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Career Change?
- Thread starter ki8dr
- Start date
thepumpguysc
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2010
- Messages
- 7,539
- Location
- Sunny South Carolina
- Occupation
- Master Inj.Pump rebuilder
Wow.. THATS a big step..
IDK your abilities so I wont comment,{very much,lol} but putting a machine on & off a trailer doesn't really qualify u as an operator.. I sincerely hope I didn't offend you, not my intension..
Now if u have years of experience RUNNING diff. pieces of equipment for money, that's a diff. story all together.. Good luck w/ your new adventure..
IDK your abilities so I wont comment,{very much,lol} but putting a machine on & off a trailer doesn't really qualify u as an operator.. I sincerely hope I didn't offend you, not my intension..
Now if u have years of experience RUNNING diff. pieces of equipment for money, that's a diff. story all together.. Good luck w/ your new adventure..
Experienced operators make good money...……..experienced being the key word. I repair the equipment and I can load it on a trailer, but I couldn't cut a grade to save my own life. If you want to learn then go for it by starting off with a small construction company. Be sure and listen closely to the old timers...….they know their S#$%.
thepumpguysc
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2010
- Messages
- 7,539
- Location
- Sunny South Carolina
- Occupation
- Master Inj.Pump rebuilder
THATS what I was "trying" to say..
especially w/ the "money" part of my response.. if someone is willing to PAY U to do a job for them, u must have some kind of experience.??
especially w/ the "money" part of my response.. if someone is willing to PAY U to do a job for them, u must have some kind of experience.??
Tinkerer
Senior Member
Welcome to HEF ki8dr !
You could contact the IUOE Local 18 apprenticeship coordinator and see if you could apply.
They may have an age limit tho.
The Chicago area - Local 150 is anticipating a shortage of 800 experienced operators this summer.
Which means that the apprenticeship program will need applicants.
You could contact the IUOE Local 18 apprenticeship coordinator and see if you could apply.
They may have an age limit tho.
The Chicago area - Local 150 is anticipating a shortage of 800 experienced operators this summer.
Which means that the apprenticeship program will need applicants.
funwithfuel
Senior Member
I thought you was s'posed to drop a gear to continue the climb, not grab a bigger one and pour the coals to it.
That said, I'm a dealer tech. I can function test my work, but as vetech said I couldn't cut grade if my life depended on it. I think we're just wired differently, Techs and ops that is. Can you grade, can you move mass earth, what have you done? The local is probably your best bet. Depending on where you're at infrastructure work should be getting let everywhere. They're gonna need ... wait for it... drug free, able and reliable bodies. You ain't gonna get no youngins like that.
Good luck
That said, I'm a dealer tech. I can function test my work, but as vetech said I couldn't cut grade if my life depended on it. I think we're just wired differently, Techs and ops that is. Can you grade, can you move mass earth, what have you done? The local is probably your best bet. Depending on where you're at infrastructure work should be getting let everywhere. They're gonna need ... wait for it... drug free, able and reliable bodies. You ain't gonna get no youngins like that.
Good luck
crane operator
Senior Member
Don't fall into the trap of the six week "operator" course from a diploma mill, after which you will have money thrown willy nilly at you by every construction company in the world. The six week wonder courses may give you a foot in the door, but its tough to foot that tuition bill. The schools love to have you look online and see a ad for a certified crane operator on a wind farm project making $47/ hour. But I'm just going to tell you that fresh out of school, no ones putting you in a $3 million dollar crane.
I get a lot of calls from guys right after graduation wondering why they can't get a job running a crane, with their certification card and graduation from school. I feel bad, but I just tell them the truth that with no experience, you get to start at the bottom just like everyone else, the certification card isn't a golden ticket. School isnt' the same as the job.
That said, I don't know what you actually are wanting to operate, but none of it comes fast. I can kind of run dirt moving equipment, but I can't do it like a guy that does it everyday. I'm much better with a boom in the air.
Man this is great stuff. I'm really glad to have found this forum. Yeah, what my motivation is just this-lately my hauls have not been that big. This has been the case past couple of seasons. Seems the need for RGN & Beam work has fallen off a bit. OK fine, but before I get any older maybe I should punch up my skill set a bit.
Additionally, My job hauling is not what you would call "Rocket Science" I've seen guy make it much harder than needs to be! I have always admired guys who could cut grade and be involved with mass moves etc. My reality, for now, would be with a small company doing rough grade and such. Also with me they might get a Two-Fur or Three-Fur. I'm an Ok Wrench too.
funwithfuel
Senior Member
Well, that sounds a little different than your opening statement. You have an outfit in mind? And your offering "all in". For example , "I can haul your Equipment, give me a chance to run your Equipment, BTW , I can help maintain your equipment as well. " That would seem like an ideal candidate for someone. Even though you would be learning the operating side at first, don't discount your 'whole package worth' too much for the opportunity. Good luck. Hope things shake out in your favor.
crane operator
Senior Member
I guy I know at a local dirt work contractor is kind of a jack of all trades for them. He drives the lowboy, dump truck, and turns wrenches. Will run backhoe or mini ex in a pinch. I think he likes doing a little bit of everything. Some guys just want to stay in a excavator and make a big hole. They don't want to jump from one thing to another.
I don't think there will be a huge difference in the money, whether you are operating, driving or turning wrenches. In fact if you are full time over the road driving, I would say you will probably make less money staying home and working local. If you are a good truck driver, most employers would rather pay you to do that well, as to pay you to learn to run equipment, which you are not going to be as good at starting out. It's going to come a little at a time. Such as when the loader man doesn't show up and you can help out. Or they are just short a skid loader man for a afternoon, cleaning up a jobsite.
I would say the turning wrenches would be the most physical amount of work, then operating, then driving truck.
I don't think there will be a huge difference in the money, whether you are operating, driving or turning wrenches. In fact if you are full time over the road driving, I would say you will probably make less money staying home and working local. If you are a good truck driver, most employers would rather pay you to do that well, as to pay you to learn to run equipment, which you are not going to be as good at starting out. It's going to come a little at a time. Such as when the loader man doesn't show up and you can help out. Or they are just short a skid loader man for a afternoon, cleaning up a jobsite.
I would say the turning wrenches would be the most physical amount of work, then operating, then driving truck.