How do you fit in with the Los Angeles DWP? (2009, income)

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by LAFan

I was thinking of going to the training program after I finished my course. I'd like to make enough to move to the Westside.

Unless you find an inexpensive place to rent, I think you would find it difficult to make it on the west side even with a "good" DWP salary, unless you're married and your spouse has a similar income. It is very difficult for people just starting out to make it in L.A. without a bit of help from others.

It's not impossible, though, and there are places you can live where you can rent an apartment for not too much money that would permit you to stay close to work. Buying a home is something that is increasingly more difficult now, as can be seen by the downturn in the Real Estate market, and the woes of the "sub-prime" lending fiasco that allowed people who couldn't afford homes the chance at ownership.

If your goal is to own your own home on L.A.'s west side, then I don't think working for the DWP would provide enough income to be able to do so.

[wclac]

Unless you're investing right?

Originally Posted by jdavid93225

Unless you find an inexpensive place to rent, I think you would find it difficult to make it on the west side even with a "good" DWP salary, unless you're married and your spouse has a similar income. It is very difficult for people just starting out to make it in L.A. without a bit of help from others.

It's not impossible, though, and there are places you can live where you can rent an apartment for not too much money that would permit you to stay close to work. Buying a home is something that is increasingly more difficult now, as can be seen by the downturn in the Real Estate market, and the woes of the "sub-prime" lending fiasco that allowed people who couldn't afford homes the chance at ownership.

If your goal is to own your own home on L.A.'s west side, then I don't think working for the DWP would provide enough income to be able to do so.

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by LAFan

Unless you're investing right?

If you're investing and have managed to build up a pretty good balance in your investment accounts, then you could take that money and put it into real estate in the west side. After living expenses, it can be difficult to have much left over for investment, unless you live well within your means and don't spend your money frivolously. Even with what DWP workers make, it can be difficult to live a reasonably comfortable life in the L.A. area, due mainly to the high cost of housing.

[PowerLineTrades]

If you desire an outdoor job with electricity, then DWP is the place for you. SCE has some okay places to work, but as a whole it is not a nice place to work unless you hate people and love to belittle others. If you seek a long and peaceful working environment then you should look into DWP, Glendale, Burbank, etc... I worked for SCE and found the lineman to be very high-mantenance - in a very "that time of month for a chick kind of way." SCE lineman love to create a very hostle work site between lineman and groundman. They see it as a way of getting the groundman who they feel are not meant to be lineman to quit before they are promotable. Plus the hiring process is very unfair. They do not hire from a list of qualified applicants and test them. They only pull from that list if and only if there are extra spots after all the recommended applicants have been slotted to take the written. If a foreman doe not like you find another plant to work out of or he will fire you. DWP lineman do not subscript to such female type bitchy drama.

These business practises & work environment would not be tollerated by the City of Los Angeles. Plus the DWP benefits are way better then SCE. The medical benefits and retirement pension at DWP is way better then SCE.

To get started in DWP you must start now - next month (forget community college classes for now). The city protects its employees - so you have to take their classes to be eligible to sit for the written. Plus they prepare you for the exam. the exam si not hard but very specialized. It is on very simple electricity, simple mechanical apptitude... But the hard part is the massive part of the exam that is all on tool recongnision and use of tools. The bulk of the exam is on the tools of the trade not the theory.

Right now DWP is coming out of a big restructuring in its hiring practice. They no longer hire off the street for lineman. You must be a groundman to sit for the lineman exam. To be a groundman you must first complete the pre-groundman (ECH:Electrical Craft Helper) course. Its starts the 1st week of Feb 2008. The instructor is callled "Pops" for Denny Poplawski. Call DWP training at 213-763-7151 for info. You need to know where to sign up for the class and times. Basically you sign up on the 1st day of class with $80.00 check or money order. ECH start at 48,000.00 and top at 78,000.00. Lineman start at 65,000.00 and top at 100,000.00. But often overtime provides an additional 20-50% beyond the base. Plus they already have written mandatory raises into 2012. So the Lineman base salary with DWP will be topped at over 120,000.00 by the time your experience gets you to the top step.

Here are some very useful web sites:
LADWP: Careers at LADWP
City of Los Angeles Employment Opportunities

Good luck ! ! !

[wclac]

Originally Posted by PowerLineTrades

If you desire an outdoor job with electricity, then DWP is the place for you. SCE has some okay places to work, but as a whole it is not a nice place to work unless you hate people and love to belittle others. If you seek a long and peaceful working environment then you should look into DWP, Glendale, Burbank, etc... I worked for SCE and found the lineman to be very high-mantenance - in a very "that time of month for a chick kind of way." SCE lineman love to create a very hostle work site between lineman and groundman. They see it as a way of getting the groundman who they feel are not meant to be lineman to quit before they are promotable. Plus the hiring process is very unfair. They do not hire from a list of qualified applicants and test them. They only pull from that list if and only if there are extra spots after all the recommended applicants have been slotted to take the written. If a foreman doe not like you find another plant to work out of or he will fire you. DWP lineman do not subscript to such female type bitchy drama.

These business practises & work environment would not be tollerated by the City of Los Angeles. Plus the DWP benefits are way better then SCE. The medical benefits and retirement pension at DWP is way better then SCE.

To get started in DWP you must start now - next month (forget community college classes for now). The city protects its employees - so you have to take their classes to be eligible to sit for the written. Plus they prepare you for the exam. the exam si not hard but very specialized. It is on very simple electricity, simple mechanical apptitude... But the hard part is the massive part of the exam that is all on tool recongnision and use of tools. The bulk of the exam is on the tools of the trade not the theory.

Right now DWP is coming out of a big restructuring in its hiring practice. They no longer hire off the street for lineman. You must be a groundman to sit for the lineman exam. To be a groundman you must first complete the pre-groundman (ECH:Electrical Craft Helper) course. Its starts the 1st week of Feb 2008. The instructor is callled "Pops" for Denny Poplawski. Call DWP training at 213-763-7151 for info. You need to know where to sign up for the class and times. Basically you sign up on the 1st day of class with $80.00 check or money order. ECH start at 48,000.00 and top at 78,000.00. Lineman start at 65,000.00 and top at 100,000.00. But often overtime provides an additional 20-50% beyond the base. Plus they already have written mandatory raises into 2012. So the Lineman base salary with DWP will be topped at over 120,000.00 by the time your experience gets you to the top step.

Here are some very useful web sites:
LADWP: Careers at LADWP
City of Los Angeles Employment Opportunities

Good luck ! ! !

Are there any training programs anywhere else in the city besides to one in East L.A.?

[Lucero04]

Originally Posted by Rats

work for SoCal Edison, not DWP

Actually if you look on the website for the LA DWP they hire electricians, they actually had 5 positions posted.

[wclac]

Originally Posted by Lucero04

Actually if you look on the website for the LA DWP they hire electricians, they actually had 5 positions posted.

I was going to ask, has anyone who anyone who died from electric shocks?

[5200tex]

Originally Posted by LAFan

I'm taking some electrical courses at trade tech, and need to know how DWP meet their requirements.

What were your requirements to work for DWP and how much do you make a year?

dwp hires trade tech grads,and some trade tech instructors are dwp employees,and dwp cosponors the electrical craft helper class with trade tech.taught at the dwp central headquarters.

[wclac]

Originally Posted by 5200tex

dwp hires trade tech grads,and some trade tech instructors are dwp employees,and dwp cosponors the electrical craft helper class with trade tech.taught at the dwp central headquarters.

I'm taking some courses at the East LA Skills Center in the next two months, and I have a orientation tis coming Saturday with DWP employees.

[amc760]

Originally Posted by LAFan

I was going to ask, has anyone who anyone who died from electric shocks?

ive known linemen who have died from being electrocuted. its a dangerous job, thats why they pay decently. just gotta be careful. its like being a police officer.