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 Virginia Pohler had to share…

I HAD AN AMAZING experience with the first journeyman I worked under for the first eight months of my apprenticeship.

I was paired with Murray a week after starting my probation period, and getting him to talk to me was a challenge. He would only speak the bare minimum to get the job done.

After about a week of working with Murray, he said something that made me snap in response “You can’t talk to me like that!”. As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I figured I should just pack up my tools and leave—I had blown this opportunity.

Instead, a big grin broke out on his face, and he said, “You want to go to the hockey tournament?”. He took me to the Ontario IBEW hockey tournament, introducing me to everyone as his apprentice. From that day on, Murray taught me everything he could.

He taught me the right way to hold my tools and position my body—skills that would later save my life in a near miss with an energized 347V lighting circuit.

He was also willing to let me make mistakes, so long as they didn’t create a safety hazard, or cost the job delays or unnecessary cost. He accepted that apprentices will make mistakes and, whenever possible, he would turn those mistakes into a teachable moment.

“First you learn to do it right, then you learn to do it fast,” he would say.

After a time, Murray allowed me to plan our work. He would then take the time to explain which aspects of my plan were good, and which were not so good.

This helped me develop and perfect my job planning and execution skills.

Leaders who don’t give their apprentices the chance to think and learn should not be surprised when they end up with journeymen who still need to be told what to do at every project stage.

Unlikely pairings can result in formidable teams. On the surface, a 62-year-old seasoned electrician and a 20-year-old woman do not have a lot in common, but when the former has a love of teaching and mentoring and the latter a desire to learn, the combination can be wildly successful.

The biggest mistake leaders can make is pairing workers based on age, gender, or personality. For better outcomes, focus instead on those who can teach and those who want to learn.

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