Machining Student Seeking advice

[johnallen]

Hello everyone,

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received early in your career?

 

[706jim]

Ask for listen to and respect the opinions and advice from those in the machining profession.

 

[TAIWA NUMBA WAAN]

Hello everyone,

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received early in your career?

I know this is gonna get hate on this forum, but I wouldn't get into the machining field unless you are starting at a medium or high wage.

I would tell you that any shop paying less than 30 dollars an hour will not result in a good quality of life for you. That's still under 60,000 dollars a year.

I would strongly advise you to accept employment solely on the basis that whatever job you are getting offered pays a sh*tload of money, either by hourly rates or overtime, and keep in mind that your goal will be to move up in wages, not stay at the same place forever.

I know a young guy in TexAss who got a job operating a specialized rotary welding machine for heavy truck parts. Pay, with overtime, was in the range of $110,000 annually. This lets you save money and also sets a wage floor for you when you move on to the next job.

So when you're applying for jobs, search for manufacturing companies that show signs of opulence - such as having a lot of new, high-end machinery, clean and tidy air-conditioned facilities, and a customer base that pays a lot for high value products.

This forum is full of machine shop owners who wish to pay minimal wages like ye olde' times and an attitude that you wouldn't want to work with. Avoid working for people like this. Get your first job at the highest possible hourly rate because it will set the precedent for every job you have after it. If you start low, you will always stay low, and you will probably end up miserable and with limited options.

BTW if you can land a job that pays over 100,000 dollars annually, work there for a few years while living cheap. Save a ton of money, and it will jump you from working class to upper-middle class for the rest of your life, even if you lose that job after a few years.

 

[mhajicek]

If you can, save up, buy a house out in the boonies with an insulated and heated/cooled shed or garage, buy a machine, and start a business. It's a lot easier to make money when you aren't paying a team of managers and executives off the back of your work.

 

[john.k]

I d hold out for a job where I could steal $30 billion.from suckers,sorry investors.......the hours are a lot better.

 

[Kingbob]

when cranking on a chuck wrench, especially on a big 4 jaw keep your elbows bent. the elbow is the weakest link in that chain only apply as much force as your bicep can handle. Straight arms and all the force your back and legs can produce will blow out an elbow, ask me how I know lol

 

[crossthread82]

Just because you meet someone with 30+ years in the trade doesn't mean they know shit. I've met plenty of tenured idiots through out my time, so take everyone's opinion with a grain of salt. You'll know a good one when you meet them.

Also your hands aren't hammers, good way to end up with carpal tunnel.

 

[plastikdreams]

Same op asking when he can be called a machinist...gonna go far in this trade uhhh huh

 

[Freedommachine]

Hello everyone,

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received early in your career?

Always have a plan, direction and goals to bring meaning to your life. Make the conscious effort to keep your career goals separate.

^^^ This one got me into a pretty low mental state in my mid twenties before I figured it out.

Invest invest invest. Learn all you can about money so that what you earn makes your life easier. The time is now, do not wait until you are 35 to start.

Wear earplugs whever you are in the shop and take safety seriously. Your future self will thank you!

 

[plastikdreams]

I'm beginning to think this guy is a troll...

 

[camhead420]

Bored at work on his phone?

 

[aj]

I just retired from machine shop last November after 47 years. My advice?

Get a job in computers. Make machining a hobby. My oldest son makes 3 times what I make. He just paid cash for his house ($430k).

 

[Freedommachine]

I'm beginning to think this guy is a troll...

Trolling for what? Advise? Oh no, the audacity...

 

[plastikdreams]

Trolling for what? Advise? Oh no, the audacity...

Makes threads about silly stuff and never comes back. I get the advise thing but really .

 

[johnallen]

Ask for listen to and respect the opinions and advice from those in the machining profession.

Thanks

 

[johnallen]

I know this is gonna get hate on this forum, but I wouldn't get into the machining field unless you are starting at a medium or high wage.

I would tell you that any shop paying less than 30 dollars an hour will not result in a good quality of life for you. That's still under 60,000 dollars a year.

I would strongly advise you to accept employment solely on the basis that whatever job you are getting offered pays a sh*tload of money, either by hourly rates or overtime, and keep in mind that your goal will be to move up in wages, not stay at the same place forever.

I know a young guy in TexAss who got a job operating a specialized rotary welding machine for heavy truck parts. Pay, with overtime, was in the range of $110,000 annually. This lets you save money and also sets a wage floor for you when you move on to the next job.

So when you're applying for jobs, search for manufacturing companies that show signs of opulence - such as having a lot of new, high-end machinery, clean and tidy air-conditioned facilities, and a customer base that pays a lot for high value products.

This forum is full of machine shop owners who wish to pay minimal wages like ye olde' times and an attitude that you wouldn't want to work with. Avoid working for people like this. Get your first job at the highest possible hourly rate because it will set the precedent for every job you have after it. If you start low, you will always stay low, and you will probably end up miserable and with limited options.

BTW if you can land a job that pays over 100,000 dollars annually, work there for a few years while living cheap. Save a ton of money, and it will jump you from working class to upper-middle class for the rest of your life, even if you lose that job after a few years.

I appreciate the advice.

 

[johnallen]

Always have a plan, direction and goals to bring meaning to your life. Make the conscious effort to keep your career goals separate.

^^^ This one got me into a pretty low mental state in my mid twenties before I figured it out.

Invest invest invest. Learn all you can about money so that what you earn makes your life easier. The time is now, do not wait until you are 35 to start.

Wear earplugs whever you are in the shop and take safety seriously. Your future self will thank you!

Much appreciated. I like the advice about investing.

 

[Freedommachine]

Much appreciated. I like the advice about investing.

I would suggest starting with a few books, or audiobooks.
• The wealthy barber
• The millionaire nextdoor
• Rich dad Poor dad
• The richest man in Babylon
• The art of money getting

Dig in, learn and do work. The older you become, the harder it gets.
Best of luck to you!

 

[johnallen]

I would suggest starting with a few books, or audiobooks.
• The wealthy barber
• The millionaire nextdoor
• Rich dad Poor dad
• The richest man in Babylon
• The art of money getting

Dig in, learn and do work. The older you become, the harder it gets.
Best of luck to you!

Thanks

 

[Digital Factory]

I just retired from machine shop last November after 47 years. My advice?

Get a job in computers. Make machining a hobby. My oldest son makes 3 times what I make. He just paid cash for his house ($430k).

Computer related fields are about to get hyper competitive thanks to AI disruption. Those tens of thousands of tech jobs that recently got axed up in the Bay Area aren't coming back.

In the last couple months, I got back into software development after a long hiatus. Times have changed. GPT-4 is a mega force multiplier. I'm able to get more done in a day than I used to get done in a week. And it's only going to get crazier from here on out.