Looking to start a new career in HVAC, electrical, or even accounting

[Lectric102002]

You could always join us TRUCKERS on the "other side" of the law.

If you like time to yourself, and lime to drive, it might be an option. Yes it is a few years of jobs that aren't the best but I work 4 days a week, home every night and the money is great. (Over 65k)

There will ALWAYS be a need for [STRIKE]truckers[/STRIKE] professional drivers and a good paying job is not hard to find.

You could drive one of these.

How come your back wheels aren't touching the ground ? Is that for when you do a "wheelie" ?

 

[Crbn79]

Pony axles you lift off the ground when not needed to keep from wasting rubber.

 

[scott delaney]

Wow, this is great!! If I can find somebody willing to work for $9.50/hour maybe I can talk them into letting me hire 3!

in my location.....$10 is a good starting pay for any job. IPC(INDIANA KITCHEN BACON) starts less the that for production.......man I need to go work in the big city

 

[Bigtanker]

How come your back wheels aren't touching the ground ? Is that for when you do a "wheelie" ?

They are tag axles. The 1st and 6th axles on the trailer are for carrying the extra weight. I lift them up when I'm empty or loaded light and when I turn.

 

[Crbn79]

They are tag axles. The 1st and 6th axles on the trailer are for carrying the extra weight. I lift them up when I'm empty or loaded light and when I turn.

Better watch out for the Ticket Nazi's on those turns. My mother-in-law's boyfriend just got hit for that.

 

[hornadylnl]

We should have hired a good looking bunch a candidates last year. But after all the interviews and we'd selected what we hope are the best of the group, the corporation decided to put a freeze on hiring any more skilled trades for now (from what I've been told). We need some guys. Our plant has started growing again and we've got A LOT more automation than we used to. (I've told them for years: automation gets rid of direct labor but you've got to add back in a certain percentage of indirect labor to service the equipment).

But our shop would probably be a lot like you're used to. The guys that don't mind being "the guy" get leaned on a lot. You've got to have a certain pride in your trade, craft, and your workmanship...we've got guys that are just there to collect a check too.

My pride is the only thing keeping me going and expanding my knowledge. They put me on third shift to train people who make what I make and don't have a tenth of the knowledge. I keep asking my bosses what motivation my counterparts have to become me if there's zero incentive to do so. I can't train pride.

 

[Indy317]

Thanks to all for the tips. Ideally I wouldn't mind doing both HVAC plus some entry into electrical. I wouldn't mind working part-time after obtaining certifications and hopefully my current employer would open up some slots. This would allow me to transfer from police work to skill trade work. The pay is basically the exact same, though the skilled trade guys might actually be making a bit more now. Doing this I could keep earning retirement points in my state pension and keep all my vacation and sick time benefits. Anyone know where to look for HVAC jobs on-line? Better to just call some places?

To find out if you're right for the type of work I do, you have to ask yourself some questions. Do you love understanding how things work? Does looking at a mechanical device intrigue you? Do you enjoy taking something that is broken and fixing it? Do you enjoy math? That seems silly but if you have a math homework assignment, do you get lost in the fact that it's an assignment and you have to do it and instead have the mindset you can't give up until you've solved it?

I pretty much enjoy problem solving. Even just buying a vacant farm lot my realtor said she wished all her buyers were as through as I was. Went and pulled property cards, got plat maps, talked to planning commission, and noticed something on the GIS website and asked the county surveyor about it (was a watershed line, not a buried drainage tile). I want to know all and want all information I can get. We had our master bath remodeled and that stuff intrigues me as well. I did the gutting, tearing out down to the studs. However I was hesitant to tear out sub-flooring and ceiling stuff because I didn't have any knowledge in that area. I can do very simple electric work, such as installing outlets, light fixtures, garbage disposals, etc., but that is where my comfort level ends.

You could always join us TRUCKERS on the "other side" of the law. If you like time to yourself, and lime to drive, it might be an option. Yes it is a few years of jobs that aren't the best but I work 4 days a week, home every night and the money is great. (Over 65k) There will ALWAYS be a need for [STRIKE]truckers[/STRIKE] professional drivers and a good paying job is not hard to find.

Driving a daily route wouldn't be bad so long as I could make about $15/hour, got some time off (paid or not, just want to be able to take a vacation once in a while), and work was steady. Had a former co-worker go that route and did cross-country work. I think he did it for a year or so then posted on Facebook he found a daily route for some company. Not sure if the pay was as good, better, or worse. I could do OTR for a while, but my wife wouldn't want me gone at all. That being said, driving a daily route during the day or even into the early evening would be something I wouldn't mind doing. However, I also would rather learn a valuable technical skill that could be put to use almost anywhere in the country if I ever had to be relocated.

 

[hornadylnl]

Industrial controls compared to residential is like comparing MLB to tee ball. 480 isn't much more difficult than residential as there really isn't much to it. Troubleshooting controls is vastly different.

 

[Crbn79]

Thanks to all for the tips. Ideally I wouldn't mind doing both HVAC plus some entry into electrical. I wouldn't mind working part-time after obtaining certifications and hopefully my current employer would open up some slots. This would allow me to transfer from police work to skill trade work. The pay is basically the exact same, though the skilled trade guys might actually be making a bit more now. Doing this I could keep earning retirement points in my state pension and keep all my vacation and sick time benefits. Anyone know where to look for HVAC jobs on-line? Better to just call some places?
...

You can check the websites of Airtron and others for HVAC work, however it's not very likely you will even get a call for entry level HVAC by applying online. The best bet is to make up a really nice packet (this is where copies of your certifications impress), and put in some face time. Getting people who will even show up for work is the biggest challenge these days.

 

[churchmouse]

You can check the websites of Airtron and others for HVAC work, however it's not very likely you will even get a call for entry level HVAC by applying online. The best bet is to make up a really nice packet (this is where copies of your certifications impress), and put in some face time. Getting people who will even show up for work is the biggest challenge these days.

Also knowing someone in the trade. If you get someone to drop your name it is a good way to get in the door.
Without cirt's you will be relegated to parts chaser/helper etc. If you are mechanically inclined and can figure out machines/electrical etc. you have a shot. If not then pursue the accounting thing you mentioned. There are way too many posers in service trucks these days.