Can anyone identify the role of the Prem tech and how secure a low seniority prem tech would be if other titles were surplused? I'm unsure if this title is Union. I assume it's a position that allows the company to cap new hires at a low to mid range hourly rate while other titles do roughly the same type of work at a higher rate of pay as that seems to be an industry wide trend.
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If you can stomach working along side technicians making at least double what you make, go for it. If this would somehow bother you, run forest run.
This is the main way to become a permanent OPT/Lineman because all new hires in that higher paying title (top out at $45/hr now with double-time after 9 hours of 1.5X OT) are term (up to 3 years).
Most of the new permanent OPT hires were prem techs with at least 2 years of service, which is the minimum before moving into the OPT title. Alternatively, there are OPTs transitioning into their 2nd and 3rd terms as OPT. This is the best outside tech job at AT&T. You have more freedom working in the field with co-workers and you don't have to deal with customers because it is mostly new fiber build. Do your time if you can bear it as a prem tech/installer then apply for an OPT job.
Thank you for the great input.
I started as a prem tech. After 1.5 years you can apply for a better position, whether that is craft or management is up to you. You will be at the bottom and are at risk of being bumped by anyone with higher seniority if there is a surplus. I&R techs can bump prem techs, but there is a limit on how many can be bumped - not sure what that limit is now. The last comment is correct that you will be required to work late if there are still jobs out there. My typical day as a prem tech was starting at 7am and I would usually get NJA (no jobs available) at 8 pm at night meaning that is when I got to head home. This was 10 years ago so I'm not sure what the hours will be now. The work is very similar to what the I&R techs do. You can make a career out of it if you want, but I would advise moving up to I&R or management depending on what you want to do. I&R techs have more ability to leave work without being required to work OT. I&R techs will tell you that they are required to work OT also, but they have different requirements. I saw I&R techs regularly leave at noon on Saturdays because they had hit their required OT hours. If prem techs did that they would be fired. Good luck.
Prem tech is not really secure if you are counting on a 25 to 30 year career with it. It's fine to make some money if you are young single person and want to do it for a few years and don't mind having to stay late daily if there are jobs still need completed. Just realize that it likely will lead to nothing better career wise at at&t. You probably are not going to cross over to core I&R and move up to wage group one in the union or anything like that. You are correct in assuming you will basically be a union installation and repair tech that does mostly the same work as core or more, but gets paid less. This title has been around for awhile now and the union hasn't managed to just roll it into I&R so that should tell you something as far as it being a 2 tier system for techs.