This is what always gets me as someone who works in manufacturing. We go though people like clockwork. Finding someone who wants the job, can do the job, and can learn the process is such a monumental task. The sad part is the money is there. You’ll get paid better then people with degrees. Still they don’t want to do what it takes.
I worked at a place that had consistent mandatory overtime. I never saw the outside of the factory except to just sleep and then go back again. There was no upward advancement whatsoever. And it was completely unsafe where people would eventually snap and sometimes have to be dragged out by the private police that they hired. Also, when you enter the place, you go through turn styles. Almost as if you’re in prison or something. The people that normally want to bring manufacturing back to America are the people that have like a 1950s view of the world. But working in a factory in modern America, it’s not really appealing because of how you’re treated and you actually get a really low pay. You have no protection under the law. Especially if you’re living in a right to work state. And everyone around you is toxic. Thinking that one day their ship will come in, they just need to step on your neck. And I didn’t puss out and I saw people come and go and I even worked my way up to different positions. I didn’t want to be like the guy getting dragged out and my health was declining so I quit that shitty job and I’ll never do it again.
That has not been my experiencing for most manufacturing, including a lot of skilled manufacturing. Every manufacturing job I’ve done has either paid complete garbage, or has been so mind-numbingly simple and boring that it could be done by trained pigeons.
Give me a solid union manufacturing job, where I’m earning enough on a single income to own a small house and raise a family, and I’d absolutely go back to manufacturing.
Eh, our techs don’t make shit imo. We are in a high cost of living area, and they make better wages than unskilled labor, but it’s nothing like it was back when I was a kid. If you talk to the old heads, what they were making 25 years ago is less than techs make today, not even accounting for inflation. The thing is, the reason we had well paid techs then was strong union membership. If they bring jobs back, the Republicans for sure aren’t going to make it a union job, and if they do bring back manufacturing, it’ll be in a bunch of shitty “right to work” states, and people will make shit wages. The people in said states are too dumb to unionize, and will keep voting for their oppressors
As someone who started right out of school, it took years for my income to start to surpass some of the more experienced operators. No its not hundreds of thousands but it’s in that 70,000 to 90,000 range for people who don’t sleep on OT.
Yeah, but you shouldn’t have to work OT in order to make a livable wage. People should have a work/life balance where they aren’t going home from work and immediately falling asleep.
It’s there, honestly, I’d work OT while being a salaried employee. But your attitude towards it is the exact reason people don’t want these manufacturing jobs. So you’re only proving my point.
But your attitude towards it is the exact reason people don’t want these manufacturing jobs
The very idea that that should be a necessary part of a manufacturing job, or any job, is, IMO, “problematic”. Too many people have bought into the idea that we should pursue capitalist ideals to the detriment of everything else. I’m not advocating for a socialist utopia (okay, I am, kind of), but you should be able to go to your job, put in eight hours, and go home. If you’re constantly doing OT, then the workplace should hire more people.
Where I am, 70-90 k is an absolute shit salary is my point. It might be great where you are, but where I am, that’s not buying you a house. That’s about what our more senior technicians make, but the entry level guys make like $25-28/hr. Almost every office job at our company pays more. I love turning bolts, but it’s objectively harder work for less money, and that is why I don’t want those jobs.
I have always assumed that I wouldn’t be wanted. Helping build stuff looks neat, but I am getting old, raised in the boondocks, only have a high school degree, and am autistic. It is my guess that no one would want the likes of me, because there are many other people who are more capable and desperate.
From my experience wisdom goes a long way as an operator. It takes wisdom to know 99% of things you don’t understand can be explained pretty easily if you are curious and not afraid to ask questions. Lots of operators think they just need to show up and “do the job.” That’s true, mostly, but if you instead show up, do the job, and learn the process, you’ll become invaluable.
This is what always gets me as someone who works in manufacturing. We go though people like clockwork. Finding someone who wants the job, can do the job, and can learn the process is such a monumental task. The sad part is the money is there. You’ll get paid better then people with degrees. Still they don’t want to do what it takes.
I worked at a place that had consistent mandatory overtime. I never saw the outside of the factory except to just sleep and then go back again. There was no upward advancement whatsoever. And it was completely unsafe where people would eventually snap and sometimes have to be dragged out by the private police that they hired. Also, when you enter the place, you go through turn styles. Almost as if you’re in prison or something. The people that normally want to bring manufacturing back to America are the people that have like a 1950s view of the world. But working in a factory in modern America, it’s not really appealing because of how you’re treated and you actually get a really low pay. You have no protection under the law. Especially if you’re living in a right to work state. And everyone around you is toxic. Thinking that one day their ship will come in, they just need to step on your neck. And I didn’t puss out and I saw people come and go and I even worked my way up to different positions. I didn’t want to be like the guy getting dragged out and my health was declining so I quit that shitty job and I’ll never do it again.
Exactly
That has not been my experiencing for most manufacturing, including a lot of skilled manufacturing. Every manufacturing job I’ve done has either paid complete garbage, or has been so mind-numbingly simple and boring that it could be done by trained pigeons.
Give me a solid union manufacturing job, where I’m earning enough on a single income to own a small house and raise a family, and I’d absolutely go back to manufacturing.
That’s exactly where I work today but I’m telling you you wouldnt make it past temp.
Mind-numbing boredom, I’m guessing?
You’re probably right; I’ve got pretty severe ADHD, so staying on task with boring shit is HARD.
Eh, our techs don’t make shit imo. We are in a high cost of living area, and they make better wages than unskilled labor, but it’s nothing like it was back when I was a kid. If you talk to the old heads, what they were making 25 years ago is less than techs make today, not even accounting for inflation. The thing is, the reason we had well paid techs then was strong union membership. If they bring jobs back, the Republicans for sure aren’t going to make it a union job, and if they do bring back manufacturing, it’ll be in a bunch of shitty “right to work” states, and people will make shit wages. The people in said states are too dumb to unionize, and will keep voting for their oppressors
As someone who started right out of school, it took years for my income to start to surpass some of the more experienced operators. No its not hundreds of thousands but it’s in that 70,000 to 90,000 range for people who don’t sleep on OT.
Yeah, but you shouldn’t have to work OT in order to make a livable wage. People should have a work/life balance where they aren’t going home from work and immediately falling asleep.
It’s there, honestly, I’d work OT while being a salaried employee. But your attitude towards it is the exact reason people don’t want these manufacturing jobs. So you’re only proving my point.
The very idea that that should be a necessary part of a manufacturing job, or any job, is, IMO, “problematic”. Too many people have bought into the idea that we should pursue capitalist ideals to the detriment of everything else. I’m not advocating for a socialist utopia (okay, I am, kind of), but you should be able to go to your job, put in eight hours, and go home. If you’re constantly doing OT, then the workplace should hire more people.
Where I am, 70-90 k is an absolute shit salary is my point. It might be great where you are, but where I am, that’s not buying you a house. That’s about what our more senior technicians make, but the entry level guys make like $25-28/hr. Almost every office job at our company pays more. I love turning bolts, but it’s objectively harder work for less money, and that is why I don’t want those jobs.
Where do you live? Not exact location but rural or major Metropolitan area? It matters a lot.
I’m surrounded by tech companies and a crack house costs $1.4 mil
Right. These are manufacturing jobs in rural to small cities. Top end of jobs for unskilled workers.
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I have always assumed that I wouldn’t be wanted. Helping build stuff looks neat, but I am getting old, raised in the boondocks, only have a high school degree, and am autistic. It is my guess that no one would want the likes of me, because there are many other people who are more capable and desperate.
From my experience wisdom goes a long way as an operator. It takes wisdom to know 99% of things you don’t understand can be explained pretty easily if you are curious and not afraid to ask questions. Lots of operators think they just need to show up and “do the job.” That’s true, mostly, but if you instead show up, do the job, and learn the process, you’ll become invaluable.