How did you get started in testing?

[veracon0700]

Just curious as to how everyone got started in electrical testing. I started out working as a residential electrician helper many years ago and then signed up with my local union to get into the apprenticeship program because it paid more. After working as a journeyman for many years work started to get slow and a buddy of mine put in a good word for me at the testing company he was working for. I was later hired and it wasn't long after I earned my NETA Level II and III certification, now the rest is history...

[Jay Knight]

I started very early on working with the local electrical utility in my area with the line crews. A few years later I moved into the testing division but have since left and now work for a small testing firm.

[ktelectrician]

I worked as an electrician a long time. Working for local and commercial parties and currently active in this job.

[Ninjaneer]

Wow, lots of different stories and backgrounds. I graduated from Engineering school for electronics and a job in the power testing field 2 days after graduation. From mA and low DC volts to Megawatts and KiloVolts. A bit different from what i studied for but I like the flexibility and a good balance between field work and office work.

[baldscreen]

Just curious as to how everyone got started in electrical testing. I started out working as a residential electrician helper many years ago and then signed up with my local union to get into the apprenticeship program because it paid more. After working as a journeyman for many years work started to get slow and a buddy of mine put in a good word for me at the testing company he was working for. I was later hired and it wasn't long after I earned my NETA Level II and III certification, now the rest is history...

I worked for a company in mid-late 80s that had two divisions under one roof; Automation engineering using robots, and Power engineering services and testing. The automation business tanked, so I moved over to the engineering services side of the house.

[codycody103]

Just curious as to how everyone got started in electrical testing. I started out working as a residential electrician helper many years ago and then signed up with my local union to get into the apprenticeship program because it paid more. After working as a journeyman for many years work started to get slow and a buddy of mine put in a good word for me at the testing company he was working for. I was later hired and it wasn't long after I earned my NETA Level II and III certification, now the rest is history...

school internship -> electrical engineering degree -> friend of a friend -> Electrical testing

[stevenl569]

I got my start as a Watercraft Engineer in the Army. I did a bit of everything in that job but I was good at the electrical side of it, dealing with motor controlers, so I was often given that kind of work. Later I changed jobs to the Prime Power Production field and that's where I got into medium voltage power systems and testing. Working on my NETA Level III right now.

[dvaldez0919]

Just curious as to how everyone got started in electrical testing. I started out working as a residential electrician helper many years ago and then signed up with my local union to get into the apprenticeship program because it paid more. After working as a journeyman for many years work started to get slow and a buddy of mine put in a good word for me at the testing company he was working for. I was later hired and it wasn't long after I earned my NETA Level II and III certification, now the rest is history...

I think i got lucky. Automotive electrician -> Locomotive Electrician (also Started Electrical Engineering Classes) -> Reliability Engineering for an Oil and Gas Service Company (Voluntary Lay off) -> Quality Engineer for an oil and gas pipe coating company (Lay Off) -> out of work and dropped off my resume at a testing company down the road from my house and got hired on a couple days later, never looked back.

[jflan13]

I was an electrician in the Navy prior and saw a posting with a testing company when I was getting out.

[ElectricalTestTech]

Just curious as to how everyone got started in electrical testing. I started out working as a residential electrician helper many years ago and then signed up with my local union to get into the apprenticeship program because it paid more. After working as a journeyman for many years work started to get slow and a buddy of mine put in a good word for me at the testing company he was working for. I was later hired and it wasn't long after I earned my NETA Level II and III certification, now the rest is history...

Started with IBEW Local 26 apprenticeship. After 3 years of being sick of construction I was on my way out the door. I decided to get my Journeyman classification before leaving. Mentioned to a teacher that I hated construction and the only other thing that would keep me in 26 was a test company. He set me up on an interview and now I’m working on 10 years with this company. Electrical Test Tech is not the company. This is a site I devoloped on the idea that our industry needs to be exposed so we can keep new minds joining our field. Most people do not know about testing. It’s just another resource available to everyone that may help you one day in the future.