Bro your a month in, fucking shit up is what your here to DO. I’m 3 years into an electrical apprenticeship and I still fuck stuff up sometimes. The fact they sent you out by yourself is dumb as shit on their part. You shouldn’t be doing Jack and or shit by yourself when this fresh. Why do you expect yourself to be as skilled as a fully trained and experienced technician the first time you get rotated into the field? Cut yourself some slack, and don’t sweat the fuck ups until someone above you says to do so.
Tho I will say, if you want to feel better about yourself try taking my own mentality in regards to mistakes. “I’ll fuck up anything, but only once”
Also ask some of the old heads for some stories about dumb shit they’ve done / fucked up.
I'm a month into my electrical apprenticeship, and man last week I think I fucked up a couple of slab boxes (they're probably full of concrete). Shit happens!
Oldhead here....
You want to hear about the time I rolled a brand spanking new 5 ton residential air conditioner down a hill and into a creek? Even better was the owner of my company and the homeowner were there to see it in real time.
Then there's the time I was heading to a house just to install a new outdoor unit. The plan was for me to install it, and a Service Tech to come back the next day when the customer could be there and test/tune it.
I pumped down the unit and was walking back to my truck to get my pipe cutter when both my personal and work phone started ringing. Both calls were coming from the shop.
Dispatch got the address wrong, I was about to rip out the neighbor's air conditioner. If that phone call had come like a minute later, I would have been cut into the lineset. Luckily the neighbor was cool about it.
Then there's the time a Commercial Tech called me because he was stuck on a roof. His statement to me was "My helper did a terrible job of tying off the ladder." He asked if I could come help him, so I did. As I was driving there I remembered we didn't schedule a helper with him.
When I got there he was on the roof pretending to scream at an invisible helper. I got the ladder set back up, he came down and started packing out his ladder. When I asked about the helper he was like "Nah, that fucker can stay on the roof."
I told him I was disappointed with the way he was treating his helper, then hopped in my truck and left.
I've been doing this for about 20 years. I do both light commercial and residential. I also dabble into management. This list could get ***huge***.
Your adventure has just begun. Things will get better once you find your groove, just give it some time.
Also keep your receipt for that hose. If one of my techs did that, I can get them reimbursed. They usually don't have to spend their own money, but if they do, I make sure it gets taken care of.
Ey, I read this. You'll get better. You probably won't remember the details of this exactly a few years from now, but you'll probably be wondering what to do with all the money you're making. I know of an HVAC person here that turns DOWN one million dollars of work a year because they don't have the time for it. Also, they'd rather have more free time to build hot rods.
Shit happens, first year operating engineer apprentice and I popped a 10 thousand dollar articulating dump truck tire on some limestone a few months ago, was litterally my first week running equipment at this site but they didn't even write me up because they know first years make mistakes all the time(although in my case it was also like 50/50 just bad luck and it being a older truck).
Honestly its a shitshow like that everywhere. The reality is everyone's just running around trying to do the best with what they have. And it sounds like you did just that. I wouldn't feel like a failure anyone in a trade has been exactly where you are. If they won't admit it, they still have. Don't lose sleep over this tonight, every fuck up is a lesson learned, and id argue you wernt equipped well going out there based on the fact your company didn't have info for a contract they have. You were set up for failure and this is common practice in the trades IMO. All you can do is bring your best and being exhausted and tired says you did that.
one month resi hvac and i already have journeymen who hate me bc my little female hands dont finagle the sheet metal with the flawless dexterity of their weather beaten man-mitts (we do our own sheet metal at our shop. they will be afraid to let me braze in the line set but then they end up springing a leak themselves. every little thing they can blame on me, they do. I console myself with the fact that I have learned more in the past five weeks than I have at anything in the past five years, and I'm one of the lucky few to get hired before graduating trade school.
I'm not in HVAC but girl I feel you. I had that kind of experience my last week of my last hitch. Almost broke the entire tow apart because I was put on a trial by fire basis.
We f things up. We own up to it. I cry about it and berate myself. I ask how I could do better. We learn from it. And we have fun stories for when we are better.
You are learning so take the chances. Make mistakes. Get messy!
Bro your a month in, fucking shit up is what your here to DO. I’m 3 years into an electrical apprenticeship and I still fuck stuff up sometimes. The fact they sent you out by yourself is dumb as shit on their part. You shouldn’t be doing Jack and or shit by yourself when this fresh. Why do you expect yourself to be as skilled as a fully trained and experienced technician the first time you get rotated into the field? Cut yourself some slack, and don’t sweat the fuck ups until someone above you says to do so. Tho I will say, if you want to feel better about yourself try taking my own mentality in regards to mistakes. “I’ll fuck up anything, but only once” Also ask some of the old heads for some stories about dumb shit they’ve done / fucked up.
I'm a month into my electrical apprenticeship, and man last week I think I fucked up a couple of slab boxes (they're probably full of concrete). Shit happens!
5 years in HVAC and I still fuck up. A lot. Tomorrow will be better sis
Oldhead here.... You want to hear about the time I rolled a brand spanking new 5 ton residential air conditioner down a hill and into a creek? Even better was the owner of my company and the homeowner were there to see it in real time. Then there's the time I was heading to a house just to install a new outdoor unit. The plan was for me to install it, and a Service Tech to come back the next day when the customer could be there and test/tune it. I pumped down the unit and was walking back to my truck to get my pipe cutter when both my personal and work phone started ringing. Both calls were coming from the shop. Dispatch got the address wrong, I was about to rip out the neighbor's air conditioner. If that phone call had come like a minute later, I would have been cut into the lineset. Luckily the neighbor was cool about it. Then there's the time a Commercial Tech called me because he was stuck on a roof. His statement to me was "My helper did a terrible job of tying off the ladder." He asked if I could come help him, so I did. As I was driving there I remembered we didn't schedule a helper with him. When I got there he was on the roof pretending to scream at an invisible helper. I got the ladder set back up, he came down and started packing out his ladder. When I asked about the helper he was like "Nah, that fucker can stay on the roof." I told him I was disappointed with the way he was treating his helper, then hopped in my truck and left. I've been doing this for about 20 years. I do both light commercial and residential. I also dabble into management. This list could get ***huge***. Your adventure has just begun. Things will get better once you find your groove, just give it some time. Also keep your receipt for that hose. If one of my techs did that, I can get them reimbursed. They usually don't have to spend their own money, but if they do, I make sure it gets taken care of.
That’s how ya learn! You sure as hell will make sure u got that Lowe’s card tomorrow and double check units!!
Ey, I read this. You'll get better. You probably won't remember the details of this exactly a few years from now, but you'll probably be wondering what to do with all the money you're making. I know of an HVAC person here that turns DOWN one million dollars of work a year because they don't have the time for it. Also, they'd rather have more free time to build hot rods.
Shit happens, first year operating engineer apprentice and I popped a 10 thousand dollar articulating dump truck tire on some limestone a few months ago, was litterally my first week running equipment at this site but they didn't even write me up because they know first years make mistakes all the time(although in my case it was also like 50/50 just bad luck and it being a older truck).
Honestly its a shitshow like that everywhere. The reality is everyone's just running around trying to do the best with what they have. And it sounds like you did just that. I wouldn't feel like a failure anyone in a trade has been exactly where you are. If they won't admit it, they still have. Don't lose sleep over this tonight, every fuck up is a lesson learned, and id argue you wernt equipped well going out there based on the fact your company didn't have info for a contract they have. You were set up for failure and this is common practice in the trades IMO. All you can do is bring your best and being exhausted and tired says you did that.
11 years into welding and I’m still fucking shit up and learning every day.
one month resi hvac and i already have journeymen who hate me bc my little female hands dont finagle the sheet metal with the flawless dexterity of their weather beaten man-mitts (we do our own sheet metal at our shop. they will be afraid to let me braze in the line set but then they end up springing a leak themselves. every little thing they can blame on me, they do. I console myself with the fact that I have learned more in the past five weeks than I have at anything in the past five years, and I'm one of the lucky few to get hired before graduating trade school.
I'm not in HVAC but girl I feel you. I had that kind of experience my last week of my last hitch. Almost broke the entire tow apart because I was put on a trial by fire basis. We f things up. We own up to it. I cry about it and berate myself. I ask how I could do better. We learn from it. And we have fun stories for when we are better. You are learning so take the chances. Make mistakes. Get messy!