Topic: Job Experience????

[Blingn]

I have a question for the people just getting out of a trade school or getting certified.  How do you get into a skilled job that requires 3 to 5 years experience when you have just got out of school?  Do you just have to start at the bottom of the totem pole?   TIA!!

[93tonkatoy]

That's about how it usually works. employers want workers who can show that they have done the work, more than one who can show he knows how. Usually have to start at the bottom, and bust your to get a start. Keep a journal of activities;any projects you work on and specific parts of it you do. Then after a while, you can go to your boss and say " This is what i've been doing. This is where i would like to advance....." if he says no, then you have that record you can take somewhere else.

Best of luck to you!

[fordh8r]

Or knowing somebody helps too...     Hope you find something that works for you      remember, starting at the bottom is often the best place to start for well earned respect as you progress as well. Then no one can say it was given to you for no reason.    Good luck out there bud! 

[jimbo74]

i worked @ americas tire comapny in high school, they were very hesitant to hire a 16 year old with no prior experience... but what landed me the job was that i had an outstanding achievement awrd/certificate from my auto technology program stating i had over 360 hours of vocational experience.. years later, after high school, that prior job experience was a shoe in for me to work at wheel works, which does alignments and vehicle repairs where americas jsut did tires.... had i stayed with it, there is a good chance i would be an actual mechanic at this point. i did not like the bs and low wages of wheel works and decided to change jobs

i am currently working for fedex express, but going to school for firefighting

[BUDDERS]

I can say from personal experience that being a mechanic is not all it's cracked up to be, and I didn't even have to go through as much as jimbo74.  I have always been promised big $ wherever I went, but when it comes down to it, I am living paycheck to paycheck.  At least here in San Diego, Toyota does not pay well - especially, when you compare it to the high housing prices.  I have over 10 years experience working on toyota and lexus cars plus all my ASE's and can barely afford to live in my tiny condo, let alone, buy a home.  If it's mechanic work your looking into, talk to some local "seasoned" mechanics before you enter a long life of just barely getting by - maybe they'll change your mind or maybe FFC will be your sugar moma! 

P.S.  I started at 20 yrs old as an oil changer.

[fordh8r]

  Lemme just say this, the tire chain guys aren't bad jobs for high schoolers, sorta the fast food type as far as aoutomotive fields go IMO, but if you're serious about wrenching you just gotta bust your...mmm...knuckles...   to get anywhere in the industry. 

  I used to do side work seven days a week and nights while still working full time to make ends meet  . Living in the bay area isn't cheap (just like the San Diego area as someone had mentioned). Thank God those days are behind me now.

  I worked in auto parts stores (Privately owned) that had machine shops.  I worked in an automotive electrical repair shop and several other privately owned shops which paid fairly well before I went to work on heavy duty trucks at Freightliner (thanks to Tallchevy  ) I learned all I could there and have since went to work for PG&E (again, thanks to Tallchevy  ).  <---see the pattern here?...The pay there is awesome and some pretty decent bennies nonetheless  .  Sometimes I still can't believe how much they pay me for the stuff we do  .

  The bottom line is you have to really enjoy doing this work almost more than you care for the money before you'll be respected enough for what you do.  I still love wrenching and occasionally do some side work now and again for my closest friends and family.  I just can't even imagine myself doing anything else for a living.  I do live and am buying a home in the bay area but that's not to say that my wife isn't helping since she makes pretty decent money as well    (cough*...FFC?...cough*)

   I'm sure if you look at anyone who you might find as a respected person in their field, you'll find that they may have had a long bumpy road to their success as well.  I hope that won't be the case for you  . But be sure to have some realistic goals in mind for short term and prosperous goals in mind for long term (baby steps, if you will... )

  I'm always one who is willing to help someone anyway I can as long as my efforts are being met halfway.  If you need anything I can help with let me know. 

   Oh did I forget to mention how cheap it is to be a mechanic?  Well, don't forget about buying tool$, lot$ and lot$ and lot$ of tool$$$$$$$.  I've even done jobs just to buy tools  . At first, you'll be dragging your tool$ from work to home and back again then when you get tired of that you'll buy a second set of nearly every basic tool just for home and only transport the really expensive less used stuff back and forth after a while it's real time saver.  Money saving tip:  no matter how tired you are and for no reason what so ever  DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT leave your tool$ in your vehicle where they may get stolen. They are too expensive to replace. Happened to me once and it cost me about $2500.00 to replace what was missing and it wasn't a lot of stuff, trust me.

  Oh and lots of training...a lifetime of training. Very important here, work for someone willing to train you on a regular basis to keep you 'up to date' on what's going on out there. Stuff is always changing and you need to keep up so you can always be at the top of your game  . 

   I hope this is stuff you were needing to know or if not then disregard and hopefully someone else who reads this who is looking to get into being a mechanic will take this and do what they will from it. There may be more things worth mentioning and if anyone has anything to add, please do.

  Sorry, for the long post, good luck again!

[BUDDERS]

x2

[Blingn [OP]]

I am going for my cert in welding in dec. if everything goes right. Got an (A) in class right now.  I am going to ask my teacher to vouch for me for like a year of experience. He also signs his students up for state competitions I might try for his arch or mig team.  I am also going to take his mig/tig class so that will give me some more experience. I'm not scared of starting at the bottom and working my way up.  I just need close to the same pay I'm making now is the only hard part. I really appreciate everyones input.  You marlin crew are awesome.   

[79coyotefrg]

i know its similiar  but then again its  not  mechanics  dont get paid  near the money a good welder does

thats WELDER

[fordh8r]

i know its similiar  but then again its  not  mechanics  dont get paid  near the money a good welder does

thats WELDER

Even welders have to have some mechanical ability.  And the inverse is true, mechanics almost must have some welding skills just the same. 

[Prismo]

Blingn, do they offer apprenticeship programs through the unions in your area? They offer some good programs in my area.

[Blingn [OP]]

i have not found a job for welding yet that has the apprenticeship program.  I know that they must have them.  I will have to check that out, thanks priz.  All the jobs that I am looking at are starting at 18 to 22 dollars and hour with experience.  That is for just a for like arch and cutting.  Mig /Tig guys are making some huge bucks.  I wish I would have chose this route a couple years earlier to be an underwater welder OMG those guys are major bucks. 

dude fordh8r you have some great info thanks I was going to be a mechanic right out of highschool but I think it is like a carpenter has his house falling down and a mechanic has the worse running car If I did it all day long I dont think I would want to come home and work on the rigs or the 54 chevy. 

[Prismo]

Underwater welding is not a fun job at all. I worked for a shipyard for a couple years & watched what the divers had to do.
Check L&I website, that is where the apprenticeships are listed in Washington.

[Cheesemaker]

Check with the school job placement program!  Alot of trade schools have a connection with business's that are willing to hire graduates from the school, to give the experience required for alot of the jobs you see listed in the paper or employment offices!  It may be at a lower wage than what you see listed in the papers, but it will give ya the experience that is needed to apply for the higher paying jobs!

[BUDDERS]

I remember from welding class that the higher you go (skyscapers) the more you get paid as well - especially if you belong to a union.  I know that NASCO has an apprenticeship program.  They are a shipyard here in San Diego.  My buddy did his apprenticeship there and started working for a small company right out of high school as there head welder and made good money.  Everyone that worked with him did cutting/ grinding and painting of the stuff he welded up.  They made and repaired all kinds of cages for the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park.  He decided welding really wasn't for him though, and now he is making less money as a firefighter, but likes his job better.  To each his own I guess........

[kneedownnate]

Underwater welding is not a fun job at all.

Not to mention the short life expectancy   If you hope for a long life with justina, steer clear of underwater welding!

[DTB]

Not to mention the short life expectancy  

theres a reason why there is such high demand for welders! they dont usually live very long!

[BLACKDOG]

Blingn, check out the union websites in the area.  You may be able to find a job that way, or just open up the yellow pages, and look for smaller welding companies.  they make take you on as an apprentice there.

[*FFC*]

Not to mention the short life expectancy   If you hope for a long life with justina, steer clear of underwater welding!

Good thing he's too old for under water welding


As for bein his sugar mamma.... If I could afford it I wouldn't think twice