay things out for myself. Its pretty cool once you finish up and take a step back when everything looks good get a lot of satisfaction out of it. Also one thing I've found that I love so far about running pipe is once you get going and get into it the day flies by which is always a good thing.