Where to go from here..

[MBG]

Ok... As some of you know I am a machinist by trade... I am kinda a step above a "button pusher".. I do edit program and load programs and edge find them in and that is about it.. I am learning how to program the parts slowly... (it's a process haha) ... I do want to go back to school for welding if you didn't read my other post.. I just do'nt feel satisfied with machining I like doing it but rarely ever see "finished parts"... I want to see finish parts... I want to be able to make stuff where you see in stores or something like that I want to be that good... like be able to make products for houses like storm shutter or drains or something like that... I just feel the path I am in now I won't learn how to make that... :\...

I just want to have more control on where I am headed and how I can learn more techniques in manufacturing..

please help I don't have anybody to talk to about this really to be honest with nobody is intereted or the other half doesn't have a clue

just thought I would throw this out there

please help

[JavaDog]

I'm in the same (kinda) boat as you. I am getting very bored with the IT sector. I do Technical Support for the 'World's Largest Distributor of IT Products and Services'. They are a good company, and I love computers, but I am looking for something new. Just like you, I love to make things and wish to see finished products and be able to say "I did that".

One of the hardest decisions has been if I should go back to school for CAD/Machining/CNC. It seems like having a ME degree is not worth what it used to be. But, it seems like a lot of the machine shop work is being outsourced to China. So, puts us in a bit of a pickle...

I have decided to keep my current job and go back to school for CAD/Design work. I figured this background, and what I am learning/self-teaching about CNC/Machining, will put me in a decent spot for some interesting jobs in the future. Well, that's the hope anyway...

[widgitmaster]

MBG,
Your in the right trade! No matter how bad the economy gets, skilled labor will always bring home a paycheck! I'm retired now, had to retired early do to a pre existing injury acquired in USN. However, I do remember feeling like a techno sponge! Even today, I can't get enough! While working, I went back to college during the evenings and between jobs, I took AutoCAD, and every computer course available! I had even learned to program the old Z80 computer using Machine Language or Assembly Language!

No matter what shop I worked in, my bosses always put me in prototype tooling, and Jigs & Fixtures! After thirty years, I got really good at it, and alone I supported 25 CNC mills and 19 CNC lathes, not to mention Welding Jigs and fixtures! I think it was cool to be able to watch the operators fly through their jobs with easy to setup fixtures! It seems to be the only area left for manual machining!

My suggestion is to learn all you can at one company, then move on to another! No matter how good you are in one shop, there is always something new to learn! I was retired for five years, and had an overwhelming feeling that something was missing! That was what motivated me into spending my investments on a Bridgeport clone and a some other machines! That way, I can tinker in the garage and build what ever is on my mind! By far it can be the most expensive hobby, but it is the most rewarding!

Now that I have a CNC router, I'll be building jigs & fixtures for my own machine! How cool is that!

Eric A. A.

[MBG]

Originally Posted by widgitmaster MBG, Your in the right trade! No matter how bad the economy gets, skilled labor will always bring home a paycheck! I'm retired now, had to retired early do to a pre existing injury acquired in USN. However, I do remember feeling like a techno sponge! Even today, I can't get enough! While working, I went back to college during the evenings and between jobs, I took AutoCAD, and every computer course available! I had even learned to program the old Z80 computer using Machine Language or Assembly Language! No matter what shop I worked in, my bosses always put me in prototype tooling, and Jigs & Fixtures! After thirty years, I got really good at it, and alone I supported 25 CNC mills and 19 CNC lathes, not to mention Welding Jigs and fixtures! I think it was cool to be able to watch the operators fly through their jobs with easy to setup fixtures! It seems to be the only area left for manual machining! My suggestion is to learn all you can at one company, then move on to another! No matter how good you are in one shop, there is always something new to learn! I was retired for five years, and had an overwhelming feeling that something was missing! That was what motivated me into spending my investments on a Bridgeport clone and a some other machines! That way, I can tinker in the garage and build what ever is on my mind! By far it can be the most expensive hobby, but it is the most rewarding! Now that I have a CNC router, I'll be building jigs & fixtures for my own machine! How cool is that! Eric A. A.

that is awesome man.. but I doubt machining is the most expensive hobby (wink) but yes it is rewarding.. I think I am going to go to the welding school and still stay at the job I am now... I just want to keep expanding my knowledge..

[MBG]

Originally Posted by JavaDog I'm in the same (kinda) boat as you. I am getting very bored with the IT sector. I do Technical Support for the 'World's Largest Distributor of IT Products and Services'. They are a good company, and I love computers, but I am looking for something new. Just like you, I love to make things and wish to see finished products and be able to say "I did that". One of the hardest decisions has been if I should go back to school for CAD/Machining/CNC. It seems like having a ME degree is not worth what it used to be. But, it seems like a lot of the machine shop work is being outsourced to China. So, puts us in a bit of a pickle... I have decided to keep my current job and go back to school for CAD/Design work. I figured this background, and what I am learning/self-teaching about CNC/Machining, will put me in a decent spot for some interesting jobs in the future. Well, that's the hope anyway...

this does NOT sound good.. You have an ME degree and you say it's not worth what it used to be?? I was reading in manufacturing engineer that people with degrees is needed in the economy... :\??

[JavaDog]

Originally Posted by MBG this does NOT sound good.. You have an ME degree and you say it's not worth what it used to be?? I was reading in manufacturing engineer that people with degrees is needed in the economy... :\??

Oh no no no, I don't have an ME degree. I was told by a few ME's that the degree, what with the outsourcing, isn't worth what it used to be.

I'm not sure how accurate it is, and I am sure it depends on what field you are looking at going into...

One of the things I noticed, looking around, is that all the jobs I was finding for people with ME degrees are looking for people with 5-10 (10 years!) experience! I couldn't find ANYTHING that wanted an ME that didn't need at least 5yrs exp. So, for me, I wasn't sure that the cost and time spent earning an ME degree would change anything for me. Nasty Catch-22 that we see in a lot of 'specialised' fields (ROV operators are the same).

[MBG]

Originally Posted by JavaDog Oh no no no, I don't have an ME degree. I was told by a few ME's that the degree, what with the outsourcing, isn't worth what it used to be. I'm not sure how accurate it is, and I am sure it depends on what field you are looking at going into...

ahh ok... I don't know I thought there was a depend with the need of engineers... God this is so confusing!!!.....

[Mcgyver]

obviously this is just imo, so take it for what its worth, but out of respect for getting more than a one line post out of ya, I’ll blabber on a bit

when you say you are a machinist by trade and step above a button pusher, that concerns me. Are you a machinist? ie served your apprenticeship and have your papers? a machinist is many steps above a button pusher. I'm not stating this to call you out on it, but to make the point that if you are not really a machinist, but like me and just like working with metal, you've got to pick something and stick to it until you earn the credentials (unless like me its just a hobby). That’s the first thing you need to address towards building a career

you've an inquisitive mind which is good, but you also need to combine that with follow though. Don't let being inquisitive make you flighty - never finishing things and always chasing after the next thing that catches your eye. I'm assuming that you are young so don’t expect everything to happen instantly. In the grand scheme if you work in a job for a year that ultimately proves not to be your career, so what? learn while you are there, make some money, and use the after hours time for self improvement like the welding course.

as far as being bored or wanting to see the finished product, I don’t get that. Figure out what you want. The people that see the most finished product are retail workers and that’s the definition of boredom. be patient. and remember every vocation has its moments. even a brain surgeon gets a little bored after his 200th lobotomy.

good quality education is a great idea and as Wigit says is lifelong endeavor. When you are in the thick of it, the day job can seem like the focus and education secondary. But remember, in the midst of figuring out a career, one can make all kinds of bad decisions and look back and have not much to show for it. The education and certs you picked up along the way are yours and are real and in hindsight might seem like the best thing to come out that phase with.

[MBG]

Originally Posted by Mcgyver obviously this is just imo, so take it for what its worth, but out of respect for getting more than a one line post out of ya, I’ll blabber on a bit when you say you are a machinist by trade and step above a button pusher, that concerns me. Are you a machinist? ie served your apprenticeship and have your papers? a machinist is many steps above a button pusher. I'm not stating this to call you out on it, but to make the point that if you are not really a machinist, but like me and just like working with metal, you've got to pick something and stick to it until you earn the credentials (unless like me its just a hobby). That’s the first thing you need to address towards building a career you've an inquisitive mind which is good, but you also need to combine that with follow though. Don't let being inquisitive make you flighty - never finishing things and always chasing after the next thing that catches your eye. I'm assuming that you are young so don’t expect everything to happen instantly. In the grand scheme if you work in a job for a year that ultimately proves not to be your career, so what? learn while you are there, make some money, and use the after hours time for self improvement like the welding course. as far as being bored or wanting to see the finished product, I don’t get that. Figure out what you want. The people that see the most finished product are retail workers and that’s the definition of boredom. be patient. and remember every vocation has its moments. even a brain surgeon gets a little bored after his 200th lobotomy. good quality education is a great idea and as Wigit says is lifelong endeavor. When you are in the thick of it, the day job can seem like the focus and education secondary. But remember, in the midst of figuring out a career, one can make all kinds of bad decisions and look back and have not much to show for it. The education and certs you picked up along the way are yours and are real and in hindsight might seem like the best thing to come out that phase with.

I say button pusher cause really that is all I do right now :\.... I went to trade school I got all the papers (from the state) I am a certified machinist. I work with the boss and he ususally sets up everything for me and says just load the parts... That is how my day goes... I know that I have to be better in my programming to get where he is at but what I am trying to say is that I want to say mmm "diversify"... I want to be able to weld I want to be able to turn the dials... I dont know

I guess I am young and do'nt know what I want... but as I was always told EDUCATION WILL NEVER HURT YOU...

[MBG]

But as in finished product I would like to learn about more metal fabrication... like making stuff that actuall look like you use everyday like window frames in your commercial buildings... or garage doors or something like that I dont know those things would be cool...

[miljnor]

That "catch 22 " that you noticed about experience has ALWAYS been a problem through almost all levels of business!

I remember when I was just out of high school and going to college for my ME (which I didn't get do to other opportunities) and noticed there wasn't a lot out there for someone with no experience in what ever field I happened to be looking at.

What it basically comes down to is do you really have the experience? I did but it was writing programs for myself and not in any business capacity. So after I decided to list these experiences I started to get calls back from some of the applications that I submitted.

So in short don't sell yourself short use all of your experiences on the resume. Once you get the interview that’s when the interviewer will ask what and where. Treat an interview like you are interviewing them not the other way around. The confidence and self-assurance that you show will most likely get you a job. AND whatever you do don't go into a company with the attitude that this is the only job for me, (this puts you on the defensive) you want to be relaxed. The worst that will happen is you wont get a job from that employer. No sweat, its just practice for the next interview.

In fact you should purposely pick a job you don't want and maybe don't have enough qualifications for. Just go in there with the attitude that I am just getting practice for a job interview. You are much more relaxed when you know you aren’t going to work for them. And whatever you do don't pick something that if they decide they like you they will hire you..Kinda defeats the purpose of practicing..

Of course the above methodology is only if you need the confidence boost (I did when I was younger). My bad habit was if I had an interview I was hoping to get the job and didn't schedule anything else. So it was one interview at a time.. Schedule a lot of them (especially if your not working, you don't have anything better to do. Right?)

Treat looking for a job as a job!

Hope my rambling helps.

The other option (which I don't wish on my worst enemies) is open your own business. I did and it was pure hell for the first 5 years, but I made it and am now doing well. But it WAS hell.

[MBG]

Originally Posted by miljnor That "catch 22 " that you noticed about experience has ALWAYS been a problem through almost all levels of business! I remember when I was just out of high school and going to college for my ME (which I didn't get do to other opportunities) and noticed there wasn't a lot out there for someone with no experience in what ever field I happened to be looking at. What it basically comes down to is do you really have the experience? I did but it was writing programs for myself and not in any business capacity. So after I decided to list these experiences I started to get calls back from some of the applications that I submitted. So in short don't sell yourself short use all of your experiences on the resume. Once you get the interview that’s when the interviewer will ask what and where. Treat an interview like you are interviewing them not the other way around. The confidence and self-assurance that you show will most likely get you a job. AND whatever you do don't go into a company with the attitude that this is the only job for me, (this puts you on the defensive) you want to be relaxed. The worst that will happen is you wont get a job from that employer. No sweat, its just practice for the next interview. In fact you should purposely pick a job you don't want and maybe don't have enough qualifications for. Just go in there with the attitude that I am just getting practice for a job interview. You are much more relaxed when you know you aren’t going to work for them. And whatever you do don't pick something that if they decide they like you they will hire you..Kinda defeats the purpose of practicing.. Of course the above methodology is only if you need the confidence boost (I did when I was younger). My bad habit was if I had an interview I was hoping to get the job and didn't schedule anything else. So it was one interview at a time.. Schedule a lot of them (especially if your not working, you don't have anything better to do. Right?) Treat looking for a job as a job! Hope my rambling helps. The other option (which I don't wish on my worst enemies) is open your own business. I did and it was pure hell for the first 5 years, but I made it and am now doing well. But it WAS hell.

yea I would like to open a business but what though... :\... I would like to have a product or something like the "seamless gutters' (which I really don't know anything about ) but I need experience before I start a business anyway...