Lots of people switch to BIM. And there are a lot of contractors looking for actual electricians to do the work.
My previous employer let all of the BIM guys work remote.
I haven’t seen anyone paying extra for BIM knowledge.
Building information modeling. On bigger construction sites we 3-D model all of the systems.
And some companies 3-D model everything they do.
We also do a lot of 3-D scans of existing facilities for customers.
Ah I’ve used the bim app to look at prints/picture and stuff I thought that’s what it was. I’ve seen the 3d prints before too but the foreman never handed out his iPad on that job lol
Currently, the market is dominated with BIM modelers from India. I believe that unless our unions require BIM modeling to be done by union electricians the wages will stay low.
I'm a UA plumber but do BIM. Make GF rate but my shop is anti WFH. We all have desktop computers and the servers our drawings are stored on aren't accessible from outside the office. It's a big shop, but old school family run small shop vibe and the owner, although better than some Ive worked for has an old school mentality.
It's definitely possible to get the rate and even WFH. I deal with a few 102, 164 and 456 electricians that do BIM for electrical contractors. I know some are getting foreman rate.
Learn REVIT. That is the future.
Edit: Top out first and make sure you are competent in your trade. Good tradesmen make the best draftsman and you don't want to get pigeonholed into drafting. That's how you get stuck agreeing to switch to salary. I can and will drag and go back to the hall and do plumbing before giving up getting paid through the local.
I am a card carrying member and have made the transition to the engineering department. Not CAD, but Revit. There is a need for knowledgeable tradespersons to be in the office. Having some kid right out of school without trade knowledge makes things hard to put on “paper”. Especially with all the 3D coordination these days.
Not extra pay but I am considered Hybrid. PTO, paid holiday. I do get some overtime on the larger jobs. Smaller ones I try not too but any time I do on those, I make sure I’m covered in one way or another.
I’m also over scale.
I initially went to the local community college and got my CAD certificate. The opportunity came up to go in the office when I was having back issues and on light duty. I was basically self-taught with some help from the engineering dept. Finally took the course at the community college. I’m retiring in about 9 years. I don’t plan on going back in the field.
Most of our coordinators came from the field. I actually was set to take the position but didn't feel comfortable leaving my responsibilities at the time to switch positions. I was already making above scale already and that was going to continue with potential to make more. Much regrets. Most of our guys work on site in the trailers but some work from the company office. I doubt any work from home except perhaps temporarily in unusual circumstances.
Does 26 offer a revit class yet?
Dude talk to Vern. He did it for Dyna forever, teaches the cad/revit class at night, and is currently an assistant director in Manassas. Pretty much every company has a coordination department.
Personally I think much like apprentices wanting in their third year to be a Foreman, y'all view whatever specialty as easier than whatever it is you're doing now and pursue it for all the wrong reasons but thats just me.
If ur doing cad for a big contractor u will get paid more than the electricians at smaller contractors it will usually be less do with that info what u will
I recently just got a job in the utility side using autocad and scada. I’m a inside wireman since 2008. It’s IBEW but different local than my home local. They pay for all the training. If you want a head start try some LinkedIn training.
I work for one of the largest contractors in the southeast, and we have around 30 people in our BIM Department, and most are from the field. They are mostly paid at foreman scale. So they are technically due paying ibew members, but they are sitting behind a desk.
I know of 1 or 2 that either got pumped up to PM and was then employed through the shops office and put their tickets on hold or ended up getting offered VDC management positions with non union shops because the offer was good.
BIM is a major part of all projects right now, and those departments are continually growing.
Lots of people switch to BIM. And there are a lot of contractors looking for actual electricians to do the work. My previous employer let all of the BIM guys work remote. I haven’t seen anyone paying extra for BIM knowledge.
Whats BIM?
Building information modeling. On bigger construction sites we 3-D model all of the systems. And some companies 3-D model everything they do. We also do a lot of 3-D scans of existing facilities for customers.
Ah I’ve used the bim app to look at prints/picture and stuff I thought that’s what it was. I’ve seen the 3d prints before too but the foreman never handed out his iPad on that job lol
Currently, the market is dominated with BIM modelers from India. I believe that unless our unions require BIM modeling to be done by union electricians the wages will stay low.
I'm a UA plumber but do BIM. Make GF rate but my shop is anti WFH. We all have desktop computers and the servers our drawings are stored on aren't accessible from outside the office. It's a big shop, but old school family run small shop vibe and the owner, although better than some Ive worked for has an old school mentality. It's definitely possible to get the rate and even WFH. I deal with a few 102, 164 and 456 electricians that do BIM for electrical contractors. I know some are getting foreman rate. Learn REVIT. That is the future. Edit: Top out first and make sure you are competent in your trade. Good tradesmen make the best draftsman and you don't want to get pigeonholed into drafting. That's how you get stuck agreeing to switch to salary. I can and will drag and go back to the hall and do plumbing before giving up getting paid through the local.
I am a card carrying member and have made the transition to the engineering department. Not CAD, but Revit. There is a need for knowledgeable tradespersons to be in the office. Having some kid right out of school without trade knowledge makes things hard to put on “paper”. Especially with all the 3D coordination these days. Not extra pay but I am considered Hybrid. PTO, paid holiday. I do get some overtime on the larger jobs. Smaller ones I try not too but any time I do on those, I make sure I’m covered in one way or another. I’m also over scale.
How did you get the training on revit? I’m a 2nd year apprentice in 640.
I initially went to the local community college and got my CAD certificate. The opportunity came up to go in the office when I was having back issues and on light duty. I was basically self-taught with some help from the engineering dept. Finally took the course at the community college. I’m retiring in about 9 years. I don’t plan on going back in the field.
Most of our coordinators came from the field. I actually was set to take the position but didn't feel comfortable leaving my responsibilities at the time to switch positions. I was already making above scale already and that was going to continue with potential to make more. Much regrets. Most of our guys work on site in the trailers but some work from the company office. I doubt any work from home except perhaps temporarily in unusual circumstances. Does 26 offer a revit class yet?
Dude talk to Vern. He did it for Dyna forever, teaches the cad/revit class at night, and is currently an assistant director in Manassas. Pretty much every company has a coordination department. Personally I think much like apprentices wanting in their third year to be a Foreman, y'all view whatever specialty as easier than whatever it is you're doing now and pursue it for all the wrong reasons but thats just me.
I come from the CAD field. I made the switch to field 8 years ago. Is CAD salary comparable to Foreman in the field?
I don’t believe so but I guess depends on the trade (inside or outside) our journeyman make more then the engineers in the company.
3 years in and already wants to quit
I’m 22 years in and hold multiple masters licenses. I’ve been ready to quit since day 1 🤷♂️
CAD designers and BIM modelers are not valued much ( SF Bay Area ), engineers on the other hand are very valuable.
If ur doing cad for a big contractor u will get paid more than the electricians at smaller contractors it will usually be less do with that info what u will
I suggest everyone find a similar niche before they turn 50 in this trade.
I recently just got a job in the utility side using autocad and scada. I’m a inside wireman since 2008. It’s IBEW but different local than my home local. They pay for all the training. If you want a head start try some LinkedIn training.
I work for one of the largest contractors in the southeast, and we have around 30 people in our BIM Department, and most are from the field. They are mostly paid at foreman scale. So they are technically due paying ibew members, but they are sitting behind a desk. I know of 1 or 2 that either got pumped up to PM and was then employed through the shops office and put their tickets on hold or ended up getting offered VDC management positions with non union shops because the offer was good. BIM is a major part of all projects right now, and those departments are continually growing.