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becoming an endangered species.
0patience
Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
The last few months, one of the largest mechanic trade schools in the nation has all but collapsed.
WyoTech was once one of the largest mechanic schools in the nation.
Now, most of their schools have or are closing.
So it gives a good indication of the trade I am in, that we are a dying breed.
As guys like me retire and leave the industry, for every 10 retiring or leaving, there are only 2 filling those positions.
Schools that once pumped out qualifies techs are now gone and community colleges are left to try and fill that void, which are really not equipped for it.
The last few heavy equipment tech positions that we had to fill, took 6-8 months to even get qualified applicants. We still have automotive tech positions not being filled.
High schools no longer have vocational classes and the same people who pulled funding for that, wonder why the skilled labor trades are disappearing.
On the one side, I make more than a lot of college graduates with fancy degrees.
On the other side, I may see the demise of my trade in my lifetime.
WyoTech was once one of the largest mechanic schools in the nation.
Now, most of their schools have or are closing.
So it gives a good indication of the trade I am in, that we are a dying breed.
As guys like me retire and leave the industry, for every 10 retiring or leaving, there are only 2 filling those positions.
Schools that once pumped out qualifies techs are now gone and community colleges are left to try and fill that void, which are really not equipped for it.
The last few heavy equipment tech positions that we had to fill, took 6-8 months to even get qualified applicants. We still have automotive tech positions not being filled.
High schools no longer have vocational classes and the same people who pulled funding for that, wonder why the skilled labor trades are disappearing.
On the one side, I make more than a lot of college graduates with fancy degrees.
On the other side, I may see the demise of my trade in my lifetime.
In Fumo Pax
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
Wylaff said:
Atmospheric pressure and crap.
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If you want to bomb me send it to Tony @0patience
If you are a newbie I got Dem nachos....
Keeping techs is hard everywhere.
Shops "sniping" techs from other shops.
Becauae I work fleet and heavy, I make considerably more than automotive techs. But the investment of bigger tools also means bigger investment.
And I totally agree about the wages for techs not keeping up.
Funny that the shop hour rates keep up, but yet there are places where techs are still at $18/hour. Why should someone invest $20k+ in tools to be an auto tech, when they can invest $1k in tools to be an electrician?
One little brother is a plumber by trade, max investment $1k. Makes almost as much as me
Another brother repairs cell towers and some other stuff, I don't really understand. In his truck, tools and computer stuff, he has more than me invested, but he owns the company. His workers invest a whopping $400 in tools.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
Now, field repairs are rare and manufacturers no longer publish schematics, everything is just replaced or upgraded to try and fix the problem and people just look for "feet on the street" for dispatches, but what took racks and buildings now has a small footprint.
He's got the drive, skills, passion, eye, and knowledge for it.
It wasn't until last week that I heard mom say he wasn't going to college. Good for her. He doesn't need it, though she has fears about it. If the restoration work doesn't pan out there's plenty of need for good mechanics all around. I'm thankful for tradesmen living out their vocation with integrity, using their god-given skills to keep schmucks like me driving, comfy in the HVAC, with water running down the drains and no holes in my pretty painted walls, etc.
I like Oliva and Quesada (including Regius) a lot. I will smoke anything, though.
The technology used to run vehicles is ever changing, about the only ones who can keep up with it are the dealers. Smaller shops just can keep up. The dealer are under a lot of pressure to keep their mechanics since they have a lot of money/time invested training them. So they get paid pretty well and there's not of them leaving the field.
I started out fixing mowers and small engines at small family run shop. Then moved on to a commercial grass cutting company and started working on trucks and bigger tractors. From there I moved on the working at construction companies as a mechanic and ended up running the shop.....All this and never went to a single school.
I've always say "You learn some of your best lessons for the mistakes you make"
I was a late bloomer to working on motors, had no idea how they worked till I was in my teens.
If you want to bomb me send it to Tony @0patience
If you are a newbie I got Dem nachos....
After looking at different options I got certified with the International Detailing Association, and also took a course with Mike Phillips getting first hand experience and learning a ton more about professional detailing and how to make money doing it. There will always be paint that needs correction, restoration and vehicles to be professionally detailed. The money can be good to $80-$150 an hour, depending on how fast you can get the whole vehicle done, and location. With having your own business that means no boss to tell you what to do also!!! The only down side to professional detailing is it's A LOT of physical work!
Can make good money doing a trade for a living, he'll electricians make $100 an hour all day long if not more. And installing septic systems hell those guys that own their business and do it make like $4-5K a day no joke!
Sad to see trade schools and even high school trade classes getting discontinued. America might have been designed behind a desk but it sure as hell didn't get built behind one!
Great quote
I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list.
Let's eat, GrandMa. / Let's eat GrandMa. -- Punctuation saves lives
It'll be fine once the swelling goes down.
I don't know what's going to happen when the infrastructure bill passes.
Diesel was mostly experience and knowledge to diagnose and repair.
Today, I have a laptop that connects to the trucks and heavy equipment.
I have 2 dump trucks that the computer will tell figure clutch wear and make adjustments to it.
Satellites can track them, the trucks talk to the manufacturer.
I get emails telling me when a truck trips a fault code and what it is.
Diagnostics is half mechanic work and half IT work, as was said earlier.
Everything on the heavy machines is becoming computer controlled.
We have graders that don't have a steering wheel, they have joystick controls.
In the next couple years, some of our dump trucks will have heads up displays for the snow removal equipment. That will be fun to diagnose.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.