Another Year, already?

During this past week's evening class, I spoke with a few other 4th year apprentices, and was reminded that we'll be getting our 5th year bump in pay very soon. In fact, it's much sooner than I expected! Because I'm a creature of habit, I had in the back of my mind that we would be re-classified as 5th year apprentices in August -- just like every year in the past. However, because we are in night school now, the re-classification comes in June, when we have completed our 2nd night course! That means I will be receiving pay at 80% of A-Journeyman scale within 3 months. I absolutely can not believe how fast these past years have come and gone. In other jobs that I've had before joining this trade, five years would have seemed like a lifetime! I suppose routine and boredom set in long before five years ever approached. As an electrician, I feel like 5 years has just barely scratched the surface. Even after three intense years of day-school training, and four+ years of on the job training, I honestly feel like there's so much more to learn and get my hands on. I've been lucky enough to have worked under various foremen who have allowed me the opportunity to jump right in, from prints to production, that I have a pretty strong grasp of blueprints and can basically do the work on my own, from "roughing-in" all the way through to "finish" work. But that's only one aspect of the trade. There's control work for mechanical systems, lighting controls for extremely large and complex systems, building automation that integrates mechanicals, hvac and lighting, hospitals, theaters, schools, emergency generation, telecom, data centers... and the list can go on and on. What's amazing is that for each and every one of these extra categories, there are special rules, regulations and specifications that go along with them. I've seen glimpses of these other aspects, but in no way could I say I'm an expert, and I would seriously question anyone who claims they are. Our trade just encompasses so many facets of the construction industry, you could spend a lifetime studying it or working on it and still have room to learn about something else. And that's just the installation side of it! Then there's the flip-side -- personnel management: overseeing a helper, running a crew, being a truck-driver, estimating, purchasing material, material handling, being a foreman, being a general foreman, superintendent, project manager, etc. There are so many opportunities to learn and grow in this field. It's rather astounding. So, to keep it in perspective, five years is nothing really.