LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
If your asking about a machinist position, it's all about experience, not so much education. A AA degree would be above 90 percent of applicants. Now if your going in to machine design or metrology, that's a different story.
| | |
Hello, I am wondering if it is better to get an associates or a bachelors degree in precision machine technology? What I would like to do, would be get on at a plant and then go into business for myself manufacturing guns and components. So, either route I go, I also plan to take class for gunsmithing. For a 4 year bachelors degree it would be around 40 grand where i could do the 2 year associates for around 6500. Is there any benefits of spending the extra 33 grand, just to say I have a bachelors degree. Are many of companies looking for guys with the bachelors or is a associates acceptable? Thanks for any help you guys can provide.
If your asking about a machinist position, it's all about experience, not so much education. A AA degree would be above 90 percent of applicants. Now if your going in to machine design or metrology, that's a different story.
Thinking of just starting as a machinist and make some connections, then expand to my own business. I was going on the course schedules for both program and the bachelors had a bunch of courses which in my opinion, wouldn't be beneficial to a machinist or business owner, where the AA seems more machine based classes.
Having an ME along with hands on experience is what most employers desire. Some employers/HR/recruiters are smart enough to understand that an ME without hands on experience is a waste of time.
The "holy grail" of manufacturing is to have the degree, CAD/CAM EXPERIENCE, and hands on machining experience. If you have those 3 in your "tool box", you'll garner attention from the best employers.
Also, when it's time to seek capital to start your business, intelligent investors will look at your resume, core knowledge & expertise to determine if you're worth the risk.
All the best of luck!
Also, in areas where the bachelors degree has no practical value, it is worth a great deal in impressing the "gatekeeper" in the HR department.
You may be able to transfer credits from the AA to the 4 yr. program and save a few bucks. Just be sure the schools you are thinking of are accredited and accept each others course work credits.
Be especially wary of the "on-line" degrees. Most resumes with those degrees on them are bound for the waste basket. There are real correspondence schools that are accredited and accepted. Easiest way to find out is to call a real state college/university and see if they will accept credits from any school you would want to get your degree from.
Dick Z
DZASTR
I don't mean this towards you but the first in my head was WHAT THE HELL?!??!!?!?Originally Posted by DCogswell
I have all three of three of these and it didn't come easy. I spent thousands of dollars, lost hours of sleep, and survived undue stress because I thought this was the way to go. Yet I'm applying for jobs and most of the time I get no response. I even put up a website to showcase all the crap I've done (Ravin Kumar)
I mean a quick rundown of my skills.
ME Degree from Cal Poly Pomona with all pertinent ME skills (Solidworks, Rhino3d, Matlab, Ansys/Cosmos/FEA, Labview)
President of Formula Hybrid team where we built a car, welding, machining, composites fab and all
Two years hands on practice with composites production. I even own a forum dedicated to this now Composites Central Forum - The #1 forum for composites discussion
I can write G code by hand, novice level of Mastercam and went through Haas Mill and Lathe Training. I can Tig, MIG and stick weld pretty readily, not pretty but holds for sure. And I can use Bridgeport manual mills and lathes, burning hot chips and all, to make usable parts.
On top of all this I have character certifications such as Eagle Scout.
Am I Military/AWS/CWSP certified? No but you start talking to me about chip load, burning rod, stress risers I'll know what you're talking about. I'll never be the engineer that asks for perfect 90 square corners or 12 feet of Tig weld on a sewer grate "just cause it looks nice"
So what gives?! I thought all this stuff would make me at least base level employable but no one calls?
</rant>
Something must be going on...initially, this is what I'm thinking;
What area do you live in or want to live in?
How many years have you been a machinist?
Do your compensation requirements coincide with your private industry experience?
Based on a few minutes of surfing your site, my impression would be that you would prefer an open environment where you would work on long term projects. As opposed to an environment that is more controlled, like most manufacturing jobs. This impression could limit your opportunities.
As a hiring manager, there were a couple things that would concern me, here's an example; when you list the CAD/CAM software packages, you don't mention "CAD" or "CAM" and those are industry standard terms when referring to Solidworks and Mastercam respectively. This would be a red flag that maybe you only have cursory experience with those design & machining tools.
Even for my own resume, I refrain from mentioning skills where I don't consider myself an expert at. And I know how to design with Solidworks & AutoCad and know how to generate G-Code with Mastercam & Esprit. During live interviews, I do mention that I have "working knowledge" of those software packages.
Any suggestions that I may have would be to consider your audience and develop your portfolio accordingly. This may require that you have different portfolios that focus on different aspects of your expertise depending on the position available.
Nice website though, your thoroughness would be a positive check mark on my checklist.
Good luck!
Thanks for the replies. I think I will attend the 4 year university. Cost shouldn't be an issue, since I have a 529 and will be receiving instate tuition. On the topic of Cad/Cam, I have a grasp of both SolidWorks and Mastercam, enough to get myself in trouble. I almost have an associates in welding, so I hope that helps to. Once again, I would like to thank you guys for you input.
I live in Southern California in my parent's house. I haven't been able to apply more than 50 miles from here since I need to spend 1 more quarter getting my degree. I wouldn't call myself a machinist, welder, fabricator or anything like that. The title implies professional experience. I would say that I'm a mechanical engineering student with a hell of a lot more dirty hands on experience than my peers.
I haven't had the chance to discuss compensation so it's been a non issue. 50 to 60k is what I'm expecting.
Thanks for the advice,
I haven't tested any of those fab skills in a business environment since I'm having difficulty getting a job but it's sort of a catch 22 where I'm trying to learn as much as I can to get a job. Thank you so much for the feedback though. I can't tell you how frustrating it be not only rejected, but rejected with no idea of how to adjust my approach.
Last edited by canyon289; 09-02-2011 at 01:50 AM.
a different thought What ideas do you have that make yours unique?
Can you define them to a machinist? on paper or on CAD.
If your creations are unique, (patentable)
then just skip the D.I.Y. machining and contract that out.
Get it in production and sell it.
A lot cheaper and quicker than a 4 yr degree.
Been doing this too long
bostoch, was that for me or canyon?
Posting Permissions
| | |
