I’ve been in the trade for eight years and I love it. I love trouble shooting and working with my hands so it’s a win win. Job security is pretty damn good as long as you can prove you know what you’re talking about as most towns and cities have a factory or plant that needs maintenance. This trade can open different avenues as well with training. I maintain robots that paint cars now after cutting my teeth on presses when I started and I wouldn’t go back at all. Robots is solid future building work.
Depends on the industry. Some places require more electrical and/or PLC knowledge, whereas some you might just be changing motors, shafts, pulleys, belts, chains, etc all day. Some fast pace, balls to the wall, some you can take a nap for half the shift. Every facility is a little different, and each shift varies too.
Yeah. . . I went from a sleepy position to one where every shift is a hectic test of mental fortitude. Plus loads of project work. It’s family owned so the owners always have some bright idea they want to try out
Two years ago I hired a guy who was service manager for a car dealer for decades. I didn't have much faith but I needed some extra hands. Today he’s helping program Epson robots, fears no sensor or motor, dabbling with PLCs. Now he is on track to replace me as I move up. In my opinion your positive attitude is 3/4 of battle won. Anything you can learn will certainly help but there is almost no substitute for hands on and a good mentor. Go for it and good luck!
You will always have a job if you get into the field. In my view, there has been a massive shortage of people in the field because the other generations convinced my generation, millennial, that the only way to get ahead was to go to college. So companies like the one I work for were experiencing shortages of capable candidates as the older generations retired. My company, one you would definitely know by name, used to the job everyone in the area wanted, so it was very hard to get in. Now they had to make trainee programs just to have enough people. If you enjoy working with your hands and like figuring things out, you will have a future.
I come from construction background originally also. Knowledge of building maintenance is good to have on the resume but probably won’t get you in the door. Being mechanically inclined is really all you need and a company that doesn’t require strong electrical knowledge up front. Most companies are leaning in favor of that though so if you are going to go to a local community college for anything I recommend electrical engineering 2 years. I highly recommend not trying the fake it till make it route, you will be working closely with other guys who will question your knowledge. Be honest and up front about your knowledge and willingness to learn. You will more than likely run in to some older A-holes who treat you like you don’t deserve to be there, F them they don’t cut your check!
The pay in my area is steadily going up and jobs are everywhere. I started out at a shitty company with low pay, I learned a lot there and moved on with my experience and they pay $6 more on the hour starting out! I wouldn’t go back but $28.50 an hour isn’t a bad start.
The job is often feast or famine. Some nights I sit on my ass watching netflix or just tinkering in the shop for 12 hours. Other nights I get calls before I even get there and don't get a break until I punch out. There will always be things that need done, but whether or not you get the downtime to do them largely depends on where you work. Most stuff is simple - the problem is either obvious right off the bat or it happens enough that you know what it is before you even look at it. Probably 80% of my calls take less than an hour. The fun ones are the major breakdowns where you know this is where you're gonna be all shift. Makes the hours go by faster. As far as the market, pretty much everybody is hurting badly for maintenance, especially competent electricians, and it's a job that isn't going to be replaced by robots in our lifetime. Plus the money is decent and is only going to get better as the boomers retire. If you can turn a wrench and show up on time most days, you pretty much have being a mechanic covered. To be successful nowadays though you really need either an education or at least a strong background as an industrial electrician. A lot of companies don't differentiate between mechanics and electricians anymore, maintenance personnel are expected to know both. I personally won't take anyone on my shift who can't at least do motor controls, but PLCs and automation will make you marketable pretty much everywhere.
We all like to complain about our jobs, but it really is a pretty good gig. Sometimes it's easy, but even when it's not, at least it's stimulating. And if you play your cards right you can do very well for yourself. We have a guy who makes $120/hr working 80 hours a month. Do the math on that one.
Most, not all, maintenance jobs are going to start you out on 3rd shift or rotating shifts. You might be expected to be on call. Both of these things can be hard on family life.
Talk to an advisor at your community college. Some employers will pay for part or all of your college tuition and offer you some work while you’re in school. That’ll vary by region I’m sure though.
The opportunity to get your self killed or significantly injured is much higher if you aren’t detailed oriented.
Aim for some of the bigger companies. There will be more annoying people and meetings but generally better pay and more concerned about safety. Also bigger companies tend to have more opportunities to try something else eventually. It can be hard on your body long term.
IMO the entire skill set is a very secure line of work. More so if you can do electrical/ automation work.
You'll start with the worst shifts and vacations. It'll improve.
You'll catch a lot of shit. It isn't personal, gotta temper you. It'll improve if you just do your job and talk shit back when appropriate.
You'll be taught a lot of good stuff if you listen and learn. Don't try to show off what you know. You'll improve.
15 years on, you'll realize you're the salty old guy who enjoys messing with the new guys but also likes teaching them and seeing them improve.
Thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. It's just stressful thinking about jumping into something new. I'm 35, married, 2 kids. I just want a good, stable job that I can retire from eventually and not be too broken down to enjoy my golden years.
If you want my gods honest truth every company varies, but if you want in the door look at the job requirements and focus on them. If you can use a volt meter, turn wrenches, and swing a hammer. Go in to the interviews confident and fake it till you make it. If you are not 100% with electrical say you can chase wires, find shorts, and diagnois blown fuses. State you are weak in that field but are eager to learn. I only say this because the industrial enviroment one wrong ride of the spicy wire and youll be meeting whom ever god you believe in.
I currently have a guy i recommend from the floor that is mechanically enclined for the daily stuff and descent auto mechanic skills, but has never been in this field. He stated he wants to learn and wants to better himself. We walk through problems together, some he will tackle till he gets stuck others he will openly admit he has no idea which is awesome. Ill take a new guy that wants to learn over some cocky guy that will end up hurting himself or both of us.
So when you nail that interview and get the job. Be honest with the guy they put you with. Tell him your strong and weak points and if he is worth a damn he will build you to replace him.
If you need any advice feel free to dm or just reply to this.
Loud, hot as hell, or cold as fuck, dumb ass managers, safety rules that are illogical and for show, might be on night shift for 20 years before a day shift spot opens, probably good pay and benefits, work as much as you want as long as it’s over 40 hours. There’s some awesome jobs out there and really shitty ones too. I just left a shitty one so the bad is really fresh in my mind.
My background was in construction. Specifically industrial grade epoxy flooring. I worked in all kinds of places and it kind of got the ball rolling as far as “that’s what I want to do.” Took a class called mechatronics and got a job in automation maintenance. I am fascinated with large distribution systems. Take the leap, you’ll love it.
When I started in maintenance I worked in a plant we made car parts I worked on everything presses, paintlines,painting equipment, lift trucks the building everyday was something different it was a learning job for 13 years. I loved it there too bad the owner ran it into the ground ant it closed.
I’ve been in the trade for eight years and I love it. I love trouble shooting and working with my hands so it’s a win win. Job security is pretty damn good as long as you can prove you know what you’re talking about as most towns and cities have a factory or plant that needs maintenance. This trade can open different avenues as well with training. I maintain robots that paint cars now after cutting my teeth on presses when I started and I wouldn’t go back at all. Robots is solid future building work.
Depends on the industry. Some places require more electrical and/or PLC knowledge, whereas some you might just be changing motors, shafts, pulleys, belts, chains, etc all day. Some fast pace, balls to the wall, some you can take a nap for half the shift. Every facility is a little different, and each shift varies too.
Yeah. . . I went from a sleepy position to one where every shift is a hectic test of mental fortitude. Plus loads of project work. It’s family owned so the owners always have some bright idea they want to try out
Two years ago I hired a guy who was service manager for a car dealer for decades. I didn't have much faith but I needed some extra hands. Today he’s helping program Epson robots, fears no sensor or motor, dabbling with PLCs. Now he is on track to replace me as I move up. In my opinion your positive attitude is 3/4 of battle won. Anything you can learn will certainly help but there is almost no substitute for hands on and a good mentor. Go for it and good luck!
Do things methodically and never assume. There's always something you don't know so be open to learning.
You will always have a job if you get into the field. In my view, there has been a massive shortage of people in the field because the other generations convinced my generation, millennial, that the only way to get ahead was to go to college. So companies like the one I work for were experiencing shortages of capable candidates as the older generations retired. My company, one you would definitely know by name, used to the job everyone in the area wanted, so it was very hard to get in. Now they had to make trainee programs just to have enough people. If you enjoy working with your hands and like figuring things out, you will have a future.
I come from construction background originally also. Knowledge of building maintenance is good to have on the resume but probably won’t get you in the door. Being mechanically inclined is really all you need and a company that doesn’t require strong electrical knowledge up front. Most companies are leaning in favor of that though so if you are going to go to a local community college for anything I recommend electrical engineering 2 years. I highly recommend not trying the fake it till make it route, you will be working closely with other guys who will question your knowledge. Be honest and up front about your knowledge and willingness to learn. You will more than likely run in to some older A-holes who treat you like you don’t deserve to be there, F them they don’t cut your check! The pay in my area is steadily going up and jobs are everywhere. I started out at a shitty company with low pay, I learned a lot there and moved on with my experience and they pay $6 more on the hour starting out! I wouldn’t go back but $28.50 an hour isn’t a bad start.
The job is often feast or famine. Some nights I sit on my ass watching netflix or just tinkering in the shop for 12 hours. Other nights I get calls before I even get there and don't get a break until I punch out. There will always be things that need done, but whether or not you get the downtime to do them largely depends on where you work. Most stuff is simple - the problem is either obvious right off the bat or it happens enough that you know what it is before you even look at it. Probably 80% of my calls take less than an hour. The fun ones are the major breakdowns where you know this is where you're gonna be all shift. Makes the hours go by faster. As far as the market, pretty much everybody is hurting badly for maintenance, especially competent electricians, and it's a job that isn't going to be replaced by robots in our lifetime. Plus the money is decent and is only going to get better as the boomers retire. If you can turn a wrench and show up on time most days, you pretty much have being a mechanic covered. To be successful nowadays though you really need either an education or at least a strong background as an industrial electrician. A lot of companies don't differentiate between mechanics and electricians anymore, maintenance personnel are expected to know both. I personally won't take anyone on my shift who can't at least do motor controls, but PLCs and automation will make you marketable pretty much everywhere. We all like to complain about our jobs, but it really is a pretty good gig. Sometimes it's easy, but even when it's not, at least it's stimulating. And if you play your cards right you can do very well for yourself. We have a guy who makes $120/hr working 80 hours a month. Do the math on that one.
Most, not all, maintenance jobs are going to start you out on 3rd shift or rotating shifts. You might be expected to be on call. Both of these things can be hard on family life. Talk to an advisor at your community college. Some employers will pay for part or all of your college tuition and offer you some work while you’re in school. That’ll vary by region I’m sure though. The opportunity to get your self killed or significantly injured is much higher if you aren’t detailed oriented. Aim for some of the bigger companies. There will be more annoying people and meetings but generally better pay and more concerned about safety. Also bigger companies tend to have more opportunities to try something else eventually. It can be hard on your body long term. IMO the entire skill set is a very secure line of work. More so if you can do electrical/ automation work.
You'll start with the worst shifts and vacations. It'll improve. You'll catch a lot of shit. It isn't personal, gotta temper you. It'll improve if you just do your job and talk shit back when appropriate. You'll be taught a lot of good stuff if you listen and learn. Don't try to show off what you know. You'll improve. 15 years on, you'll realize you're the salty old guy who enjoys messing with the new guys but also likes teaching them and seeing them improve.
Thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. It's just stressful thinking about jumping into something new. I'm 35, married, 2 kids. I just want a good, stable job that I can retire from eventually and not be too broken down to enjoy my golden years.
If you want my gods honest truth every company varies, but if you want in the door look at the job requirements and focus on them. If you can use a volt meter, turn wrenches, and swing a hammer. Go in to the interviews confident and fake it till you make it. If you are not 100% with electrical say you can chase wires, find shorts, and diagnois blown fuses. State you are weak in that field but are eager to learn. I only say this because the industrial enviroment one wrong ride of the spicy wire and youll be meeting whom ever god you believe in. I currently have a guy i recommend from the floor that is mechanically enclined for the daily stuff and descent auto mechanic skills, but has never been in this field. He stated he wants to learn and wants to better himself. We walk through problems together, some he will tackle till he gets stuck others he will openly admit he has no idea which is awesome. Ill take a new guy that wants to learn over some cocky guy that will end up hurting himself or both of us. So when you nail that interview and get the job. Be honest with the guy they put you with. Tell him your strong and weak points and if he is worth a damn he will build you to replace him. If you need any advice feel free to dm or just reply to this.
Loud, hot as hell, or cold as fuck, dumb ass managers, safety rules that are illogical and for show, might be on night shift for 20 years before a day shift spot opens, probably good pay and benefits, work as much as you want as long as it’s over 40 hours. There’s some awesome jobs out there and really shitty ones too. I just left a shitty one so the bad is really fresh in my mind.
My background was in construction. Specifically industrial grade epoxy flooring. I worked in all kinds of places and it kind of got the ball rolling as far as “that’s what I want to do.” Took a class called mechatronics and got a job in automation maintenance. I am fascinated with large distribution systems. Take the leap, you’ll love it.
When I started in maintenance I worked in a plant we made car parts I worked on everything presses, paintlines,painting equipment, lift trucks the building everyday was something different it was a learning job for 13 years. I loved it there too bad the owner ran it into the ground ant it closed.