July 16, 2024 – Whether it goes well or poorly, taking on an apprentice in your electrical contracting business is a big commitment. What can you do to (hopefully) achieve a positive outcome, for both yourself and the apprentice?

In the June 2024 edition of Electrical Business Magazine, we asked a variety of industry professionals “What advice would you give to an electrical contractor when taking on an apprentice?”. They happily shared their advice and experiences with us which, collectively, make up our Apprenticeship Survival Guide.

Here is what Kelly Kienleitner had to share…

THE PATH TO becoming a successful tradesperson is paved with commitment, communication, and care—the 3 Cs—from both journey and apprentice.

Journeys should understand that the apprentice is not as skilled as them, and must be patient. For their part, apprentices should display a commitment and desire to learn the trade.

As the first woman in my trade, my first mentor and I had a rocky start. He felt that I had no business trying to become a journey in his trade.

Over time, he overcame his opposition to this new type of apprentice because he realized that I really wanted to learn. Thereafter, we discovered that we could, in fact, work together by being respectful, asking a ton of questions, and never assuming anything.

You’ll find all Back Issues of Electrical Business Magazine in our Digital Archive.