Notes on the Way: Aidan McGuire

Compass Check: How were you called to The Way?

Aidan McGuire: I was born into it. I’m a fifth-generation Christian on my mom’s side, so it’s been in my family for a while.  
I am baptized now. There’s been no specific moment that jumps out, but I guess it’s just God’s timing. He just made it right for me to make that decision. I grew up in The Way, that’s all I’ve ever known, and that’s what I know is true, so I’m going to stick with it.

What is your line of work?

I’m an electrician, a commercial electrician.

What drew you to this field?

In high school, during the summers,  
I would go work with a family friend who had their own residential electrical business. They offered me a spot because they needed the extra help, and I fell in love with what they did there, so that’s how I got my foot into the door of the electrical world and just moved up from there.

So you kind of ended up with an informal internship?

Pretty much, yes.

What sort of training or education did you get to prepare for your career?

When I left the residential work [after high school], I went to apply for the union, and I actually knew some people who were already working in the union. I asked them to write me letters of recommendation, and, fortunately, they did. Then I got a one-on-one interview, and the interview went well.

Alongside that, though, I did have to [separately] apply for the [union’s] apprenticeship. I couldn’t just walk in as a worker, I had to apply, then apply for the apprenticeship portion of it. One interview got me into the union, the second interview got me into the apprenticeship.

They only take applications for the school once a year. Well, they interview and take the applications every month, but then they only have one class, which starts once a year. So, when I interviewed the first time, I was too close to the starting point of the apprenticeship class. So I actually had to wait a year; which I worked for the union for a year, I just wasn’t in the apprenticeship class.

So, for those first months where you were working for them, but hadn’t yet applied and gotten into the apprenticeship program, what did your work experience look like at that time?

A lot of it was more just labor work. Right, moving things, getting people their parts and tools that they needed. That was most of it.

And, how long did it take to go through that apprenticeship program?

The apprenticeship in its entirety is four years. I am just coming up to the end of the apprenticeship now.

In the apprenticeship program, it sounds like you work directly with another electrician, or directly under them. But in the future, will you move out on your own?

Yeah, after I finish the apprenticeship, I’ll take my state licensing test. And once I have that test, I am allowed to work alone, whether that’s at a job site or whether it’s totally by myself. As an apprentice, I do need the supervised hours, so I work under somebody as an apprentice. Once I’m out of that stage I can move on and work alone, and I’ll have much more freedom to work where I want.

Okay, so you applied to the union, you were accepted, and then they put you into their four-year apprenticeship program, and then after that–so, soon here– you’ll take your state licensure exams, and then after that you will be fully licensed?

Yes, that’s correct.

What elements of your work do you enjoy?

The main thing that drew me to it was working with my hands. Sitting at a computer all day didn’t interest me, so I like the movement, the physicality of it [being an electrician]. I’m always walking around on my feet, working with things in front of me, you know, visually. That’s probably my favorite part of it. I love that part. Keeps me mobile. And there are intricacies with it that I enjoy. It’s not just physical, so it keeps me mentally sharp, as well. But my favorite part is being able to stay moving.

What are some of the elements of your job that are a challenge?

Of the job itself, there’s really nothing that I don’t like doing. There’s certain aspects of electrical work that aren’t my favorite. I like doing the smaller intricate parts of it, like controlling electronics, etc. The part I don’t like is doing the big stuff. There’s a lot of big power, big pipe that we have to put up. That’s not my favorite.  

My least favorite part, though, is some of the people. Some of the people can be a little rough to be around, but God’s Spirit helps me through that.

You mentioned a difference between, the big scale, and smaller things. Could you describe that a little bit more, the difference between those?

There’s different systems in the electrical realm. There’s a lighting system, there’s power, there’s controls, there’s fire alarm. I currently am doing controls, which would be something like, card readers for a locked part of the building where instead of a key, you have access cards. That’s what I would do; that’d be the small stuff. But bringing stuff from the main electrical room out into the rest of the building that takes a lot of big wire. You know, long distances. That’s the portion of it I don’t like. Yeah, it’s just, what part of the building do you want to work on?

In your work have you ever encountered a situation where you faced a moral dilemma? And if so, can you describe a situation and how you handled it?

In one situation, I was working on a night shift, started at 4 p.m. and worked till 2 a.m. Every day, two coworkers would go out to a bar, to a restaurant, wherever. And every day they asked me to go. It’s pretty easy to say no, but it’s tempting sometimes when you’re faced with it every day.  

So, I think you’re implying that they would come back, perhaps, inebriated?

Sometimes, not all the time, but it was a lot of leaving work for an hour and a half. We have our scheduled 15 minutes [rest] and our half hour [meal]. But when you’re gone for an hour and a half to two hours, that’s when it doesn’t look good. And then they were still getting paid for that time, and it caused a lot of issues on the job site. But when you don’t go, it doesn’t affect you.

Have you ever made a job or career change? If so, was it intentional? And what did you do to pivot to something different?

I have not, other than residential electrician to commercial electrician. After my time in the residential world, I knew I wanted to go to commercial. It was just more interesting to me.  

What advice would you give someone in high school or junior high about pursuing a career that is personally fulfilling?

I would say it’s important to pursue it, because you won’t lose that love and that passion you had for it, if it’s something that’s so fulfilling to you.

The other part is don’t expect that you’ll have that fulfilling career right away. So hold on to that idea of whatever position, whatever job you want, but don’t expect it immediately. I’ve seen firsthand where people expect it, and it can be a little tough.

Is there any advice you would give someone who wants to do the same kind of work that you do?

It would be, don’t succumb to the peer pressure. There’s a lot of different types of people in the trades, in the construction world. Some are a good influence, some are a bad influence. I would say, don’t let that get you, don’t let them change where you came from, or who you are, because it’s hard to get back to where you were if you start to slip into some of their ways.