Any Millwrights here?

[Drache]

I just got a call from a Family friend who teaches many industrial type courses. One of these courses is the "Pre-Apprenticeship Millwright" course. He told me he would be willing to teach me the course free of charge on my own time over the next month or two (however long the course takes). Then if I can talk him into it, I would apprentice under him.

I know the money is decent, this guy refuses to work for less than $60 an hour. Something to look into. 

[ws23rt]

I am.---
It is one of the construction trades like carpenter, electrician, piledriver, piperfitter, etc.

When I started my apprenticeship in 1976 (a four year training that graduated in wage) it was hard to get into the trade. Qualification and testing were required to just start at the bottom.

I chose this path for me because it fit with my mechanical interests and has given me almost 40 years of satisfying work and many big projects have my fingerprints all over them.

One important factor (for me) of the "construction" millwright part of the craft is that I have not had a steady job since 1976. In my case that has been part of what fit my style.  A new job and new people all the time.

The up side for me is I have made a very good living from it.  The down side is that the union side that I started with (and still am a part of) has changed significantly. The qualification to start and become a journeyman has been compromised over the years. The admission hoops to jump through have been widened to the point that almost any one off the street can walk through them.---Just pay money---The affect of that evolution has made many projects that I have been a supervisor/general foreman on a challenge way beyond the projects needs. The millwrights dispatched are a mix of a few people that know the trade and many that don't have a clue what's going on. I as a supervisor am taxed with the job of keeping these clueless folks from getting hurt or getting in the way.  It is a shame to waste the owners money like that but it's the way of now.

Advice for someone that has researched what millwrights do is make sure it fits who you are. If that works $100k + per year can be had with dedication and motivation.  Travel and uneven schedules are part of the trade.

Their is lots of heavy industry that has been running for many years on a shoe string and that means lots of repair and rebuilding needs to be done.---Paper machines--steam turbines/power plants--hydro/dams--etc.

[twodko]

Word.

[moparnation74]

The up side for me is I have made a very good living from it.  The down side is that the union side that I started with (and still am a part of) has changed significantly. The qualification to start and become a journeyman has been compromised over the years. The admission hoops to jump through have been widened to the point that almost any one off the street can walk through them.---Just pay money---The affect of that evolution has made many projects that I have been a supervisor/general foreman on a challenge way beyond the projects needs. The millwrights dispatched are a mix of a few people that know the trade and many that don't have a clue what's going on. I as a supervisor am taxed with the job of keeping these clueless folks from getting hurt or getting in the way.  It is a shame to waste the owners money like that but it's the way of now.

Those "clueless" folks are in every facet of the work environment today.  It is so sad and unfortunate.  I have been in medicine for nearly 25 years.  In those 25 years I have witnessed the quality of skilled professionals decline yearly.  Mainly due to the ability of applying what they learned per se amongst other aspects.  Why is that?  Is it salary hunters?  Is it the pushing of people through the education system?

Very good points above ws23t

[ws23rt]

I suppose "salary hunters" have always been a part of any craft/trade. Or any career for that matter.
It's very common in my world (for example) to come across those that have been lured into it by word about wages and benefits. The problem with that thinking is it's all about what the employer is willing to do.

Many times I have had a chat with someone new that is only interested in adding up hours worked and how to increase that number. My advice has always been to drop that distraction from your time on the job. You are here to fix things and do it that well.  Those that are paying you to do it will remember the ones that made the job go well. Those that just followed along to put their time in are also remembered and likely to not get a call back.

The bottom line on this is for those that like what they do and do it well,  money will follow. A persons reputation gets noticed and works both ways. I know many millwrights that make over 150K a year.

[moparnation74]

I suppose "salary hunters" have always been a part of any craft/trade. Or any career for that matter.
It's very common in my world (for example) to come across those that have been lured into it by word about wages and benefits. The problem with that thinking is it's all about what the employer is willing to do.

Many times I have had a chat with someone new that is only interested in adding up hours worked and how to increase that number. My advice has always been to drop that distraction from your time on the job. You are here to fix things and do it that well.  Those that are paying you to do it will remember the ones that made the job go well. Those that just followed along to put their time in are also remembered and likely to not get a call back.

The bottom line on this is for those that like what they do and do it well,  money will follow. A persons reputation gets noticed and works both ways. I know many millwrights that make over 150K a year.

Obviously, the "salary hunter" holds true as always.  Which opened the door of proving yourself in the workplace.  This is an easy road as you stated above if one wants to follow the right path.  The alternative is not good for them.  But.  What if you as a supervisor has 12 employees under their wing.  Review time comes.  All 12 of your guys/gals are competent hard working employees.  Corporate tells you we can only have "X" number meet the criteria for a good review.  Which as you know affects compensation, attitudes, demotions, and releasing an employee.  The other few receive a poor performance review.  Ultimately, we know how that will affect those employees.  You can state your disagreement to corporate all you want but you are the underdog in that debate.  Corporate intent is to save money and to have an easy out to let an employee go when company budgets go south.
    I state this because I have a good friend.  Whom is a supervisor for a large corporation with 12 competent, hardworking employees and this is what got handed to him to deliver.  Such a shame.
   So sometimes the work does get noticed and money follows.  In the case above sometimes is does not follow.  After, that we are back to the "salary hunter" statement.  Such a crazy circle.