About
The journal
Starting over in the union trades.
Union Career Journal is my record of leaving office work behind and trying to build a future in the union trades.
I’m writing it as I go: applications, interviews, pay scale research, rank movement, and what I learn along the way.
Why I’m making the change
I spent about 15 years working in business operations, mostly with healthcare startups.
I cared about the work. I cared about the mission. The companies I worked with were trying to help people in a real way, and that mattered to me.
But over time, I burned out.
At first, I thought I was just tired from long days. Then I realized I was tired all the time. I was bringing work home in my head, thinking about the next problem before the day even started, and replaying what I could have done better the day before.
It started to feel like the job never really turned off.
In 2024, I was laid off while my family was getting ready to welcome our second child. At first, it was scary. Then I realized something unexpected.
I felt lighter.
I had more time with my kids. I was more present at home. I had room to think clearly for the first time in a long time.
That space allowed me to ask myself a question:
Did I want to go back to the same kind of work, or was it time to build something different?
That question eventually led me to the Bay Area union trades.
Now I’m applying to apprenticeship programs with IBEW Local 332, IBEW Local 234, UA Local 393, and IUEC Local 8. I’m documenting the process as I go: applications, aptitude tests, interviews, rankings, pay scales, and everything I learn along the way.
I’m making this change for my family, my mental health, and the chance to build a more stable future.
I don’t know exactly how it all plays out yet. That’s part of why I’m writing it down.
Why I’m documenting it
The apprenticeship process can be hard to understand from the outside. If this helps another applicant compare locals, prepare for an interview, or feel less lost while waiting, it is worth writing down.