New guy to this site needs some advice!!!!

[cmrhoades1]

I am a 23 year old from omaha nebraska that has been around dirt his entire life. started running a dw15 cat scraper in az when I was 15. When i finished high school i worked for ames on a railroad project for the first 6 monthes after i graduated. When they were talking about moving on I went to work for the 2nd biggest scraper contractor in eastern nebraska and western iowa. I have been there going on 5 years and have been on the pushcat for the last 2 to 3 years.

I am interested in moving wherever i can move bigger dirt. From what im told socal is really slow i didnt know if this was still true.

Im not interested in apprenticships anywhere unless i can immiediatly test out of them and get joureyman scale. I make $20 and hour now plus benefits. I am near being promoted for supervision now. By no means doIi have it figured out but I would like to think I can fit in anywhere right away and not cause disappointment. I can run scraper very well, dozer equally as well, pushcat exellent, rough blade, rough track loader, rough hoe.

Is there a better place for me to go? Am i dreaming if im thinking I can go anywhere and get a pushcat and journeyman scale at the age of 23 with only 5 years experiance? Am i stupid for thinking that i can do better or for getting bored with dirt here?

Please help

[cmrhoades1]

Bump

[stock]

I am a 23 year old I have been there going on 5 years and have been on the pushcat for the last 2 to 3 years.

Still very young and limited experience

I am interested in moving wherever i can move bigger dirt. I make $20 and hour now plus benefits. I am near being promoted for supervision now.

If this is imminent why would you want to move ? Get some experience at this level then look to move on ........

Is there a better place for me to go? Am i dreaming if im thinking I can go anywhere and get a pushcat and journeyman scale at the age of 23 with only 5 years experiance? Am i stupid for thinking that i can do better or for getting bored with dirt here?

Please help

As I am only speaking from my experience and not being familiar with your local system; you might look a a senior college and do a management or engineer degree as a mature student................

[cmrhoades1]

Thank you for your oppinion sir. I am not interested in getting out of a machine and into and office position. The reason I would like to move elsewhere is lack of work here. I have only made $40,000 a year here the last few years and have not been extremly busy. I also feel that to gain experiance like you say I still need, Im not going to get that working in the same part of the country in the same type of soil all the time.

For the most part just looking for better oppurtunity to make some good money, and see some differant things.

[hammerdwn20]

your complaining about only making 40k? Im 25 and havent made near that yet and im in NJ.
Stick where you are. its a big risk changing jobs in this economy. last one hired probably first to be let go. the grass isnt always greener on the other side

[cmrhoades1]

I was just curious in any economy there is always a somewhere that has a big boom of work where you should be able to make above average money. Just curious where that might be. If the grass isnt greener on the other side I can always come back to where I am now. Not really a chance of burning my bridge persay. Who knows if I find somewhere to go and give my 2 weeks maybe they will see what they are gonna lose and offer me more money!!!!!

Thanks for the repys keep them coming

[hammerdwn20]

Good luck. let us know how you make out

[cmrhoades1]

Probably not leaving were I am at... Just dreamin. Seems I may be lucky to be as busy as I am.

[hammerdwn20]

At least you can move up in your company. Im kind of at a dead end with where im at. sucks being one of three employees when the other two are my boss and his father. Seat time is very little. I dont think we put over 100hrs on any piece of equipment throughout the year. i think the dozer is 13yrs old and has 350hrs on it haha
Wanna trade jobs?

[cmrhoades1]

I have room for advancement but not over grade and site foreman. And that's just more responsiblity and no more money hardly. Lack of scraper work around omaha means no hours.
All that said its still boring Nebraska.
But in response to your position. Lol. I guess one mans trash is anothers treasure.

[grandpa]

cmrhoades1 I commend you for your ambition to better yourself. Don't listen to anyone but yourself. New millionaires are made in this country still everyday. If you have the same idea's as everyone else your gonna end up like everyone else. Its your life, get out there live it and enjoy everyday you have.
Its ok to dream,,, dream big, dream little whichever trips your trigger. Life at 23 seem's a pretty long time.. but trust me it goes faster than you can ever imagine. Can you imagine staying where your at turning 60 years old at the same job and saying to yourself, I wonder where i'd be today if I'd have followed my heart. On a closing note, keep us posted as to where you end up.... Good luck whichever path you trundle down.... Gramps

[cmrhoades1]

Thank you sir!!!!

[montster01]

try Gillette, wy we dont have the biggest equipment but we are looking for people. one track hoe bucket here will fill a 621/627, we have over 20 D11's 5 hitachi ex2500 track hoes. and 3 walking draglines with two more on the way.
try www.peabodyenergy.com or www.wyomingatwork.com

[oldtanker]

LOL What are you expecting from a bigger city? Excitement? I'll bet that Omaha has most of the facilities that a bigger city has. Only real difference is that a bigger city has more than one of each type. Will not take you long to get in a rut going to the same establishments time and again.

Look at Fargo ND and then look at the twin cities. Sure the TC area offers a few things that Fargo is lacking but not much and what they do have amy not be of interest to you. Biggest thing that can be very exciting that Fargo lacks is the crime rate!

I grew up about 45 miles from NYC and was in Philly as a kid and teen at least 7 or 8 times a year.....then when I was 16 we moved to farm country! I could care less! I love the farm! Ain't afraid to go to the cities but really there ins't much there that I want or need.

You may be looking at a better paying job but before you jump look up the cost of living.....you may find that you have more free money where u are at!

Rick

[monkey]

I have a friends son that just turned 19, he's working in Texas on some pipeline stuff, clears in the neighborhood of 1200 a week, think he said the dozer guys get about 40 bucks an hour. Not sure on all the particulars. Those numbers just kinda stood out when we were chatting......he was thinking about quitting, because his girlfriend lives in Mississippi and he didn't like/trust being away from her

The foibles of youth