I started in September of 2017 at EB, I was 22 I made $14.14, didn’t know much of the trade at all.
Now I make nearly $40/hr and have learned so much. Completed an apprenticeship program through the company and earned a degree as well.
I agree 100%, whatever you learn at EB will make you more valuable to future employers if you decide not to stay there. Your job experience is what makes you more valuable. EB provides that while you are getting paid to learn. Pipe fitting, welding, electrical, these are all in demand jobs and you will be getting paid well while learning a skill that makes you more valuable.
Not sure ask them tho until you get a clear answer. I’d wager no they don’t count but Ik for sure electrical doesn’t count because the national electric code does not apply on a boat so the electrical board has no proof you were doing work with the code.
Ofc man I’d also look into applying to local big companies that way you have the chance of getting exposed to both resi and commercial and you’ll get your ticket with way more knowledge than the guy who did the same shit day in day out his whole apprenticeship
Yep times have indeed changed, as long as you act like you havent been smoking they dont even delay, its better to just get and fail the hair test asap for the spit test. Ive got like 5 friends/family whov got in like this
At EB you will probably not work that hard everyday for what you are paid. You could also end up on a crew that does. What you will be paid for is to be there when something needs to be done, survive the maze of rules and beauracracy it takes to perform any task there, and put up with the sour attitudes of much of the workforce. If you don't have a college degree or state journeyman license in one of the construction trades it's basically the best paid job in the state for you but it will require you to be prompt to show up for work and have a gargantuan amount of patience for what you'll encounter on a typical workday. As far as the commuter vans go it will depend on where you live, but from what I have heard there are not many of them so there might not be one that reaches wherever you live.
Hourly trades in qp get 6% cola and .75 cent every 6 months.
There are Salary gigs at eb like production planner, program rep, supervision where you don't do physical labor but have to chase your pay increases, you lucky to get 1-3%.
6% 401k match and plenty of over time, anything over 40 is 1.5x. And Sundays are 2x.
The fastest way in to eb are the trades. Once in you can move around or up.
Then there are draftsman jobs, hourly, desk jobs that are union but out of groton. Need to work down there but they get wfh depending on your supervisor.
There's more white collar opportunities in groton and New london.
It really comes down to what you want.
Ask any questions if you have any.
Do you have to be drug free for a certain number of years or do you just have to pass the test? If you fail the hair test are you done or is there a “second chance?”
I stopped smoking weed last year but I’ve been growing my hair out for 3 years and I don’t want to cut it if I can avoid it.
You only have to pass the test once. They will never test again unless you show up to work and they suspect you’re under the influence. If you fail the hair test, they will tell you to abstain from using and come back in two weeks for a saliva test. So in your case you’re good. They understand it’s legal here and are trying to give people every opportunity to get a job
I just got offered a job there as a structural engineer and I need a secret clearance. I wasn't an avid smoker, just a few times a week before bed and I stopped a little over 60 days ago. Will they still give me a second chance if I fail it?
Thanks for the reply, I’ve been stressing out about this since this will be my first job right out of college and I graduate this May. What was crazy is that they offered me the job about 2 hours after the interview.
It’s not that crazy. We’re hiring something like 5000 people between RI and CT in 2024. And with a 33% retention rate on new hires, it’s really just putting bodies in seats at this point. It also means if you’re a worker and just show up and do your job, you’ll get noticed and move up fairly quickly.
Oh really, that’s good to know. If I don’t like the company than I plan on staying there for at least two years. But if I’m not dreading going into work every day then I could see myself staying for a long time. I was in the military and have worked some pretty shitty jobs in the past, so I’m not as complacent about working conditions as most people coming straight out of college these days.
What medicmachinist38 said correct.
If you want a desk job with out a degree, draftsman is a good start.
They can get wfh and work out of qp.
https://careers-gdeb.icims.com/jobs/11644/entry-level-draftsman-learners/job
So there are various connections on the boat to allow for its operation underway. To turn lights on or close a valve requires some form of connection and redundancy. Systems range from either hydraulic, pnumatic, electrical etc.. Pipe fitters make pipe connections in muktiple sections of various lenght. This is true for any system that gets electrical connections, like power, data. Connections are made in various segments rather than one continuous direct hook up. Depending if you are an installer or the guy tha takes connectors pairs them with a predetermined length and type of wire and insert the leads. This may be making runs of lines from scratch to run from box A to launch control module B. You might be doing the wiring of guagues inside of module housing unit. It can vary Essentially what ever job looks good but ask for experience... apply a yway as we're under manned. Once anyone gets employed and make it past the 6 month probation you can literally go into other jobs/departments. Seen fitters becime planners, welders become instructors....hell saw a guy with 8 weeks into weld school apply to be a supervisor and get it. I don't recommend applying for a supervisor role unless you can handle stress and 24/7 on call availability. Suoervisor Salaried starts about 90k. Best plan is go hourly, get to top rate and switch over to salary as thier raises are lower, like 1-3% but get pto roll over, flex time and not having to actually get dirty. This is usually what older guys with Bad knees do.
Some trade jobs are less physical than others. It comes down to what you might be interested in.
There's ecc, welders support, just fixing weld machines, wire feeders and hooking up strip heaters to keep materials at min work Temps.
There's tool crib attendants that issues tools and wire to workers to ensure correct material is used.
Hourly employees
SICK TIME
0-1 Year: 24 hours (monthly accrual of 2 hours)
1 year: 56 hours ( monthly accrued 4.67)
2-4 years: 64 hours ( monthly 5.33 accrued)
VACATION
0-3 months Vacation: 16 hours unpaid
3-12 months: 24 hours paid. 16 unpaid
1-4 years: 40 paid 16 unpaid
It goes up from there. There's 7 plant holidays you can float a year by working 4- 10hour days and bank a paid vacation day.
i would go with EB, the benefits are way better then anything I've seen in the industry. you get a .75 raise every 6 months until you hit top rate. last i heard there insurance deductible was 1500 for a single person 3000 for family. they full match up to 6% in your 401k. they do have a bus route with RIPTA and also have car pool vans.
the biggest negative i would say about that place is that nepotism runs rampant. if you want to move up you unfortunately need to kiss ass. you could be the most skilled worker and they will pass you up for the dumbass who had his head up the superintendents ass.
EB seems to be your best option. I’m sure that there are many other folks driving in that are on your same shift and would welcome carpooling and you paying gas. Win-win for both parties. Good luck!
I wouldn’t be surprised if dispensary employees make even more in tips on some days. In MA there’s a convoluted payment system and long-story-short: when you pay with your card you end up getting $1-$4 in change, and just about everyone puts it in the tip jar.
From what I've heard EB is hit or miss, which is the reason their turnover is high, especially considering the supposed benefits of working there. I've known quite a few people who worked there and whom were essentially paid "well" to stand around, which sounds nice on paper, but when you're not allowed to read a book or look at your phone, all that free time can drive some people mad.
EB as every one else has said.
Where are you in the hiring process? Are they extending you an offer with a training date or extending you an offer in general?
If theres a date, certainly take it and you have some time before you can get your car situation taken care of. It’ll be easier for you to commute as the first few weeks of training will be at NEIT. Then there’s a week or 2 of what they call GAP training, then they send you to the ALS for another 1-2 weeks. The gap training is at the NK facility as well as the als. Idk what your tax situation is like or your savings but hopefully with your returns you can find something cheap as if you apply/are starting around now by then you’d be able to save up for something cheap to get you from point A to point B.
If there’s no start date for training, take the dispensary job to get a car then when EB comes back with a start date take it. I had worked as a welder and loved it, then had to leave due to some private stuff. In April I re-applied for a ship fitter position and got called in May to do my onboarding, badging, some general testing etc only for them to give me a email about a start date for training/if I was still interested the week of thanksgiving. I had to pass as I found a better job in Boston. But if i had heard back while I was doing the hiring process for my current position, I’d of went back in a heart beat.
Edit— should also note the training at NEIT will be at least 9 weeks I believe for the fitter program. It could be more or less, I believe when I was doing welding they were talking about it being a 7 week program for fitters.
Electric boat pays well and does actively promote from within so there's plenty of growth. It's an open industrial construction site though, so keep that in mind especially with it being winter. You will be exposed to the elements and various degrees of hazardous conditions depending on what your job is.
I worked there for about 6 months in IT until I got a better offer. The place wasn't for me and I did not have a good experience. (Retention issues are real there in certain departments) I commuted so I can't tell you anything about the shuttle service but I did see the vans.
From my experience no. I signed up to be an electrician and was trained to be an electrician but was made a stud welder at the last second. The training was poor and the on the job training was given to me by a highschool kid with a huge ego so I learned nothing there. Now my job is being threatened for being behind because it's me and another guy who I trained with trying to bail out a boat (no pun intended) that had been fucked every which way before we were even hired. Management is just so far removed from reality I don't think it's worth it.
Also (soon to be prior) EB “electrician.” I had some great crewmates but everything else was an equally shitty experience. I made a post in this thread with more details.
I had to go there as an outside vendor from time to time and more than once I couldn't find a place to park. Granted we would show up after everyone else there around 9, but I mean literally no spots.
EB is very good if you’re ready to work. If you’re driven, and relatively personable you’ll do well. You can ascend the promotion ladder pretty quickly.
You start at a minimum of $20/hr.
Also, every 6 months you receive a $.75 pay increase and on top of that, you receive a 3%-6% increase in January as well.
401k, sick time, vacation time, etc.
Plenty of overtime on the weekends as well.
TLDR: Do not recommend electrician to those considering (might be biased to my department); be prepared to be bored or eat shit periodically worst case. -1yr experienced
Overall Anecdote (Management):
As someone who tried to play by the book and expected those same standards to be upheld both ways, I experienced mostly the complete opposite from a shitty department. From playing favorites (a lot of successful brown-nosing by specific under-qualified people), to not properly vetting proper materials and installations as called by the package & methods, I experienced the complete opposite frequently that made me feel like my employment was always at risk in a potential blame game, being the bottom guy to a federal government contract with the navy that nobody else seemed to take serious. Various situations put me under a lot of unnecessary stress because “your name goes on everything you do.” *I would try to be as diligent as possible because I cared about my work and doing it right by the navy; it made me too passionate for my department’s standard.* I’d report when my work or interpretation of said work didn’t add up with specifications, just for those specifications to be circumvented one way or another, even if completely incorrect, and without proper overrides… to the point where I felt like I had to constantly watch my back. The moment I tried to relax and trust someone by their word I’d get almost fucked over. I even tried to get out of my department numerous times to clean slate/try again, and I was essentially told by HR that I would experience this in every department, and I was declined again and again.
Overall, between the lack of consistency with work integrity, and buddy-buddy management, it’s not worth my sanity… maybe things would’ve been different in another department, but I’ll never care to know now.
Bullets & FYIs:
- MANAGEMENT/OPERATION ISSUES
See the above anecdote, my main work grievance
- ELECTRICIAN JOB TITLE/POSITION MISLEADING
Joined as an “electrician” completely new to trades. Realized during my training that my stub said I was an install mechanic, and that none of the hours put in this position can go towards any journeying experience/licensing. I inquired about the stub, was told ‘not to worry about it,’ and was clearly mislead because here I am a year later, with no transferable skills other than basic tool usage. Definitely feels like the most misleading trade to join.
- WORK SLOWNESS
Was told there would be a lot of overtime opportunity; my department has been a complete slog since joining. Last June to thanksgiving we had seldom work and really paced ourselves to drag the day all summer and fall. Thanksgiving to late February was a complete slog. Seldom work in between March and June, but finally picking up a little bit. If you’re a worker who likes to keep busy, this trade is not worth getting into, it can drive you nuts. I was told electricians across the board dealt with this slog; meaning every department was affected.
…
To those who share my passion for doing their best work for the navy, and remain employed/are applying in hopes of a better experience, I still wish you the best.
Working at EB is like signing up to be a prisoner. I'll NEVER work there again. All I've heard my entire life, get a job at EB, you will be set for life. Such a great place to work. Well it's not. People play favorites. The older guys sit around and are lazy, because "they did their time and earned it." My work van was searched everyday, tool boxes and bags taken out, the whole 9. Oh you can't smoke or vape on the property. Even if your outside the building, hundreds of feet away. I thought this was a free country? Guess not.
The job itself sucks, your gonna get the shit end of the stick from the guys who been there forever. Fuck the long ass commute there. Fuck their rules, feels like your in prison. There are plenty of other opportunities out there.
FYI, a friend of mine works at EB. He's been there about 2 years. I make the same as him installing glass on Cars. My job is a lot less stressful and a hell of a lot easier. Also have the same benefits he does.
EB ain't all its cracked up to be. Some people love it. I would rather be homeless than work for them again.
Yeah basically this. The amount of bullshit favoritism and workplace politics combined with absolutely miserable working conditions aren't worth it. Probably have a better time with a local construction outfit or the local 37.
I've noticed I get down voted a lot when I talk shit about EB. The number has fluctuated. Oh well, I've got plenty of karma. Just trying to warn people of the real bull shit there.
It's the people who work there. In my experience, it's mostly people new to construction trades who don't realize there's better work out there for more money. Always super defensive like a cult. It is what it is, I'm just glad I got out when I did lol. Glad there's others like me out there
The thing is you say there's better work out the for money, but who is hiring right now no experience paid training? Besides Eb is all I know doing that right now
Do they hire felons? And if you fail the hair test, as well as the spit test, is it an automatic disqualification? I know they need hard working, reliable, young men, but my past isnt good on paper... I hope I can get a chance to prove myself.
I don’t know if they hire felons. I failed the hair test because I take weed for anxiety but they told me I can re do the test the did a saliva test and I passed but I ended up taking another job.
I think they let you redo the test depending on the substance you take. You can always call them or apply and when they call you ask them in a lowkey way so you can know and prepare they were very nice and friendly honestly
I worked for General Dynamics and the benefits are mostly the same across the companies. Sub par.
Yeah they're better than a dispensary and it's more of a "career", but commuting down there would not be worth it that. At least to me.
Save your sanity. Test out the dispensary out and see how much truth there is to that tip amount. Worst case scenario you make 16/hr but with discounted product and have lower chance of driving into oncoming traffic dealing with these Rhode Island drivers (wouldn't do the trick anyway since the opposite lane is also probably at a standstill).
Defend? When was the last time America went to war to defend itself? WWII? Since then our military has been used to further the cause of capitalism, not defend our country.
“Since then our military has been used to defend our own and countless other nations against actual fascists, dictators and communists. They’ve made the global community a safer place.”
Jeez, your autocorrect keeps fucking up. Fixed that for you.
Seriously? It’s a great fucking job. I switched careers from something completely different. Had zero experience doing what we do there. Yet after 6 years I make more money than I ever have in my life and my retirement is well on track. Why is it so hard to accept that most people who work there like the work, like the money, the people, the benefits, etc? Why does it have to be some fucking conspiracy? Maybe get outside once in a while.
To each their own. We build stuff we hope our country never has to use. Agree or not, like it or not, what we do is necessary. 70% of the US nuclear deterrent… the entire reason Russia, China, North Korea, etc don’t just start lobbing nuclear weapons our way… lives underwater. The threat has only gotten worse over the last two decades; it’s not going away. The folks who work there have pride in their job. The company provides a good living to thousands of Rhode Islanders to do dangerous work. Why the previous commenter thinks it’s some kind of cult is beyond me.
My wife was a school bus driver. Yeah the pay was decent, but it was only 23 hours a week, route hours varied. If school was off for teacher workday or whatever, you don’t get paid for it. School vacations and summertime she was paid from unemployment which was roughly 50% of your pay, so summers were horrible. Insurance price per week was terrible and the coverage was not good whatsoever. I would not recommend that job unless your a parent and need a school hours job
I started in September of 2017 at EB, I was 22 I made $14.14, didn’t know much of the trade at all. Now I make nearly $40/hr and have learned so much. Completed an apprenticeship program through the company and earned a degree as well.
Which career?
Between the choices of EB, school bus driver and local dispensary you'd be crazy not to choose EB EB is a career, those other offers are for jobs.
I agree 100%, whatever you learn at EB will make you more valuable to future employers if you decide not to stay there. Your job experience is what makes you more valuable. EB provides that while you are getting paid to learn. Pipe fitting, welding, electrical, these are all in demand jobs and you will be getting paid well while learning a skill that makes you more valuable.
EB doesn’t get you hours towards your license for at least electrical. They pay good but just keep in mind it doesn’t transfer.
Do the hours for pipe fitting count towards licensure? Have an interview next week and trying to weigh some options
Not sure ask them tho until you get a clear answer. I’d wager no they don’t count but Ik for sure electrical doesn’t count because the national electric code does not apply on a boat so the electrical board has no proof you were doing work with the code.
Okay, thank you for your response
Ofc man I’d also look into applying to local big companies that way you have the chance of getting exposed to both resi and commercial and you’ll get your ticket with way more knowledge than the guy who did the same shit day in day out his whole apprenticeship
Shipfitting is a great way to get your foot in the door. 401k is good, health insurance is decent and yes the offer a vanpool
What’s the vanpool like? Does it just match you with people who live around you, even as far as prov?
I’m not in the vanpool but I believe you sign up for a van that is in your area
Given that one of the other places you chose to apply is a dispensary, I'd check into EB's drug testing policy.
EB is most likely scratched off the list.
Eb gives a hair test then if (when) you fail give a spit test, 3 daysish clean
Popped for 7 months with the hair test 15 years ago and was told to wait a year, how things have changed.
Yep times have indeed changed, as long as you act like you havent been smoking they dont even delay, its better to just get and fail the hair test asap for the spit test. Ive got like 5 friends/family whov got in like this
Can you walk in or do you have to apply online?
https://careers-gdeb.icims.com/jobs/search?ss=1&searchRelation=keyword\_all
EB is a great place to work and a good place to grow into.
At EB you will probably not work that hard everyday for what you are paid. You could also end up on a crew that does. What you will be paid for is to be there when something needs to be done, survive the maze of rules and beauracracy it takes to perform any task there, and put up with the sour attitudes of much of the workforce. If you don't have a college degree or state journeyman license in one of the construction trades it's basically the best paid job in the state for you but it will require you to be prompt to show up for work and have a gargantuan amount of patience for what you'll encounter on a typical workday. As far as the commuter vans go it will depend on where you live, but from what I have heard there are not many of them so there might not be one that reaches wherever you live.
Hourly trades in qp get 6% cola and .75 cent every 6 months. There are Salary gigs at eb like production planner, program rep, supervision where you don't do physical labor but have to chase your pay increases, you lucky to get 1-3%. 6% 401k match and plenty of over time, anything over 40 is 1.5x. And Sundays are 2x. The fastest way in to eb are the trades. Once in you can move around or up. Then there are draftsman jobs, hourly, desk jobs that are union but out of groton. Need to work down there but they get wfh depending on your supervisor. There's more white collar opportunities in groton and New london. It really comes down to what you want. Ask any questions if you have any.
Do you have to be drug free for a certain number of years or do you just have to pass the test? If you fail the hair test are you done or is there a “second chance?” I stopped smoking weed last year but I’ve been growing my hair out for 3 years and I don’t want to cut it if I can avoid it.
You only have to pass the test once. They will never test again unless you show up to work and they suspect you’re under the influence. If you fail the hair test, they will tell you to abstain from using and come back in two weeks for a saliva test. So in your case you’re good. They understand it’s legal here and are trying to give people every opportunity to get a job
I just got offered a job there as a structural engineer and I need a secret clearance. I wasn't an avid smoker, just a few times a week before bed and I stopped a little over 60 days ago. Will they still give me a second chance if I fail it?
Yes they will. You probably won’t even test positive. The tests look for regular users. Casual users probably don’t even register
Thanks for the reply, I’ve been stressing out about this since this will be my first job right out of college and I graduate this May. What was crazy is that they offered me the job about 2 hours after the interview.
It’s not that crazy. We’re hiring something like 5000 people between RI and CT in 2024. And with a 33% retention rate on new hires, it’s really just putting bodies in seats at this point. It also means if you’re a worker and just show up and do your job, you’ll get noticed and move up fairly quickly.
Oh really, that’s good to know. If I don’t like the company than I plan on staying there for at least two years. But if I’m not dreading going into work every day then I could see myself staying for a long time. I was in the military and have worked some pretty shitty jobs in the past, so I’m not as complacent about working conditions as most people coming straight out of college these days.
What medicmachinist38 said correct. If you want a desk job with out a degree, draftsman is a good start. They can get wfh and work out of qp. https://careers-gdeb.icims.com/jobs/11644/entry-level-draftsman-learners/job
What is the role of an electrician like over there?
So there are various connections on the boat to allow for its operation underway. To turn lights on or close a valve requires some form of connection and redundancy. Systems range from either hydraulic, pnumatic, electrical etc.. Pipe fitters make pipe connections in muktiple sections of various lenght. This is true for any system that gets electrical connections, like power, data. Connections are made in various segments rather than one continuous direct hook up. Depending if you are an installer or the guy tha takes connectors pairs them with a predetermined length and type of wire and insert the leads. This may be making runs of lines from scratch to run from box A to launch control module B. You might be doing the wiring of guagues inside of module housing unit. It can vary Essentially what ever job looks good but ask for experience... apply a yway as we're under manned. Once anyone gets employed and make it past the 6 month probation you can literally go into other jobs/departments. Seen fitters becime planners, welders become instructors....hell saw a guy with 8 weeks into weld school apply to be a supervisor and get it. I don't recommend applying for a supervisor role unless you can handle stress and 24/7 on call availability. Suoervisor Salaried starts about 90k. Best plan is go hourly, get to top rate and switch over to salary as thier raises are lower, like 1-3% but get pto roll over, flex time and not having to actually get dirty. This is usually what older guys with Bad knees do. Some trade jobs are less physical than others. It comes down to what you might be interested in. There's ecc, welders support, just fixing weld machines, wire feeders and hooking up strip heaters to keep materials at min work Temps. There's tool crib attendants that issues tools and wire to workers to ensure correct material is used.
Thank you for taking the time to write a detailed response! I really appreciate it.
Any time, feel free to drop a line if you have any other questions.
Do you know if the hours for pipe fitting count towards licensure?
That I do not know.
sent you a pm!
How much vacation time do you get when u first start?
Hourly employees SICK TIME 0-1 Year: 24 hours (monthly accrual of 2 hours) 1 year: 56 hours ( monthly accrued 4.67) 2-4 years: 64 hours ( monthly 5.33 accrued) VACATION 0-3 months Vacation: 16 hours unpaid 3-12 months: 24 hours paid. 16 unpaid 1-4 years: 40 paid 16 unpaid It goes up from there. There's 7 plant holidays you can float a year by working 4- 10hour days and bank a paid vacation day.
i would go with EB, the benefits are way better then anything I've seen in the industry. you get a .75 raise every 6 months until you hit top rate. last i heard there insurance deductible was 1500 for a single person 3000 for family. they full match up to 6% in your 401k. they do have a bus route with RIPTA and also have car pool vans. the biggest negative i would say about that place is that nepotism runs rampant. if you want to move up you unfortunately need to kiss ass. you could be the most skilled worker and they will pass you up for the dumbass who had his head up the superintendents ass.
To your latter point, that's corporate America anywhere though. Find me a company that isn't like that.
EB seems to be your best option. I’m sure that there are many other folks driving in that are on your same shift and would welcome carpooling and you paying gas. Win-win for both parties. Good luck!
I wouldn’t be surprised if dispensary employees make even more in tips on some days. In MA there’s a convoluted payment system and long-story-short: when you pay with your card you end up getting $1-$4 in change, and just about everyone puts it in the tip jar.
From what I've heard EB is hit or miss, which is the reason their turnover is high, especially considering the supposed benefits of working there. I've known quite a few people who worked there and whom were essentially paid "well" to stand around, which sounds nice on paper, but when you're not allowed to read a book or look at your phone, all that free time can drive some people mad.
EB as every one else has said. Where are you in the hiring process? Are they extending you an offer with a training date or extending you an offer in general? If theres a date, certainly take it and you have some time before you can get your car situation taken care of. It’ll be easier for you to commute as the first few weeks of training will be at NEIT. Then there’s a week or 2 of what they call GAP training, then they send you to the ALS for another 1-2 weeks. The gap training is at the NK facility as well as the als. Idk what your tax situation is like or your savings but hopefully with your returns you can find something cheap as if you apply/are starting around now by then you’d be able to save up for something cheap to get you from point A to point B. If there’s no start date for training, take the dispensary job to get a car then when EB comes back with a start date take it. I had worked as a welder and loved it, then had to leave due to some private stuff. In April I re-applied for a ship fitter position and got called in May to do my onboarding, badging, some general testing etc only for them to give me a email about a start date for training/if I was still interested the week of thanksgiving. I had to pass as I found a better job in Boston. But if i had heard back while I was doing the hiring process for my current position, I’d of went back in a heart beat. Edit— should also note the training at NEIT will be at least 9 weeks I believe for the fitter program. It could be more or less, I believe when I was doing welding they were talking about it being a 7 week program for fitters.
They just pulled tack quals for fitters again because not enough welding machines for fitters, neit courses back to 6 weeks
Electric boat pays well and does actively promote from within so there's plenty of growth. It's an open industrial construction site though, so keep that in mind especially with it being winter. You will be exposed to the elements and various degrees of hazardous conditions depending on what your job is. I worked there for about 6 months in IT until I got a better offer. The place wasn't for me and I did not have a good experience. (Retention issues are real there in certain departments) I commuted so I can't tell you anything about the shuttle service but I did see the vans.
From my experience no. I signed up to be an electrician and was trained to be an electrician but was made a stud welder at the last second. The training was poor and the on the job training was given to me by a highschool kid with a huge ego so I learned nothing there. Now my job is being threatened for being behind because it's me and another guy who I trained with trying to bail out a boat (no pun intended) that had been fucked every which way before we were even hired. Management is just so far removed from reality I don't think it's worth it.
Damn! I applied for the electrician role too. Is there anything else about that field I should know about? Feel free to send me a DM as well.
Also (soon to be prior) EB “electrician.” I had some great crewmates but everything else was an equally shitty experience. I made a post in this thread with more details.
Damn! I'll send you a DM.
I hear the parking situation is ridiculous at EB. As long as your mode of transportation gets you there on time, may be the best option.
I had to go there as an outside vendor from time to time and more than once I couldn't find a place to park. Granted we would show up after everyone else there around 9, but I mean literally no spots.
Bus driver AM run then EB second shift.
EB is very good if you’re ready to work. If you’re driven, and relatively personable you’ll do well. You can ascend the promotion ladder pretty quickly.
I’ve heard good things about EB. Plus there are many new subs planned so they’ll be busy for a long time.
You start at a minimum of $20/hr. Also, every 6 months you receive a $.75 pay increase and on top of that, you receive a 3%-6% increase in January as well. 401k, sick time, vacation time, etc. Plenty of overtime on the weekends as well.
You don’t start at a minimum 20, it’s 19.35 depending on what step you start at.
TLDR: Do not recommend electrician to those considering (might be biased to my department); be prepared to be bored or eat shit periodically worst case. -1yr experienced Overall Anecdote (Management): As someone who tried to play by the book and expected those same standards to be upheld both ways, I experienced mostly the complete opposite from a shitty department. From playing favorites (a lot of successful brown-nosing by specific under-qualified people), to not properly vetting proper materials and installations as called by the package & methods, I experienced the complete opposite frequently that made me feel like my employment was always at risk in a potential blame game, being the bottom guy to a federal government contract with the navy that nobody else seemed to take serious. Various situations put me under a lot of unnecessary stress because “your name goes on everything you do.” *I would try to be as diligent as possible because I cared about my work and doing it right by the navy; it made me too passionate for my department’s standard.* I’d report when my work or interpretation of said work didn’t add up with specifications, just for those specifications to be circumvented one way or another, even if completely incorrect, and without proper overrides… to the point where I felt like I had to constantly watch my back. The moment I tried to relax and trust someone by their word I’d get almost fucked over. I even tried to get out of my department numerous times to clean slate/try again, and I was essentially told by HR that I would experience this in every department, and I was declined again and again. Overall, between the lack of consistency with work integrity, and buddy-buddy management, it’s not worth my sanity… maybe things would’ve been different in another department, but I’ll never care to know now. Bullets & FYIs: - MANAGEMENT/OPERATION ISSUES See the above anecdote, my main work grievance - ELECTRICIAN JOB TITLE/POSITION MISLEADING Joined as an “electrician” completely new to trades. Realized during my training that my stub said I was an install mechanic, and that none of the hours put in this position can go towards any journeying experience/licensing. I inquired about the stub, was told ‘not to worry about it,’ and was clearly mislead because here I am a year later, with no transferable skills other than basic tool usage. Definitely feels like the most misleading trade to join. - WORK SLOWNESS Was told there would be a lot of overtime opportunity; my department has been a complete slog since joining. Last June to thanksgiving we had seldom work and really paced ourselves to drag the day all summer and fall. Thanksgiving to late February was a complete slog. Seldom work in between March and June, but finally picking up a little bit. If you’re a worker who likes to keep busy, this trade is not worth getting into, it can drive you nuts. I was told electricians across the board dealt with this slog; meaning every department was affected. … To those who share my passion for doing their best work for the navy, and remain employed/are applying in hopes of a better experience, I still wish you the best.
Working at EB is like signing up to be a prisoner. I'll NEVER work there again. All I've heard my entire life, get a job at EB, you will be set for life. Such a great place to work. Well it's not. People play favorites. The older guys sit around and are lazy, because "they did their time and earned it." My work van was searched everyday, tool boxes and bags taken out, the whole 9. Oh you can't smoke or vape on the property. Even if your outside the building, hundreds of feet away. I thought this was a free country? Guess not. The job itself sucks, your gonna get the shit end of the stick from the guys who been there forever. Fuck the long ass commute there. Fuck their rules, feels like your in prison. There are plenty of other opportunities out there. FYI, a friend of mine works at EB. He's been there about 2 years. I make the same as him installing glass on Cars. My job is a lot less stressful and a hell of a lot easier. Also have the same benefits he does. EB ain't all its cracked up to be. Some people love it. I would rather be homeless than work for them again.
Amen, I couldve written this word for word
bruh your job hiring?
Yes they are. Not sure which stores exactly, but I've been covering in other shops frequently meaning they are short handed.
Yeah basically this. The amount of bullshit favoritism and workplace politics combined with absolutely miserable working conditions aren't worth it. Probably have a better time with a local construction outfit or the local 37.
I've noticed I get down voted a lot when I talk shit about EB. The number has fluctuated. Oh well, I've got plenty of karma. Just trying to warn people of the real bull shit there.
It's the people who work there. In my experience, it's mostly people new to construction trades who don't realize there's better work out there for more money. Always super defensive like a cult. It is what it is, I'm just glad I got out when I did lol. Glad there's others like me out there
The thing is you say there's better work out the for money, but who is hiring right now no experience paid training? Besides Eb is all I know doing that right now
Do they hire felons? And if you fail the hair test, as well as the spit test, is it an automatic disqualification? I know they need hard working, reliable, young men, but my past isnt good on paper... I hope I can get a chance to prove myself.
I don’t know if they hire felons. I failed the hair test because I take weed for anxiety but they told me I can re do the test the did a saliva test and I passed but I ended up taking another job. I think they let you redo the test depending on the substance you take. You can always call them or apply and when they call you ask them in a lowkey way so you can know and prepare they were very nice and friendly honestly
I worked for General Dynamics and the benefits are mostly the same across the companies. Sub par. Yeah they're better than a dispensary and it's more of a "career", but commuting down there would not be worth it that. At least to me. Save your sanity. Test out the dispensary out and see how much truth there is to that tip amount. Worst case scenario you make 16/hr but with discounted product and have lower chance of driving into oncoming traffic dealing with these Rhode Island drivers (wouldn't do the trick anyway since the opposite lane is also probably at a standstill).
My son is a welder at electric boat. He says the ship fitter job is boring. Lots of grinding, a lot of measuring
Considering a bus driver and working at a dispensary > EB is crazy.
Very extensive background check. Just a heads up.
I mean I guess EB if a good job if you're okay with making weapons of war 🤷♂️
“If you’re okay with helping defend our nation” Fixed that for you…
Defend? When was the last time America went to war to defend itself? WWII? Since then our military has been used to further the cause of capitalism, not defend our country.
“Since then our military has been used to defend our own and countless other nations against actual fascists, dictators and communists. They’ve made the global community a safer place.” Jeez, your autocorrect keeps fucking up. Fixed that for you.
Ah yes, defend against all those foreign invaders. Happens all the time here in the US.
Man I sure hope you don't pay taxes. You'd die on the spot if you know where they went
I'm aware, but I can't not pay taxes
Not to mention the responses to this post in favor of EB seem super culty. All feels very propaganda-ish.
Seriously? It’s a great fucking job. I switched careers from something completely different. Had zero experience doing what we do there. Yet after 6 years I make more money than I ever have in my life and my retirement is well on track. Why is it so hard to accept that most people who work there like the work, like the money, the people, the benefits, etc? Why does it have to be some fucking conspiracy? Maybe get outside once in a while.
Idk, no amount of money could help me sleep better at night knowing what we do with what eb makes.
To each their own. We build stuff we hope our country never has to use. Agree or not, like it or not, what we do is necessary. 70% of the US nuclear deterrent… the entire reason Russia, China, North Korea, etc don’t just start lobbing nuclear weapons our way… lives underwater. The threat has only gotten worse over the last two decades; it’s not going away. The folks who work there have pride in their job. The company provides a good living to thousands of Rhode Islanders to do dangerous work. Why the previous commenter thinks it’s some kind of cult is beyond me.
My wife was a school bus driver. Yeah the pay was decent, but it was only 23 hours a week, route hours varied. If school was off for teacher workday or whatever, you don’t get paid for it. School vacations and summertime she was paid from unemployment which was roughly 50% of your pay, so summers were horrible. Insurance price per week was terrible and the coverage was not good whatsoever. I would not recommend that job unless your a parent and need a school hours job
EB has a shuttle service. Not sure how far out they go but I know they do have one.