October 18, 2021 • 34 mins
Watt’s the Word Podcast co-host Zack Hartle is featured in this episode. Zack explains his early path into the trade. The somewhat predictable high school career aptitude test revealed Locksmith and Electrician as suitable career paths. Zack went with the key-less option and gained his entry into the electrical industry via the RAP (Registered Apprenticeship Program). Along the way Skills competition participation taught Zack the importance of working efficiently.
Using computers and tech is a natural way to work and learn efficiently. Zack’s YouTube channel provides efficient supplemental mini lessons The channel has over 2000 subscribers and over 100 videos ranging from using Microsoft programs to troubleshooting an air conditioner. Zack describes his desire for continued learning and the ideas behind starting the Watt’s the Word Podcast.
Connect with us on Instagram or Facebook - @wattsthewordpodcast
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jason Cox (00:00):
Hey welcome to Watt's the Word. Thanks for tuning in
today. Special episode if youlistened to our last episode,
you might have an idea of whatwe're talking about today. Today
we are joined by my co host,Zack Hartle, Zack Hartle Welcome
to Watt's the Word,Jason. Jason. Jason, it's good
to be here. I'm glad to see you again.
(00:21):
I have not seen you in twoweeks. This is, uh, where does
the time go?
Zack Hartle (00:26):
I don't know. It seems to be just disappearing
this year. That's for sure.
Jason Cox (00:31):
All right, so in our last episode, we got together we
talked about introducing myselfas a co host in got my little
bit of my background and alittle bit of the reasons behind
my interest in the podcast. Soof course, we're turning the
tables this week, we're going toask you the harder questions,
the more deep and probingquestions we want to know about
(00:52):
Zack Hartle. So Zack, inprevious episodes, we talked
about the rap program, and youhappen to mention that you
actually were a rap student. AndI was curious about how you got
into the trade and what yourdecision was at such a young age
to actually move into thetrades, especially the
electrical trades, so So can youkind of tell us hey, what were
you thinking back then?
Zack Hartle (01:13):
Yeah, for sure. So the wrap program here in Alberta
registered apprenticeshipprogram, like we talked about
with Chelsea, it's an it's anopportunity for high school
students to enter a trade orapprenticeship and work for a
company and gain hours towardstheir first year apprenticeship.
(01:33):
So there's really good companiesout there that are willing to
take on these high schoolstudents and teach them. And
then it's a really cool programthat the schools offer as well
and like through careers to thenext generation and stuff like
that. And really, I mean, youasked how I chose electric I
didn't, there was no, there wasno choosing for me. It was like,
(01:56):
I was in high school, I hadreally supportive parents, they
weren't, they wasn't you have togo to university or anything
like that. It was a you have totry something, you have to do
something. And I was a littleunder motivated under interested
in high school. So my gradesweren't Gray, and I didn't like
it that much. And I had a buddywho was doing carpentry. And he
(02:18):
knew he wanted to be acarpenter. Like dad was a
carpenter uncle was a carpenter.
So he did the rap program,because he was like, Why do shop
class at school when I can goliterally frame houses? So he
did that in grade 11 and made abunch of money. And I was like,
Well, that seems kind of cool.
Maybe I'll try something. So,you know, go to the student
counselor, and they're like,here, fill out this test. And I
(02:39):
would do like a 20 questionquiz. And they come back and
they're like, here's yourrecommended trades, and it was
like locksmith, and electrician,and I don't know, maybe
refrigeration mechanic orsomething like that. Right? They
came back with the top three.
And I was like, Well, I don'tknow anything about any of
those. And she's like, and thecounselor just said, Well, we
have an electrical company who Ithink we could get a placement
(03:02):
with. Does that sound okay? Yep.
And then, here I am. So Istarted with a company. I was
16. I worked six months of highschool, like for half of grade
12. So yeah, before I graduatedhigh school, I heard already had
1100 hours towards my first yearapprenticeship.
Jason Cox (03:24):
Holy smokes, so expedited that into graduating
and then right after that youwere just into the trade then.
Yeah, it
Zack Hartle (03:34):
was pretty cool experience. Like, yeah, I worked
like the summer plus theSeptember to December like I
remember it. And I mean, it wastough, right? As a 16. Year like
16 year old kid like, thatshapes you for sure, right?
Like, whether you want to say ittoughens you up like I mean, we
were talking 15 years ago atthis point, right? So yeah,
(03:57):
like, toughens you up?
Jason Cox (04:00):
You know, just but I mean, that's, those are, it's
all about experiences, too. Soyeah, we say, yeah, it toughens
you up, because it's, it'sdefinitely a dose of reality,
too. So you kind of get someperspective on society and stuff
Zack Hartle (04:12):
like and having to wake up every day at 530 to
drive to work like just like,when I say toughens up I don't
mean, like, people were mean oranything like I just mean like,
it was life. You had to wake upat a time and go to work and
work at like, I'd never put inan eight hour day and physical
labor. I remember my first daywas like, you know, first year
on a big new construction, itwas digging trenches, like I
(04:33):
don't trenches for like, I don'tknow, the first six months I was
there. But it was like, Iremember going home the first
day, it was like 6pm and I wentto bed. I was like, I've never
worked a full day work in mywhole life. Right. So it's just
a different experience. Right?
Jason Cox (04:49):
I often hope and kind of wish that there was those
opportunities for for youngpeople just to be exposed to
industry like in some sort of coop like that. Maybe they don't
have to be locked. into onetrade per se for ever. But I
mean, just an experience, like,similar to what you did, but
maybe you do a month as alocksmith a month as the
(05:10):
electrician. I think that'd beso beneficial to people. I mean,
to give you some perspective ofwhat's going on there.
Zack Hartle (05:17):
Something I think it's coming like, I think it's
getting better even in the last.
I don't know, since I did itright, you hear more and more
about it. Like it was notadvertised at my school, I
literally had to go to myguidance counselor and say, This
is what I want to do. And theywere like, Oh, well, I guess so.
And then kind of like, had tolearn it. Now. I think there's a
lot more support for gettinginto the trade at a young age.
Jason Cox (05:41):
Yeah, well, I mean, in the last, I don't know, I
guess decade, I mean, socialmedia, the internet. Now it's
easier to get that informationout. Right. Whereas before it
was definitely learn from afriend through a friend. Right.
Right. So through the rapprogram, obviously, you weren't
scared of the trade. It soundslike it was a different type of
learning. In that training,you're also a member of the
(06:04):
skills team. See, I know thatyou were very successful in the
your skills, competitions. Whatpushed you into doing those
competitions?
Zack Hartle (06:13):
Yeah, so the provincial skills and further on
from that, I guess. Honestly,that was another one of those
things, or it wasn't reallyplanned. It wasn't something I
searched out. And I considermyself very lucky in my
apprenticeship. And I'm trulygrateful for the experiences.
But I was just hanging out oneday at I just finished first
(06:35):
year school. And I got a phonecall from somebody. I can't even
remember who and they justasked, Hey, we noticed you were
an electrician born, you know,before or I guess after this
date, would you be interested incompeting in a skills
competition? And I was like,Well, I don't know. I don't know
(06:55):
if I can get time off work. LikeI didn't know a whole lot about
it. And I spoke with my company,it was like, Hey, I got a call
from this person. And theyactually knew about it a little
more than I did. And they'reokay, it's a great opportunity,
you should go. And as youmentioned, I was super young and
like just come out of first yearschool. And I had, I'm not
complaining at all but I hadreally only dug trenches and
(07:18):
glued together PVC conduit for ayear like I knew there was so
much more to the trade seeing acouple other things going on
around me with like thetemporary power hookups and
stuff. So I knew there was moreto it. But I hadn't experienced
at all yet. And so I went tothis competition knowing pretty
little and I did very, verypoorly my first year but it was
(07:38):
such an eye opening experience.
I competed in what's now calledindustrial control. So wiring up
an automated control sequence onsome hardware that you install
limit switches and pressuresensors back to a PLC and a
cabinet. And then evenprogramming that PLC so
obviously I didn't know what aPLC was, at that point, like I
was like, clueless when Iarrived, I actually thought I
(08:02):
would be competing in theresidential wiring one. So I
kind of like looked up a littlebit on the internet about how to
strip lumax and stuff like that.
I got there and maybe my ownfault for not like getting more
information. But that was kindof how it started. And then the
year after are still eligible.
So I went back with a I don'tknow, I guess a hunger to learn
more. So
Jason Cox (08:26):
yeah, then a taste for success. I guess because you
were successful. You were alocal, provincial and national
medalist as far as I believe. Isthat correct?
Zack Hartle (08:36):
Yeah, for sure. So because I was young enough, my
first year, I knew what toexpect kind of the second year.
So I spoken with some of myinstructors at the technical
institute where I was doing mytraining. And they were super
supportive. There was a coupleguys and when me one in
particular really just took meunder his wing and trained me
right would spend hours trainingon the stuff and yeah,
(08:59):
eventually I was able to go backand actually two years in a row,
I was a gold medalist inAlberta, and then went to a
national competition. One yearplacing, I don't know, not
winning, and then actually thefinal year of my age eligibility
I did went gold provincialsnationals, and then was able to
(09:20):
go compete in Germany, as wellat the World Skills level.
Jason Cox (09:25):
And of course, I was going to just allude to what was
the highlight of your skillsexperience, and I would think
all expenses paid trip toGermany probably is at the top
of that list.
Zack Hartle (09:36):
Oh, yeah, definitely. It was like I mean,
a highlight. It's a I mean, foranyone who's listening Who's
heard of or seen the provincialor even the National Skills
Competition. The world's is justlike a whole other level. It's
like 25,000 people walkingthrough this giant stadium for
(09:58):
day long competition. I,obviously in a different country
with a different primarylanguage. So yeah, it was
definitely a highlight of thatwhole experience. But just the,
even the training for it. Imean, I was fortunate enough
again, the company I worked forwas very generous, they gave me
lots of time to train and kindof tailored a little bit of my
(10:19):
work towards training for thecompetition.
Jason Cox (10:22):
Was there anything like any observations or
anything you you any takeawaysfrom that trip to Germany that
maybe changed the way that youworked as an electrician? Did
you find any hints or anythingor
Zack Hartle (10:38):
I don't know, if there was anything like, at the
competition that I really tookaway. I mean, you're like, so
focused on the competition, thatyou don't have time to look
around. But just in thattraining process, I really got
into like the groove of tryingto find efficient ways to do
things. And I really brought alot of that back with me, after
(11:00):
the competition to try andincrease my efficiency and my
workflow in the field and tryand get, you know, tasks done in
a more efficient manner. Right.
I mean, you think back to allthe times you like, to three
trips up a ladder to dosomething and like you do at a
competition. You're not going tofinish the competition. Right?
So just a lot of that,
Jason Cox (11:21):
I guess. Yeah. Well, we did host WorldSkills in
Calgary, I'm gonna guess it wasa decade ago. And, and you could
see just even some of theequipment that the competitors
were using in electrical was alittle different to some
efficiencies, like I saw guyswith almost like a pouch on
their hand where they could pullout terminating screwdrivers,
(11:45):
and there was magnetic magneticbands on their on their arms
just for for speed. Yeah,definitely,
Zack Hartle (11:54):
like the magnetic wristband for the screws and
like, you have specializedtools. And yeah, I mean, you
talked about WorldSkills 2009was the one in Calgary. And
yeah, it's all based uponEuropean standards. So you're
WorldSkills is more of aEuropean organization. So a lot
(12:15):
of the equipment and materialand tool are, and products that
they use are more of a Europeanstyle wiring method than a North
American style wiring method. Soit's, it's a pretty big learning
curve, right? Like, you wouldn'tthink it but even there, like
plastic wire molded wiremanagement tray, you know, kind
of like our finger duct overthere has no fingers. There's no
(12:37):
spaces, but it like it cutsdifferently. You know, it's like
thinner and more malleable. Andit just kind of everything's a
little bit just different.
Jason Cox (12:47):
Yeah, there's clearly a difference in electrical
installations in Europe versusNorth America. I mean, you would
have noticed that while you werein Europe, and I'm guessing as
well, I know, I've noticed overthe years as well. So coming
back from your skillscompetition, you then of course,
you're now a journeymanelectrician. I know that you are
(13:10):
an instructor now teachingapprenticeship. But one of the
things I want to ask you aboutis Have you always been so tech
savvy? Is that something thatmaybe started as you were
exploring? PLCs? Or is itsomething you've kind of always
just followed?
Zack Hartle (13:25):
Um, yeah, I mean, if you mentioned PLCs I
actually, I do not likeprogramming PLCs I get why
people like it. I can't say Idon't know what it is about it.
I, it's not for me. I think Ijust have the age and of the
generation and I had computersand I like computers. And, you
know, I think you can usecomputers very efficiently for
(13:46):
different things. So yeah, no,specific tech savviness. I just,
I don't know, something we useall the time. Well,
Jason Cox (13:55):
I'm gonna just kind of bore down on this a little
more now. Because, I mean, notthat it's sophisticated
technology. But I mean, thereare like, you've got quite the
portfolio on the internet forinstructional videos. You've got
videos ranging from Do ItYourself stuff at home, to
electrical to even just simpleways to work with online
(14:20):
software. Where did that comefrom? Where did that interest
come from? For you to getinvolved in that?
Zack Hartle (14:28):
I think it's just like you're talking I started
you have a YouTube channel,which obviously is what you're
talking about, which I mean,check out the link in the
description below everyone likeand subscribe, please everyone
who's listening. Or you may bewatching this video there. Yeah,
I think for me, it just,there's, through instructing and
(14:49):
through teaching people how todo things. There's got to be a
better way than trying to meetface to face to cover simple
topics and a lot of the stuff Ihave on there it started as just
like okay, These are problemsthat students have often. Or
maybe this is something I wishwe had an extra 20 minutes or an
hour to spend on in class orsomething that maybe students
(15:11):
really want to see more examplesof and, you know, a group of
instructors that we work with,kind of started filming these
videos that can be supplementalresources. And, yeah, I mean, I
really enjoyed it. And I getvery positive feedback from
students. My students, as wellas from other groups, I think
(15:31):
they just liked it. And so I itwasn't a huge amount of work. So
I just kept kind of buildingthat portfolio, I guess, the
videos and helping it grow, andthen as teaching shifted to
online, I mean, what better wayto teach someone how to use a
computer than to show them?
Right You know, we I got thestudents coming online who don't
(15:51):
know how to use the computervery well that Microsoft
programs or whateverefficiently. What better way
than to just show a quick videofilm it? I mean, there's lots of
stuff out there that speaks tothose things. But I think
building content ourselves, usas instructors, we can narrow in
on exactly what our studentsneed, there's no fluff, there's
(16:11):
no additional there's no, youknow, methods for doing it. This
is how you we think is best tobe successful in our program.
Jason Cox (16:23):
So Zack, you're a master electrician, you have a
instructor diploma fromVancouver Community College, and
you recently completed abusiness certificate, is that
correct?
Zack Hartle (16:39):
Yeah. Within the last couple of years, I finished
a certificate of businessskills. Through Thompson Rivers
University, that was a goodprogram. And that has I mean,
I've applied that towards a blueseal endorsement or a blue seal
here in Alberta, right businesscompetencies certificate. And
(17:00):
yeah, that was a coolexperience. So yeah, I do have
one.
Jason Cox (17:05):
So red seal and blue seal. Jealous. What what are
some of the takeaways?
Obviously, we are talking in ourpodcast, they we always say that
anyone can be an electrician,anyone can pull the wire, but
it's really hard to run thatbusiness. What is it? What have
you learned in your businesstraining? Like that was a really
(17:26):
important Eye Opener or keytakeaway.
Zack Hartle (17:31):
I think that like to sum it up in one sentence,
for me, it would be hire anaccountant. Like, no matter what
scale of business, if you'remore than a one man crew, I
think that there's so much tothat, you know, business side of
things. And the tax side ofthings like two of the courses I
took were related to like,accounting and tax, and it was
(17:53):
just, it's so tough to keep ontop of sub B, my advice to
anyone is like, yes, maybe takesomething like the blue seal
requirements to get a little bitof that lingo and a little bit
of that knowledge. But I mean,what it really taught me was if
you're, if you're focusing onyour electrical business, don't
spend time focusing on youraccounting. That's not where
(18:14):
your strength is, right?
Jason Cox (18:17):
Yeah, and I mean, your your whole idea of if
you're running a contractingbusiness, you want to be the one
that's out making the money withthat business, not limiting
yourself doing the day to daystuff. So yeah, maybe hiring an
accountant is a really goodidea. I think the business
certificate just makes sense. Ifyou wanted to run a contracting
(18:38):
business, right, you need tohave the tools to run a business
the same way you need the toolsto do an electrical job. Was
that kind of some of themotivation you used in in your
thought process to doing that?
That education, Zack,
Zack Hartle (18:54):
I had no specific goal to take it and then I
immediately started businessafter anything like that. I
think for me, it's just I'vekind of been on a constant track
of always trying to learnsomething above and beyond what
I'm currently doing, you know,like, with the Masters with the
provincial instructor diplomawith this, it's just, I think
(19:17):
that trade has opened so manymore doors for me, I think if
you can spend a little bit oftime, you know, learning this
and learning that or picking upnew skills along the way you can
maybe, I don't know, open upsome bigger doors, or at the
very least just keep yourselfengaged in in learning. So for
me, it just was something thatpopped up was like, oh, what
this business certificate and Iwas like, Yeah, okay, that
(19:39):
sounds interesting. And a lot ofthe courses sounded exciting. So
I looked into it.
Jason Cox (19:45):
And so that was it.
Was that a two year a two yearprogram? No,
Zack Hartle (19:49):
it was a, I guess, a one year like a one step below
a diploma with the potential totransfer in if I wanted to in
the future and who knows What'swhat's gonna happen? It's not
off the out of the question forsure.
Jason Cox (20:04):
So we have a lot of electricians right now that I
mean, they're all journeyman.
Most of them are red seal. Wouldthis be the kind of program that
you'd recommend to a journeyman,something for them to continue
their education? Maybe to helpthem move somewhere else in
industry? Maybe they want to getoff the tools and get into the
office with that, would that bea beneficial program for them?
(20:25):
Yeah,
Zack Hartle (20:27):
I think there's a couple different traps, right,
really, depending on what you'redoing. I mean, we've talked
about and I know, we're gonnahave guests on the show, and one
more of a professionalelectrical contractor,
designation, what through theECA, Electrical Contractors
Association of Alberta,something like that might be
great to get a little bit moreof a broad view. I mean, there's
(20:50):
project management certificates,if you want to go the project
management stream, there'scourses on estimating out there
if you want to become anestimator. And you can also
transfer into like, ElectricalEngineering Technology, if you
like the more technical side ofthings, or power systems
engineer or things like that,like there's just so many paths.
(21:12):
And what drew me to this one isthat I didn't have to pick a
path. Really, it was kind oflike, oh, well, that'll help me
if I ever go into this program,or help me if I go into this
program. But yeah, I thinkthere's a lot of options, right?
I mean, no, the sky's the limitwith the trade. I think it's
not, you're not just anelectrician, and I hate that
(21:33):
statement. And from students. Imean, we hear the thing all the
time, and a little bit of atangent here, but they say, oh,
seven days, 100. It just makesme die a little bit inside,
because I'm like, What are youtalking about? Is this is this
it for you is, is being anelectrician, it for you? And if
it is, that's cool, that's sofine. And like, if you love it,
(21:55):
and it makes you happy, thenthat's awesome. But don't limit
yourself to what could come inthe future. I mean, when I
applied to this certificateprogram, I was shocked. They
wanted no high school marks oranything like that. It was like
give us a resume. And anyschooling you've done in the
last 10 years or whatever,right. So it wasn't my high
school marks that went in. And Itell the story to our young
(22:16):
apprentices that come throughthe program. It's not my high
school marks they wanted it wasmy trade school mark. So seven
days, not 107 7070. Like I thinkthat's pretty clear. And that
mentality, I think, is somethingthat can be fixed in our
apprentice Yes, right.
Jason Cox (22:34):
Well, two things. I mean, that's a great point. You
bring that up, too, becauseyeah, like what I said last
time, when I applied foruniversity as well, I was
paranoid that I wouldn't get in.
And yeah, they they did go backand they used all of my
technical marks from when I wentto need and sate. So yeah, you
gotta I mean, you definitelywant to achieve as high as
(22:55):
possible. Strive for high marks,right? learn lots, because this
might not be your only job. So
Zack Hartle (23:04):
and that's I think, I mean, I don't remember the
stat off the top of my head. AndI mean, it's probably different
every time we read it, butthey're like, oh, they want in
for electricians as anelectrician after 10 years?
Well, they're not just like,doing something completely
unrelated, right? It can be sucha pathway into all of these
great careers. I mean,instructing obviously, is a good
(23:26):
career or project management orconstruction management or
building management or laborrelations or, or right, like the
list goes on. I think that theskill set you can develop, if
you strive to in your career asan electrician is helpful in so
many different trades, right?
There's leadership andeverything that we're doing,
(23:47):
right. There's business sideleadership, you know, a lot of
soft skills,
Jason Cox (23:53):
communications, for sure. As I interrupt you, yeah.
Communications is important. ButBut yeah, I mean, that's, that's
a really good point. To kind ofjust say that, yeah, don't go
for that seven years. 100. Ialways, I always bugged students
about that, too. When they sayseven days. 100 I go. It
certainly isn't when theelectrical inspector comes to
(24:15):
look at your job site. He's notlooking for 70 He's looking for
100 Hey, so Zack, we startedthis podcast this summer. But
credit is all yours on the ideaof the podcast. How did you come
up with the idea of having yourown podcast based on the
electrical industry?
Zack Hartle (24:35):
I guess it started with, I mean, as we talked about
the YouTube channel and how I'vekind of experienced that reach
to people and I've gotten a lotof feedback from that from
people saying, Yeah, this isgreat. This is exactly what I
needed. And I listened to a lotof podcasts. And it's this that
that comment of this is exactlywhat I needed. And you know, I
was searching one day for someelectrical podcast, you know,
(24:59):
maybe find something Interestingand there wasn't anything that I
was looking for, you know, therewas some technical stuff, a
little bit of stuff from thestate. So all NEC kind of
unrelated, some really technicalstuff out of Ontario. Things
like that. And I just wantedsomething that was like, would
teach me something else,something new about the
(25:19):
industry. I wasn't looking forthe technical side of things. We
talked about that all day, everyday for work. And that's kind of
where it started was like, let'sjust bring people together in
our trade. Like, there's so manygood people involved in the
industry. And, you know, so manypeople that I haven't met or
that I can learn so much from.
And then that I was like, oh,man, I can't do that alone. That
(25:41):
sounds terrible. I can't thinkof good questions to ask people.
And here we are, I kind of toldyou one day, let's do it. And as
we mentioned, you committed tothree episodes. And yeah, you're
totally right. I mean, I hadn'tthought about that until we did
our episode together. But wekind of recorded three and then
we're like, Okay, what's thefourth one? There was never that
(26:02):
discussion of, okay, are wegoing to continue doing this? It
was okay, what's next? And Ijust, I remember that day, we
went for coffee. And as I was acommand, man, let's do three
episodes. We'll see if peoplelike it. And then you're like,
okay, but then we got toreassess. And, you know, here we
are. And I think we're bothhaving more fun than we planned.
And,
Jason Cox (26:25):
yeah, well, I mean, we're always everywhere I go, I
go, that could be a podcast,that could be a podcast, hey, I
know a guy. Let's let's maybethat could be a podcast. So. So
I know, we're probably drivingour spouses crazy with, with
our, with our thoughts, some ofthem will come to fruition, some
will. So well, Doc, I'm gonnahave to say thank you for roping
(26:46):
me into this podcast. I'm reallyhaving lots of fun doing it. I'm
sure you're being tormented byme. Even more now that we're
working together. What's one ofthe takeaways you've had from
the podcast? So far? Maybe we'lldo the first takeaway from you
being a co creator of thepodcast. But is there a takeaway
there? You can share with us?
Yeah, I
Zack Hartle (27:08):
mean, it's, it's one of those things. It's very
fun. But it's tougher than Ithought like, I mean, it's so
fun doing the recording andtalking with the guests. It's
surprisingly hard to get peoplethe lesson. I mean, not in that
once we get people to listen, Iguess we're being getting great
(27:29):
feedback from industry. And foreveryone we've had listening, I
think there's just so muchcontent out there, right? It's
getting people to dig throughthat to find us and us getting
into our flow to make thingsflow a little bit smoother. So
that's kind of the takeaway frommaking the podcast is just that
it's funner than I thought, butit's also harder than I thought,
(27:51):
if that makes sense.
Jason Cox (27:52):
Well, it makes it's really nice. When we do get the
positive feedback. I do havepeople I talk to now and then
and they are they're verypositive about the show. They're
Hey, we're listening show. Ilove the show. That's That's
great. I that's a great perk forme. What's one of the takeaways
that you have from the podcastfrom one of our episodes? Is
(28:13):
there anything like that'smemorable from any of the
episodes so far?
Zack Hartle (28:17):
They all they all stand out for, you know, various
reasons that I think the mostinteresting one to me, because,
I mean, obviously, we've had afew guests on that we like know
pretty well. The one that Ilearned the most, I think was
Scott from the IBEW. I'd neverworked for the IBEW I never knew
anything about the union. Youknow, like, other than what you
(28:40):
hear around, and I'm pretty goodat not, you know, taking rumor
for truth. So that was the mostinteresting one to me in terms
of I kind of learned the most.
But yeah, I think all of ourguests have just been like so
passionate about whateverthey're here to talk about.
Right? And that's been it makesyou feel good, right? Like to
(29:04):
have these people in theindustry, you want to come on
the show, and they want to sharewhat they're passionate about,
and why they're passionate aboutit. That's been pretty eye
opening as well. And I'm reallylooking forward to our future
episodes to just keep gettingthat and then as you say, the
positive feedback from industryas well. I mean, yeah, it's
wonderful to hear that peopleliked the show and that people
(29:26):
are excited that we have puttogether a show connecting
industry like we are
Jason Cox (29:35):
and I mean, I'm really excited about like when
you said the passion because wehave our guests have all been
very interested invested peoplein our industry. And I mean,
it's it's so nice to see. I'mreally interested I didn't say
in the past, but I may have butI'm really interested in in
(29:56):
strengthening our trade. We'renot just a bunch of wire polar
Are assemblers, right? I mean,we're the electrical trade, this
is a pretty high end trade. AndI think it's important that we
continue to tell people that andhave that explained in society.
I mean, what we do is, it isn'texactly paint by numbers, maybe
(30:18):
some days, but, but it'simportant for us to just keep
people aware of just howimportant our trade is.
Zack Hartle (30:25):
And it's like any task or job or, you know, place
to work, right, you can get sosiloed into one very small,
specific area for years. Andjust to lose touch, and maybe
this podcast will just give away for people to keep a keep a
finger on the pulse of what'sgoing on elsewhere in the trade
right about other opportunitiesand keep engaged in that way.
(30:49):
Right?
Jason Cox (30:50):
Well, absolutely. And I mean, I mean, it'll pull us
out of our silo and introducenew things like, that's what
we're looking for is really,people to pull us into their
world. I mean, there's, there'ssome pretty interesting little
narrow, narrow industries outthere in the electrical world.
And I mean, people have somevery successful businesses with
a really narrow skill set. Imean, that's, that's something
(31:13):
we could look at as well. But,but yeah, you're right. It'd be
nice if we could learn moreabout our trade. Because I mean,
back in the day, I didn't knowwhat an industrial electrician
was, when I was hired as anelectrical apprentice. I was
like, I don't know what this is.
But I mean, now we can get moreinformation. So
Zack Hartle (31:35):
I think it's coming at it's such a pivotal moment in
our trade, right, with thistransition away from, you know,
traditional oil and gas energyinto more renewables and
alternatives. Right. We'reseeing lots of movement on that
side of the industry and how theelectricians are involved in
that is really cool. Eviecharging and even just making
(31:58):
existing infrastructure moreefficient, right. I mean, the
LED lighting thing is kind of ano brainer. Now, no question
now. But that's when I came upthrough the trade right, when I
was going from fluorescentlights to LEDs and seeing that
transition was cool. So seeingthis next big transition is also
I don't know, interesting. Ifind,
Jason Cox (32:17):
yeah, you're you're totally right. We're, I mean,
we're moving now with with someof the international politics
and treaties for energy now.
Yeah, it's, it's, it's coming.
And our industry is adoptingslowly, and there's going to be
lots of growth and lots ofopportunities to learn. So
hopefully, we can introduce someof that to our listeners. And
(32:39):
hopefully, we can learn moreabout that ourselves. So. So I
think we're gonna wrap that,Zach. So I just want to say, Do
you have any closing thoughts?
Zack Hartle (32:48):
Yeah, I mean, I'm, I'm gonna pretty much copy
exactly what you said on thelast show. I just, if you're
listening, and you've beenlistening, we want to hear from
you. We want to know what youguys want to hear about where
we're at promise you we'reworking hard to try and find
some interesting guests. But ifanyone has any suggestions for
future episodes, or you know,listener questions they want us
(33:08):
to find an answer to for them,send us send them our way.
Facebook, either of us onLinkedIn, Instagram, whatever
works for you reach out to us,let us know. Yeah, it's, it's
been an experience and I'mlooking forward to get going I
know we're, you know, off behindthe scenes where we're looking
(33:31):
at some ways and making thepodcast a little more accessible
and you know, maybe getting someintro music, you know, things
like that. So, yeah, kind of myown thoughts there.
Jason Cox (33:41):
Yeah, we got to get a little a little sassy or I guess
step up our game a little bit.
So so we're we are available onall on all the podcast download
sites on Spotify on Apple andGoogle, right. And you can find
all that stuff on our website.
Our website is Watt's the Wordpodcast.com. Yep, see, I got it
(34:02):
right. And that was going to beZacks job. Zach's of course
known for like and subscribe.
I've been told this many timesby people that have watched his
YouTube channel. And so I hopeyou continue to do that with
Zack's YouTube channel andchecking us out on Watt's the
Word podcast. So behalf ofmyself and my co host, I'd like
(34:23):
to thank you for being on theshow today, Zack. Yeah.
Zack Hartle (34:29):
Well, thank you very much. Thanks for the chat.
Hey welcome to Watt's the Word. Thanks for tuning in
today. Special episode if youlistened to our last episode,
you might have an idea of whatwe're talking about today. Today
we are joined by my co host,Zack Hartle, Zack Hartle Welcome
to Watt's the Word,Jason. Jason. Jason, it's good
to be here. I'm glad to see you again.
(00:21):
I have not seen you in twoweeks. This is, uh, where does
the time go?
Zack Hartle (00:26):
I don't know. It seems to be just disappearing
this year. That's for sure.
Jason Cox (00:31):
All right, so in our last episode, we got together we
talked about introducing myselfas a co host in got my little
bit of my background and alittle bit of the reasons behind
my interest in the podcast. Soof course, we're turning the
tables this week, we're going toask you the harder questions,
the more deep and probingquestions we want to know about
(00:52):
Zack Hartle. So Zack, inprevious episodes, we talked
about the rap program, and youhappen to mention that you
actually were a rap student. AndI was curious about how you got
into the trade and what yourdecision was at such a young age
to actually move into thetrades, especially the
electrical trades, so So can youkind of tell us hey, what were
you thinking back then?
Zack Hartle (01:13):
Yeah, for sure. So the wrap program here in Alberta
registered apprenticeshipprogram, like we talked about
with Chelsea, it's an it's anopportunity for high school
students to enter a trade orapprenticeship and work for a
company and gain hours towardstheir first year apprenticeship.
(01:33):
So there's really good companiesout there that are willing to
take on these high schoolstudents and teach them. And
then it's a really cool programthat the schools offer as well
and like through careers to thenext generation and stuff like
that. And really, I mean, youasked how I chose electric I
didn't, there was no, there wasno choosing for me. It was like,
(01:56):
I was in high school, I hadreally supportive parents, they
weren't, they wasn't you have togo to university or anything
like that. It was a you have totry something, you have to do
something. And I was a littleunder motivated under interested
in high school. So my gradesweren't Gray, and I didn't like
it that much. And I had a buddywho was doing carpentry. And he
(02:18):
knew he wanted to be acarpenter. Like dad was a
carpenter uncle was a carpenter.
So he did the rap program,because he was like, Why do shop
class at school when I can goliterally frame houses? So he
did that in grade 11 and made abunch of money. And I was like,
Well, that seems kind of cool.
Maybe I'll try something. So,you know, go to the student
counselor, and they're like,here, fill out this test. And I
(02:39):
would do like a 20 questionquiz. And they come back and
they're like, here's yourrecommended trades, and it was
like locksmith, and electrician,and I don't know, maybe
refrigeration mechanic orsomething like that. Right? They
came back with the top three.
And I was like, Well, I don'tknow anything about any of
those. And she's like, and thecounselor just said, Well, we
have an electrical company who Ithink we could get a placement
(03:02):
with. Does that sound okay? Yep.
And then, here I am. So Istarted with a company. I was
16. I worked six months of highschool, like for half of grade
12. So yeah, before I graduatedhigh school, I heard already had
1100 hours towards my first yearapprenticeship.
Jason Cox (03:24):
Holy smokes, so expedited that into graduating
and then right after that youwere just into the trade then.
Yeah, it
Zack Hartle (03:34):
was pretty cool experience. Like, yeah, I worked
like the summer plus theSeptember to December like I
remember it. And I mean, it wastough, right? As a 16. Year like
16 year old kid like, thatshapes you for sure, right?
Like, whether you want to say ittoughens you up like I mean, we
were talking 15 years ago atthis point, right? So yeah,
(03:57):
like, toughens you up?
Jason Cox (04:00):
You know, just but I mean, that's, those are, it's
all about experiences, too. Soyeah, we say, yeah, it toughens
you up, because it's, it'sdefinitely a dose of reality,
too. So you kind of get someperspective on society and stuff
Zack Hartle (04:12):
like and having to wake up every day at 530 to
drive to work like just like,when I say toughens up I don't
mean, like, people were mean oranything like I just mean like,
it was life. You had to wake upat a time and go to work and
work at like, I'd never put inan eight hour day and physical
labor. I remember my first daywas like, you know, first year
on a big new construction, itwas digging trenches, like I
(04:33):
don't trenches for like, I don'tknow, the first six months I was
there. But it was like, Iremember going home the first
day, it was like 6pm and I wentto bed. I was like, I've never
worked a full day work in mywhole life. Right. So it's just
a different experience. Right?
Jason Cox (04:49):
I often hope and kind of wish that there was those
opportunities for for youngpeople just to be exposed to
industry like in some sort of coop like that. Maybe they don't
have to be locked. into onetrade per se for ever. But I
mean, just an experience, like,similar to what you did, but
maybe you do a month as alocksmith a month as the
(05:10):
electrician. I think that'd beso beneficial to people. I mean,
to give you some perspective ofwhat's going on there.
Zack Hartle (05:17):
Something I think it's coming like, I think it's
getting better even in the last.
I don't know, since I did itright, you hear more and more
about it. Like it was notadvertised at my school, I
literally had to go to myguidance counselor and say, This
is what I want to do. And theywere like, Oh, well, I guess so.
And then kind of like, had tolearn it. Now. I think there's a
lot more support for gettinginto the trade at a young age.
Jason Cox (05:41):
Yeah, well, I mean, in the last, I don't know, I
guess decade, I mean, socialmedia, the internet. Now it's
easier to get that informationout. Right. Whereas before it
was definitely learn from afriend through a friend. Right.
Right. So through the rapprogram, obviously, you weren't
scared of the trade. It soundslike it was a different type of
learning. In that training,you're also a member of the
(06:04):
skills team. See, I know thatyou were very successful in the
your skills, competitions. Whatpushed you into doing those
competitions?
Zack Hartle (06:13):
Yeah, so the provincial skills and further on
from that, I guess. Honestly,that was another one of those
things, or it wasn't reallyplanned. It wasn't something I
searched out. And I considermyself very lucky in my
apprenticeship. And I'm trulygrateful for the experiences.
But I was just hanging out oneday at I just finished first
(06:35):
year school. And I got a phonecall from somebody. I can't even
remember who and they justasked, Hey, we noticed you were
an electrician born, you know,before or I guess after this
date, would you be interested incompeting in a skills
competition? And I was like,Well, I don't know. I don't know
(06:55):
if I can get time off work. LikeI didn't know a whole lot about
it. And I spoke with my company,it was like, Hey, I got a call
from this person. And theyactually knew about it a little
more than I did. And they'reokay, it's a great opportunity,
you should go. And as youmentioned, I was super young and
like just come out of first yearschool. And I had, I'm not
complaining at all but I hadreally only dug trenches and
(07:18):
glued together PVC conduit for ayear like I knew there was so
much more to the trade seeing acouple other things going on
around me with like thetemporary power hookups and
stuff. So I knew there was moreto it. But I hadn't experienced
at all yet. And so I went tothis competition knowing pretty
little and I did very, verypoorly my first year but it was
(07:38):
such an eye opening experience.
I competed in what's now calledindustrial control. So wiring up
an automated control sequence onsome hardware that you install
limit switches and pressuresensors back to a PLC and a
cabinet. And then evenprogramming that PLC so
obviously I didn't know what aPLC was, at that point, like I
was like, clueless when Iarrived, I actually thought I
(08:02):
would be competing in theresidential wiring one. So I
kind of like looked up a littlebit on the internet about how to
strip lumax and stuff like that.
I got there and maybe my ownfault for not like getting more
information. But that was kindof how it started. And then the
year after are still eligible.
So I went back with a I don'tknow, I guess a hunger to learn
more. So
Jason Cox (08:26):
yeah, then a taste for success. I guess because you
were successful. You were alocal, provincial and national
medalist as far as I believe. Isthat correct?
Zack Hartle (08:36):
Yeah, for sure. So because I was young enough, my
first year, I knew what toexpect kind of the second year.
So I spoken with some of myinstructors at the technical
institute where I was doing mytraining. And they were super
supportive. There was a coupleguys and when me one in
particular really just took meunder his wing and trained me
right would spend hours trainingon the stuff and yeah,
(08:59):
eventually I was able to go backand actually two years in a row,
I was a gold medalist inAlberta, and then went to a
national competition. One yearplacing, I don't know, not
winning, and then actually thefinal year of my age eligibility
I did went gold provincialsnationals, and then was able to
(09:20):
go compete in Germany, as wellat the World Skills level.
Jason Cox (09:25):
And of course, I was going to just allude to what was
the highlight of your skillsexperience, and I would think
all expenses paid trip toGermany probably is at the top
of that list.
Zack Hartle (09:36):
Oh, yeah, definitely. It was like I mean,
a highlight. It's a I mean, foranyone who's listening Who's
heard of or seen the provincialor even the National Skills
Competition. The world's is justlike a whole other level. It's
like 25,000 people walkingthrough this giant stadium for
(09:58):
day long competition. I,obviously in a different country
with a different primarylanguage. So yeah, it was
definitely a highlight of thatwhole experience. But just the,
even the training for it. Imean, I was fortunate enough
again, the company I worked forwas very generous, they gave me
lots of time to train and kindof tailored a little bit of my
(10:19):
work towards training for thecompetition.
Jason Cox (10:22):
Was there anything like any observations or
anything you you any takeawaysfrom that trip to Germany that
maybe changed the way that youworked as an electrician? Did
you find any hints or anythingor
Zack Hartle (10:38):
I don't know, if there was anything like, at the
competition that I really tookaway. I mean, you're like, so
focused on the competition, thatyou don't have time to look
around. But just in thattraining process, I really got
into like the groove of tryingto find efficient ways to do
things. And I really brought alot of that back with me, after
(11:00):
the competition to try andincrease my efficiency and my
workflow in the field and tryand get, you know, tasks done in
a more efficient manner. Right.
I mean, you think back to allthe times you like, to three
trips up a ladder to dosomething and like you do at a
competition. You're not going tofinish the competition. Right?
So just a lot of that,
Jason Cox (11:21):
I guess. Yeah. Well, we did host WorldSkills in
Calgary, I'm gonna guess it wasa decade ago. And, and you could
see just even some of theequipment that the competitors
were using in electrical was alittle different to some
efficiencies, like I saw guyswith almost like a pouch on
their hand where they could pullout terminating screwdrivers,
(11:45):
and there was magnetic magneticbands on their on their arms
just for for speed. Yeah,definitely,
Zack Hartle (11:54):
like the magnetic wristband for the screws and
like, you have specializedtools. And yeah, I mean, you
talked about WorldSkills 2009was the one in Calgary. And
yeah, it's all based uponEuropean standards. So you're
WorldSkills is more of aEuropean organization. So a lot
(12:15):
of the equipment and materialand tool are, and products that
they use are more of a Europeanstyle wiring method than a North
American style wiring method. Soit's, it's a pretty big learning
curve, right? Like, you wouldn'tthink it but even there, like
plastic wire molded wiremanagement tray, you know, kind
of like our finger duct overthere has no fingers. There's no
(12:37):
spaces, but it like it cutsdifferently. You know, it's like
thinner and more malleable. Andit just kind of everything's a
little bit just different.
Jason Cox (12:47):
Yeah, there's clearly a difference in electrical
installations in Europe versusNorth America. I mean, you would
have noticed that while you werein Europe, and I'm guessing as
well, I know, I've noticed overthe years as well. So coming
back from your skillscompetition, you then of course,
you're now a journeymanelectrician. I know that you are
(13:10):
an instructor now teachingapprenticeship. But one of the
things I want to ask you aboutis Have you always been so tech
savvy? Is that something thatmaybe started as you were
exploring? PLCs? Or is itsomething you've kind of always
just followed?
Zack Hartle (13:25):
Um, yeah, I mean, if you mentioned PLCs I
actually, I do not likeprogramming PLCs I get why
people like it. I can't say Idon't know what it is about it.
I, it's not for me. I think Ijust have the age and of the
generation and I had computersand I like computers. And, you
know, I think you can usecomputers very efficiently for
(13:46):
different things. So yeah, no,specific tech savviness. I just,
I don't know, something we useall the time. Well,
Jason Cox (13:55):
I'm gonna just kind of bore down on this a little
more now. Because, I mean, notthat it's sophisticated
technology. But I mean, thereare like, you've got quite the
portfolio on the internet forinstructional videos. You've got
videos ranging from Do ItYourself stuff at home, to
electrical to even just simpleways to work with online
(14:20):
software. Where did that comefrom? Where did that interest
come from? For you to getinvolved in that?
Zack Hartle (14:28):
I think it's just like you're talking I started
you have a YouTube channel,which obviously is what you're
talking about, which I mean,check out the link in the
description below everyone likeand subscribe, please everyone
who's listening. Or you may bewatching this video there. Yeah,
I think for me, it just,there's, through instructing and
(14:49):
through teaching people how todo things. There's got to be a
better way than trying to meetface to face to cover simple
topics and a lot of the stuff Ihave on there it started as just
like okay, These are problemsthat students have often. Or
maybe this is something I wishwe had an extra 20 minutes or an
hour to spend on in class orsomething that maybe students
(15:11):
really want to see more examplesof and, you know, a group of
instructors that we work with,kind of started filming these
videos that can be supplementalresources. And, yeah, I mean, I
really enjoyed it. And I getvery positive feedback from
students. My students, as wellas from other groups, I think
(15:31):
they just liked it. And so I itwasn't a huge amount of work. So
I just kept kind of buildingthat portfolio, I guess, the
videos and helping it grow, andthen as teaching shifted to
online, I mean, what better wayto teach someone how to use a
computer than to show them?
Right You know, we I got thestudents coming online who don't
(15:51):
know how to use the computervery well that Microsoft
programs or whateverefficiently. What better way
than to just show a quick videofilm it? I mean, there's lots of
stuff out there that speaks tothose things. But I think
building content ourselves, usas instructors, we can narrow in
on exactly what our studentsneed, there's no fluff, there's
(16:11):
no additional there's no, youknow, methods for doing it. This
is how you we think is best tobe successful in our program.
Jason Cox (16:23):
So Zack, you're a master electrician, you have a
instructor diploma fromVancouver Community College, and
you recently completed abusiness certificate, is that
correct?
Zack Hartle (16:39):
Yeah. Within the last couple of years, I finished
a certificate of businessskills. Through Thompson Rivers
University, that was a goodprogram. And that has I mean,
I've applied that towards a blueseal endorsement or a blue seal
here in Alberta, right businesscompetencies certificate. And
(17:00):
yeah, that was a coolexperience. So yeah, I do have
one.
Jason Cox (17:05):
So red seal and blue seal. Jealous. What what are
some of the takeaways?
Obviously, we are talking in ourpodcast, they we always say that
anyone can be an electrician,anyone can pull the wire, but
it's really hard to run thatbusiness. What is it? What have
you learned in your businesstraining? Like that was a really
(17:26):
important Eye Opener or keytakeaway.
Zack Hartle (17:31):
I think that like to sum it up in one sentence,
for me, it would be hire anaccountant. Like, no matter what
scale of business, if you'remore than a one man crew, I
think that there's so much tothat, you know, business side of
things. And the tax side ofthings like two of the courses I
took were related to like,accounting and tax, and it was
(17:53):
just, it's so tough to keep ontop of sub B, my advice to
anyone is like, yes, maybe takesomething like the blue seal
requirements to get a little bitof that lingo and a little bit
of that knowledge. But I mean,what it really taught me was if
you're, if you're focusing onyour electrical business, don't
spend time focusing on youraccounting. That's not where
(18:14):
your strength is, right?
Jason Cox (18:17):
Yeah, and I mean, your your whole idea of if
you're running a contractingbusiness, you want to be the one
that's out making the money withthat business, not limiting
yourself doing the day to daystuff. So yeah, maybe hiring an
accountant is a really goodidea. I think the business
certificate just makes sense. Ifyou wanted to run a contracting
(18:38):
business, right, you need tohave the tools to run a business
the same way you need the toolsto do an electrical job. Was
that kind of some of themotivation you used in in your
thought process to doing that?
That education, Zack,
Zack Hartle (18:54):
I had no specific goal to take it and then I
immediately started businessafter anything like that. I
think for me, it's just I'vekind of been on a constant track
of always trying to learnsomething above and beyond what
I'm currently doing, you know,like, with the Masters with the
provincial instructor diplomawith this, it's just, I think
(19:17):
that trade has opened so manymore doors for me, I think if
you can spend a little bit oftime, you know, learning this
and learning that or picking upnew skills along the way you can
maybe, I don't know, open upsome bigger doors, or at the
very least just keep yourselfengaged in in learning. So for
me, it just was something thatpopped up was like, oh, what
this business certificate and Iwas like, Yeah, okay, that
(19:39):
sounds interesting. And a lot ofthe courses sounded exciting. So
I looked into it.
Jason Cox (19:45):
And so that was it.
Was that a two year a two yearprogram? No,
Zack Hartle (19:49):
it was a, I guess, a one year like a one step below
a diploma with the potential totransfer in if I wanted to in
the future and who knows What'swhat's gonna happen? It's not
off the out of the question forsure.
Jason Cox (20:04):
So we have a lot of electricians right now that I
mean, they're all journeyman.
Most of them are red seal. Wouldthis be the kind of program that
you'd recommend to a journeyman,something for them to continue
their education? Maybe to helpthem move somewhere else in
industry? Maybe they want to getoff the tools and get into the
office with that, would that bea beneficial program for them?
(20:25):
Yeah,
Zack Hartle (20:27):
I think there's a couple different traps, right,
really, depending on what you'redoing. I mean, we've talked
about and I know, we're gonnahave guests on the show, and one
more of a professionalelectrical contractor,
designation, what through theECA, Electrical Contractors
Association of Alberta,something like that might be
great to get a little bit moreof a broad view. I mean, there's
(20:50):
project management certificates,if you want to go the project
management stream, there'scourses on estimating out there
if you want to become anestimator. And you can also
transfer into like, ElectricalEngineering Technology, if you
like the more technical side ofthings, or power systems
engineer or things like that,like there's just so many paths.
(21:12):
And what drew me to this one isthat I didn't have to pick a
path. Really, it was kind oflike, oh, well, that'll help me
if I ever go into this program,or help me if I go into this
program. But yeah, I thinkthere's a lot of options, right?
I mean, no, the sky's the limitwith the trade. I think it's
not, you're not just anelectrician, and I hate that
(21:33):
statement. And from students. Imean, we hear the thing all the
time, and a little bit of atangent here, but they say, oh,
seven days, 100. It just makesme die a little bit inside,
because I'm like, What are youtalking about? Is this is this
it for you is, is being anelectrician, it for you? And if
it is, that's cool, that's sofine. And like, if you love it,
(21:55):
and it makes you happy, thenthat's awesome. But don't limit
yourself to what could come inthe future. I mean, when I
applied to this certificateprogram, I was shocked. They
wanted no high school marks oranything like that. It was like
give us a resume. And anyschooling you've done in the
last 10 years or whatever,right. So it wasn't my high
school marks that went in. And Itell the story to our young
(22:16):
apprentices that come throughthe program. It's not my high
school marks they wanted it wasmy trade school mark. So seven
days, not 107 7070. Like I thinkthat's pretty clear. And that
mentality, I think, is somethingthat can be fixed in our
apprentice Yes, right.
Jason Cox (22:34):
Well, two things. I mean, that's a great point. You
bring that up, too, becauseyeah, like what I said last
time, when I applied foruniversity as well, I was
paranoid that I wouldn't get in.
And yeah, they they did go backand they used all of my
technical marks from when I wentto need and sate. So yeah, you
gotta I mean, you definitelywant to achieve as high as
(22:55):
possible. Strive for high marks,right? learn lots, because this
might not be your only job. So
Zack Hartle (23:04):
and that's I think, I mean, I don't remember the
stat off the top of my head. AndI mean, it's probably different
every time we read it, butthey're like, oh, they want in
for electricians as anelectrician after 10 years?
Well, they're not just like,doing something completely
unrelated, right? It can be sucha pathway into all of these
great careers. I mean,instructing obviously, is a good
(23:26):
career or project management orconstruction management or
building management or laborrelations or, or right, like the
list goes on. I think that theskill set you can develop, if
you strive to in your career asan electrician is helpful in so
many different trades, right?
There's leadership andeverything that we're doing,
(23:47):
right. There's business sideleadership, you know, a lot of
soft skills,
Jason Cox (23:53):
communications, for sure. As I interrupt you, yeah.
Communications is important. ButBut yeah, I mean, that's, that's
a really good point. To kind ofjust say that, yeah, don't go
for that seven years. 100. Ialways, I always bugged students
about that, too. When they sayseven days. 100 I go. It
certainly isn't when theelectrical inspector comes to
(24:15):
look at your job site. He's notlooking for 70 He's looking for
100 Hey, so Zack, we startedthis podcast this summer. But
credit is all yours on the ideaof the podcast. How did you come
up with the idea of having yourown podcast based on the
electrical industry?
Zack Hartle (24:35):
I guess it started with, I mean, as we talked about
the YouTube channel and how I'vekind of experienced that reach
to people and I've gotten a lotof feedback from that from
people saying, Yeah, this isgreat. This is exactly what I
needed. And I listened to a lotof podcasts. And it's this that
that comment of this is exactlywhat I needed. And you know, I
was searching one day for someelectrical podcast, you know,
(24:59):
maybe find something Interestingand there wasn't anything that I
was looking for, you know, therewas some technical stuff, a
little bit of stuff from thestate. So all NEC kind of
unrelated, some really technicalstuff out of Ontario. Things
like that. And I just wantedsomething that was like, would
teach me something else,something new about the
(25:19):
industry. I wasn't looking forthe technical side of things. We
talked about that all day, everyday for work. And that's kind of
where it started was like, let'sjust bring people together in
our trade. Like, there's so manygood people involved in the
industry. And, you know, so manypeople that I haven't met or
that I can learn so much from.
And then that I was like, oh,man, I can't do that alone. That
(25:41):
sounds terrible. I can't thinkof good questions to ask people.
And here we are, I kind of toldyou one day, let's do it. And as
we mentioned, you committed tothree episodes. And yeah, you're
totally right. I mean, I hadn'tthought about that until we did
our episode together. But wekind of recorded three and then
we're like, Okay, what's thefourth one? There was never that
(26:02):
discussion of, okay, are wegoing to continue doing this? It
was okay, what's next? And Ijust, I remember that day, we
went for coffee. And as I was acommand, man, let's do three
episodes. We'll see if peoplelike it. And then you're like,
okay, but then we got toreassess. And, you know, here we
are. And I think we're bothhaving more fun than we planned.
And,
Jason Cox (26:25):
yeah, well, I mean, we're always everywhere I go, I
go, that could be a podcast,that could be a podcast, hey, I
know a guy. Let's let's maybethat could be a podcast. So. So
I know, we're probably drivingour spouses crazy with, with
our, with our thoughts, some ofthem will come to fruition, some
will. So well, Doc, I'm gonnahave to say thank you for roping
(26:46):
me into this podcast. I'm reallyhaving lots of fun doing it. I'm
sure you're being tormented byme. Even more now that we're
working together. What's one ofthe takeaways you've had from
the podcast? So far? Maybe we'lldo the first takeaway from you
being a co creator of thepodcast. But is there a takeaway
there? You can share with us?
Yeah, I
Zack Hartle (27:08):
mean, it's, it's one of those things. It's very
fun. But it's tougher than Ithought like, I mean, it's so
fun doing the recording andtalking with the guests. It's
surprisingly hard to get peoplethe lesson. I mean, not in that
once we get people to listen, Iguess we're being getting great
(27:29):
feedback from industry. And foreveryone we've had listening, I
think there's just so muchcontent out there, right? It's
getting people to dig throughthat to find us and us getting
into our flow to make thingsflow a little bit smoother. So
that's kind of the takeaway frommaking the podcast is just that
it's funner than I thought, butit's also harder than I thought,
(27:51):
if that makes sense.
Jason Cox (27:52):
Well, it makes it's really nice. When we do get the
positive feedback. I do havepeople I talk to now and then
and they are they're verypositive about the show. They're
Hey, we're listening show. Ilove the show. That's That's
great. I that's a great perk forme. What's one of the takeaways
that you have from the podcastfrom one of our episodes? Is
(28:13):
there anything like that'smemorable from any of the
episodes so far?
Zack Hartle (28:17):
They all they all stand out for, you know, various
reasons that I think the mostinteresting one to me, because,
I mean, obviously, we've had afew guests on that we like know
pretty well. The one that Ilearned the most, I think was
Scott from the IBEW. I'd neverworked for the IBEW I never knew
anything about the union. Youknow, like, other than what you
(28:40):
hear around, and I'm pretty goodat not, you know, taking rumor
for truth. So that was the mostinteresting one to me in terms
of I kind of learned the most.
But yeah, I think all of ourguests have just been like so
passionate about whateverthey're here to talk about.
Right? And that's been it makesyou feel good, right? Like to
(29:04):
have these people in theindustry, you want to come on
the show, and they want to sharewhat they're passionate about,
and why they're passionate aboutit. That's been pretty eye
opening as well. And I'm reallylooking forward to our future
episodes to just keep gettingthat and then as you say, the
positive feedback from industryas well. I mean, yeah, it's
wonderful to hear that peopleliked the show and that people
(29:26):
are excited that we have puttogether a show connecting
industry like we are
Jason Cox (29:35):
and I mean, I'm really excited about like when
you said the passion because wehave our guests have all been
very interested invested peoplein our industry. And I mean,
it's it's so nice to see. I'mreally interested I didn't say
in the past, but I may have butI'm really interested in in
(29:56):
strengthening our trade. We'renot just a bunch of wire polar
Are assemblers, right? I mean,we're the electrical trade, this
is a pretty high end trade. AndI think it's important that we
continue to tell people that andhave that explained in society.
I mean, what we do is, it isn'texactly paint by numbers, maybe
(30:18):
some days, but, but it'simportant for us to just keep
people aware of just howimportant our trade is.
Zack Hartle (30:25):
And it's like any task or job or, you know, place
to work, right, you can get sosiloed into one very small,
specific area for years. Andjust to lose touch, and maybe
this podcast will just give away for people to keep a keep a
finger on the pulse of what'sgoing on elsewhere in the trade
right about other opportunitiesand keep engaged in that way.
(30:49):
Right?
Jason Cox (30:50):
Well, absolutely. And I mean, I mean, it'll pull us
out of our silo and introducenew things like, that's what
we're looking for is really,people to pull us into their
world. I mean, there's, there'ssome pretty interesting little
narrow, narrow industries outthere in the electrical world.
And I mean, people have somevery successful businesses with
a really narrow skill set. Imean, that's, that's something
(31:13):
we could look at as well. But,but yeah, you're right. It'd be
nice if we could learn moreabout our trade. Because I mean,
back in the day, I didn't knowwhat an industrial electrician
was, when I was hired as anelectrical apprentice. I was
like, I don't know what this is.
But I mean, now we can get moreinformation. So
Zack Hartle (31:35):
I think it's coming at it's such a pivotal moment in
our trade, right, with thistransition away from, you know,
traditional oil and gas energyinto more renewables and
alternatives. Right. We'reseeing lots of movement on that
side of the industry and how theelectricians are involved in
that is really cool. Eviecharging and even just making
(31:58):
existing infrastructure moreefficient, right. I mean, the
LED lighting thing is kind of ano brainer. Now, no question
now. But that's when I came upthrough the trade right, when I
was going from fluorescentlights to LEDs and seeing that
transition was cool. So seeingthis next big transition is also
I don't know, interesting. Ifind,
Jason Cox (32:17):
yeah, you're you're totally right. We're, I mean,
we're moving now with with someof the international politics
and treaties for energy now.
Yeah, it's, it's, it's coming.
And our industry is adoptingslowly, and there's going to be
lots of growth and lots ofopportunities to learn. So
hopefully, we can introduce someof that to our listeners. And
(32:39):
hopefully, we can learn moreabout that ourselves. So. So I
think we're gonna wrap that,Zach. So I just want to say, Do
you have any closing thoughts?
Zack Hartle (32:48):
Yeah, I mean, I'm, I'm gonna pretty much copy
exactly what you said on thelast show. I just, if you're
listening, and you've beenlistening, we want to hear from
you. We want to know what youguys want to hear about where
we're at promise you we'reworking hard to try and find
some interesting guests. But ifanyone has any suggestions for
future episodes, or you know,listener questions they want us
(33:08):
to find an answer to for them,send us send them our way.
Facebook, either of us onLinkedIn, Instagram, whatever
works for you reach out to us,let us know. Yeah, it's, it's
been an experience and I'mlooking forward to get going I
know we're, you know, off behindthe scenes where we're looking
(33:31):
at some ways and making thepodcast a little more accessible
and you know, maybe getting someintro music, you know, things
like that. So, yeah, kind of myown thoughts there.
Jason Cox (33:41):
Yeah, we got to get a little a little sassy or I guess
step up our game a little bit.
So so we're we are available onall on all the podcast download
sites on Spotify on Apple andGoogle, right. And you can find
all that stuff on our website.
Our website is Watt's the Wordpodcast.com. Yep, see, I got it
(34:02):
right. And that was going to beZacks job. Zach's of course
known for like and subscribe.
I've been told this many timesby people that have watched his
YouTube channel. And so I hopeyou continue to do that with
Zack's YouTube channel andchecking us out on Watt's the
Word podcast. So behalf ofmyself and my co host, I'd like
(34:23):
to thank you for being on theshow today, Zack. Yeah.
Zack Hartle (34:29):
Well, thank you very much. Thanks for the chat.
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