There's tons of information out there I could recommend. But my background is different from yours so don't worry too much about what to read. It could do more harm than good. I got in late 30s and NO mechanical thinking. I didn't know what tools was what. I would call and electrician to change a light bulb. Ok not that bad but you get the point. If you make it to the jobsite it's going to be a day you'll never forget. I started in construction in 1 of the hottest summers in Houston 2013. There was cranes every where. Now the list above it good, especially being on time. More on that later. My personal number 2 is determination. This is how bad I didn't know what tools where what, tin snips,
dikes, crablegs, quarter 20 what the hell is that? Mech would yell to bring 1 tool I always brought the wrong 1. The other probis. had electrical, plumbing, construction experience. Now I was not able to keep up with them. I saw myself being able to get through it. Somehow I had to make it work. For me, I had to go to home depot not to buy a book. I would pick up hand tools, get a feel for it, learn how they work and what the name of it is. . . The proper name AND the local slang. I never found out what a crab leg was though...lol. He was from Louisiana so idk.
But with time, going to home depot, carrying different sizes of nuts/bolts in my pocket and pull them out and see if I could tell what size it was w/o measuring it. I still found it challenging, because its elevators. Not like other trades ..its a combo of them all to construct a vertical moving I car train (layman description)
You have enough books in class so for now just focus on simple basic stuff. Remember the other probis I mentioned, there was 7 of us that started out the same day. Well only 2 of us made it the first year. The more experienced couldn't get to work on time. No matter how good they where. They lost their job and had to start all over.
Just be on time, if you don't know something tell them. Your a man first your going to get picked on and call out for lots of things. Which is fine but there's a line Don't tolerate bullying. I made that very clear to one old skuu mechanic. I did it as a Man not a probie, a green or helper but a Man.I may have been sent to look for that sky hook but I never let it get to me. I knew what I wanted to become . Good luck brah.
