How do you get a journeymans card

[friday07]

I have been machining for about 15 years. I lead a small machine shop for a large manufacturing company. I am also about ready to get my degree in manufacturing engineering. I really enjoy machining and focusing my study's in machining. I would like to get as much creditials in my field as I can. I guess my question is how do you obtain a journeymans card, and is there any other creditials out there for the field of machining. I have been shelter, I have only worked a two companies in my entire career. I feel I have a lot to learn still, So I have made this my life time goal to study the field of machining and manufacturing. I would be grateful for any help and advice on achieving this goal.

Thanks,
friday07

[crazythunder]

Honestly now a days they are useless. Experience and being able to do what you say you can do will open any door. Just to many people claim to have experience and ability only to fall flat on their face. All the paper in the world will only get you so far. Being able to walk the walk and talk the talk will get you a lot further and open more doors for upward advancement. That Degree will do more than the Journeyman Card every will.
Good luck in your search.

[rharter52]

I served a 4 year accredited toolmaker apprenticeship in the state of NJ from 1970 until 1974.I worked 10hr's a day in a shop and attened night school 3 nights a week.There are no more apprentice programs that I know of.Now we get guys with impressive resume's that can't read a simple blueprint.They don't usually make it through the first day.The one good thing about this trade is that you cannot hide, either you can make something or you should move to the quality side of the business,most of those guys cant machine anything but you can be sure they will try to tell you how to do it.

[doanwannapickle]

Journeyman's card really is a rather obsolete credential these days. Even "back in the day" it was a bit of a union thing. Apprenticeships were government sanctioned and certified but they are long gone.

With your level of experience you might consider looking into joining the SME and getting certified as manufacturing engineer. It's basically an eight hour exam in your specific field. Intense but not a big deal if you know what you should know. At the end you get to put criptic letters after your signature.

Regards,
Walt
CMfgE

[chipsinpan]

Back when I served my apprentiship ( 1974-78 ), it was basically a contract between me , the state and the company . We had to keep a logbook on how many hours we served on each machine , and that was how we progressed in pay too . The only tangible proof I ever got was a diploma from the tech school , proving that I had 720 hrs of "related instruction". I don't know if anyone would ever be able to prove or disprove that I am a journeyman. When the company closed up and screwed us all out of a pension , it became somewhat of a moot point as to my proven skill .
But I did feel that my training was something of great value that I was able to take with me and build a career on . I once asked an older machinist what made a "Master Machinist" ( as master electrician, master plumber etc ) There is no way to achive that status in any proven way except in your own mind

[+or-.0005]

I had many excuses for never getting any degree, didnt need it , to busy ,met to many that had it but it didnt help thier skills we will say . On the other hand I have missed a couple oppourtunitys because I have not been accredited even though we literally grew up in a machine shop , stood on step ladder to change back gear on bp , went to 3yrs votech in hs been in the field for 30yrs worked for myself and others good jobs bad jobs, now I have an opp , once again no paperwork . My saving factor in this case maybe these guys would love for me to have my journeymans card which I have no idea how to go about doing , but can be done , Would be worth it good job easy hrs, low stress .Good luck let me know if you find anything out on the card.
Qualified but not certified

[juergenwt]

I was a tool room foreman for a large company for over twenty years. Here in short is my experience:
I would always look for someone with a journeyman's certificate because it was proof that person had a good working knowledge and new the basics of the trade. I would prefer journeyman's certificates from countries like Sweden, Germany, Switzerland or the UK. because I knew in order to get his certificate he would have had to pass a very strict test. Many US companies did have a very good training program turning out qualified people. I did not expect these people to be top of the line to start, but there was a solid base on which you could build. Unfortunately our Industry and may I say our Government saw no advantage in providing the training required for today's manufacturing sector and the results are here for all to see. The Bean counters won.
As for people coming in without a certificate - I had some good luck. Experience counts!
But in general - be prepared to suffer total failure at a time when you least expect it. There was something missed in his years of on the job training and it showed up when you least expected it. Something basic!
Now, many people claim they worked themselves in to it and are experts in what they are doing and that may be true. But than when you least expect it they will fall down.
This is by no means a full thumbs up to the people with a certificate, because you can have a dud everywhere and a young man who worked his rear end off learning the trade but was not able to get a certificate is worth a lot more than someone with a certificate who later just flat lined.

[Jhjr]

I don't know what state you live in but here in Pa you can still get it. I'm going through it right now. My employer scrapped the program about 5 years ago. I pled with them to bring it back. They did. I'm not learning very much because the machines that I'm running, I have been running them for the last 12 years. I fill out a log book & do a correspondence course with the state approved school. I have learned a few things from the bookwork. It's a 4 year program. A journeyman makes more money at my employer than an operator does. Hence why I pled with them to bring it back plus the papers never hurt. The school that we used is Penn foster. Maybe you could call them and they could direct you where to call for your area. Hth