been a heavy equipment mechanic for 30 plus years now......having some health issues where I cant over exert myself and Im just bored wrenching so what should I do now? Service writter, Inside sales, parts manager. looking for some insight on some options/experiences. Doctors say I cant do any strenuous work for 3 months and my current employer may not provide this option so I'm sending out the resume before my 2 weeks out of work is up. current employer doesnt have a fit for me or just needs to keep me as a wrench. Im not putting my life on the line for a place that just needs to keep a good mechanic.
Ill be facing the same situation before long. Here is a small list of my current options. 1. Walmart greeter. I could do this as long as I could sit down when I wanted to. 2. Retire and sit around. I would go insane 3. Pimping... but I'm too old to chase broads around. 4. Ide do maybe a service manager or shop foreman job. 5. Babysitter.....I am great with kids. 6. Thought about home remodel and flipping houses. 7. Bank robber.......too old to be on the run. 8. Buy and sell equipment or autos 9. Gigalo.....wife laughed hysterically at this one. 10. Operate a kennel for animals. Looks like Walmart is my only feasible option.
Pimpin' ain't easy, yo!
Friend of mine was in the same situation. He now is a sewing machine and vacuum cleaner mechanic.
Why not talk to your employer about taking on an apprentice? Train some kid who needs a career in a career that could provide more than minimum wage. You get labor and a place to dump your 30 years of experience. Just a thought. Everyone is b!tching there's not enough new techs.
4 and 5 are pretty much the same thing though..... Although kids are probably easier to deal with
Too many variables. Do you need to keep the current income level coming in? How much can you not or don't want to wrench? Are you just done with it all or do you want to move onto something else like small engines/motorcycles for somehting new? Are you a teaching type or solo guy?
That's a great idea! If you have a garage(home) small tractors and small engine repair could be a option. I have had a couple of small time farmers that drop off small hydraulic cylinders to be resealed or small tractors that the Hydraulics don't lift anymore. It's great filler work, I hardly ever even see them, we talk on the phone they drop there stuff off at the house, I fix it, call them and the stash my money the mail box and come and get it. It's just word of mouth from farmer to farmer....they are usually in no real rush. So you take your time or take a break when you needed to. Let us know what you decide
What to do? All depends on what you are interested in and would like to do. Retire, its great, you can then do what you like to do. No boss telling you how to do it and not having to be on time. Operating those machines is a bit easier than working on them. You could do like John C and check and appraise equipment, for others. If you are trying to just get away from machines all together maybe industrial sales or a manager of some outfit. Even some nice boring jobs like a person that just sits and reads gauges for some process or system, have to be very attentive for those jobs, and not fall asleep. Want to sit for a job, how about a forklift operator? Just some ideas.
Old mechanics make really good parts people because they have actually seen a modulation valve!