Ok so here it goes, I think this is probably mostly to vent my frustration but give me your input. As a recent college graduat and getting my Heavy Equipment Operator Associates Degree from Penn College I havent been able to find a job. I got back from my job in Colorado in April and began looking right away. But with the tough times we're in now everyone I asked about hiring operators said they still had people laid off due to not enough work. But here it is middle of June and Ive applied for just about everything under the sun. :Banghead There has been a few Operator jobs in the local newspaper and I hit them up the first day they are in. I've had my share of working everything up the line from laboring to operating with 5 years of experience. So here's my real question I guess, If you were gonna hire an operator would you hire a 21 year old with a college degree and a few years experience OR some older guy with 20 some years of experience that lost his job due to the tough times?? I spent the money and went to school so that I could be better than the average joe off the street but thats starting to proove me wrong and Im thinking what is the purpose of me going back to school to get my Bachelors degree and waste more money if its still gonna be like this? :beatsme What is your input on this?
I say save your money if you want to be an operator. Most of the contractors I know actually don't like the idea of operators trained at a school. They want to teach them their way of doing things. They also don't want some kid coming on the job thinking he already knows everything, which may or may not be the case, but thats the vibe I'm getting. We have a pretty new program at our college, and I have heard comments about it. I say talk to somebody you really want to work for, and maybe take a pay cut or something just to get your foot in the door. You were gonna be paying for additional training anyway.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/18/eveningnews/main4954222.shtml
Things are bad so don't get down on yourself or your training. Learning how to push a boom properly is a plus. Personally I would have no problem hiring someone with a degree, at least I know they can retain some knowledge and instructions I may give. Young blood is good if it is eagar. As a boss I listen to anyone’s idea even after 39 years in the business. I have learned to pick some method from near everyone. Some guys are not great laborers or bricklayers but they have one good idea I take it with a smile. I tell everyone if you have a better idea run it passed me. Money spent on education is never lost as long as you retain it. Keep knocking down doors and one will open it may just take a while. Take a job for less if need be as said above you can always leave if a better one comes along. Age brings experience and good youth brings enthusiasm. Each position a company fills may require a tilt to one more than the other or a combination of both. When I was an apprentice things were bad in 1970 so I worked a bit doing crap work like washing the brick walls when it was 20 degrees outside because I was the cheapest guy in the union at 50% pay which was 3.98 per hour then. Lost the job with the company my father worked for and sat home for 6 months In that time I took a correspondence course on blue print reading and did what ever odd job I could find. Finally got sent out by the union to a strange company and bust my butt. They use to say "Slow down kid!" Worked hard show interest and they took a liking to me even the crabbiest foreman in that company. They went from 250 employees to 10 as they ran out of work. I made it to be number 11 out of 250 which was good but I was still sad. They even paid me more than I was supposed to get in the union for my time. Show interest, be on time, and don't be afraid to say what you know or have done. Also say I am a good listener and I am eager to learn more. keep trying the door will open for you.:drinkup Things are bad but when 15% are out of work 85% are still working. Not much consolation if you in the 15%.
I like hiring young guys that I can mold. I never really advertise jobs, get mostly walk ups. Generally I try everybody for a day or two then make a decision.
I would hire a young person, as you have to pay them less to start off with and you can teach them to do things to your standard. However if I knew the older person with experience was a good operator and could go straight into a seat without supervision, I would consider him/her but it depends on the situation I am in. If I need an off sider to help with what I am doing a young person would suit but if I want someone to run a machine independently then I need an experienced bum on the seat. The other factor is that an older person will need to support a family, pay a mortage, etc whereas a youngen does not have those overheads, generally speaking.
Here is another way to look at the situation. Now may be the perfect time to get your bachelors degree. Work is very slow and there are several gov't educational assitance programs to take advantage of. The economy will bounce back one day. When the money and jobs are flowing, you will not have the time to go to college to earn a degree. You may want to take advantage of the time you have now to further your education. When times are better the "piece of paper" will bring you more $$$ and you may learn something along the way.:cool2
i like you went to school, and i also am a eager young adult. i have however worked construction jobs for different trades during high school. been running a reach truck for 2 years now i was able to pick up a job on graduating the operator program, ended up getting laid off due to contracts they thought they had fell through, back at the fork lift, still hunting but nothing seems to be turning up even companies that are advertising are not giving any bites. ill give you a tip ive heard from a few people. the boss is on the sites not in the office show up with your resume and your gear ready to work, you could land it right there im living in a new subdivision, i walked out my back door and went to see if they needed any one on the sewer gang, but they were low on work so keep positive and youll get some thing even part time my teachers at the school were actuly operators that were laid off, needed to put food on the table tough times but sunny days are comming *disclamer* some companies dont like you showing up on site, recomend researching first.
The way things are right now , I would hire the guy with the most experiance , only because he knows what hes doing from all the experiance and he will work efficently to get the job done the fastest and most cost effective
its very hard to say , here in nz we have the same thing ...not mutch work but ive had the socalled old hands and after they back the truck over the tip head edge for the tenth time and the newboy is pulling them out agin or you are trying to get them to stop loading the truck all on one side etc etc the young guy you can teach is lookn beter by the minute! keep tryin the guys you wont to work for, maybe sum free work for them to prove youself will help? good luck!
Ditto,I`ve hired two of these fellas in the past that were school trained..And both of em were not operators. Not saying that the fella who posted this isn`t an operator.Just that the two I hired were not able to do what I require of my guys. In truth,point blank,I am gonna hire a guy who has been doing what I need for 5-10 plus years. In this economy,I don`t have the time or the company`s money to train a finish operator, a grade man.,or even a rough cut guy. I do however look for things in a young guy.Guys who are young,married is a plus and with kids.These guys have to work.Same as I was at twenty two.I was running a boxblade, didn`t have any laborers so I cut edge,I picked and shoveled.Anything I had to.Wasnt long after the owner said put him on a blade and give him stick time..wasnt long after that I was a full time blade hand and I never looked back. To the guy who posted this,keep trying young fella.You will find a home with a company.Right now its hard but I`ve hired three guys in the last two months and fired two dead weights that hung around drawing a check before I took over for the company I work for now.
try changing your objective from operator to pick and shovel
Thanks for the input guys. I am by no means trying to go into a company thinking I know everything, because I absolutely dont. Yeah, I had to dig a perfect basement, footers, and do finish grade within a tenth, etc. when I had operations in school, but that doesnt mean Im the best just because I did it once. I know where I still have areas to work on or areas that Im rusty but the point is Im willing to learn and get better to be a good efficient and cost effective operator.
Like it or not, landing a job requires a bit of luck, always has and probably always will. Being in the right place at the right time has resulted people being hired I'd bet since the first person in history got a job. When times are tough it gets even more difficult, but diligence on your part will eventually pay off. When I hire, I don't necessarily look for a lot of experience, I want someone who presents himself as being willing to work in less than perfect conditions and possibly at odd hours, in other words whatever it takes to get a job done. You might have to lower your expectations on the job you wish to fill to get your foot in the door, perhaps start as a laborer with a company that allows for advancement in the ranks. Don't feel singled out, look around the Board at the number of members out of work who have been at it for years and years. It's a tough time for everyone presently.
Im young like you and just happened to get lucky a year ago. Like others said be willing to do whatever is needed to get the job done including odd or long hours. I do a lot for the company i work for. I have my class A cdl, operate, weld, and repair/ maintain the equipment. Im in the hole with a shovel or sweeping up to. Im on time and stay late when needed. Sometimes til 3am and then have to be back at 7am. Just keep persistent. Something will come along for ya. Good luck! Frank
Im in the same boat, im thinking about going to Washington state to enter their apprentice program. I was hoping I could start bottom and work my way up for a company but nobody will give me a shot. I hope you find an open door and leave it cracked open for me too, just kidding, but good luck.
Don't give up hope. Things are tough all round right now. I'm an HEO alumni just like you, times were a bit better when I got out though. School training, esp. PCT's can be a good way to get a foot in the door, but once you're there you'll still have to start from the ground up. I'm not sure if Ben Eldred was still there when you were at PCT, but one of his things was always to point out that at school they teach ya enough "to be dangerous" yeah you can dig and grade in a controlled environment, but the guys that hire kids from PCT know that you still need to be molded to their company's vision. So times like now that added experience you have is what's gonna help, cause then you have some real world references to back you up. I'm sort of tired and feel like I"m rambling aimlessly so I'd better stop now. Keep your chin up and good luck, things will get better, they always do:usa
He didnt pay good money to run a pick and shovel. Does a pilot out of flight school fuel planes? hell no! Does a truck driver just out of trucking school work the loading docks....nope...Ya you have to work your way up but not from pick and shovel. Now if one needs work that may be a little different and yes he should possibly settle as a labor.
But these are difficult times and you may well find that trained pilots are stocking the shelves at walmart and truck drivers are delivering pizzas and experienced plant operators are working a pick and shovel to pay the mortage. And there is more of a chance of finding a seat if you are working on site than sitting at home getting depressed. May well be that one day the regular operator is off sick and they need an operator to fill in, or maybe just that the regular operator needs to knock off early. Also it won't hurt to get an perspective from the ground of how things work plus it's more stuff to put on the resume. No one is going to hold it against him that he spend time on the shovel.
I have turned down three blade operators in the last two months.Everyone of em were solid blademen who have been layed off elsewhere.These guys all had experience past 15 years,one as far back as 1984 running a grader. Times are tough as hell and finding work is a daily task here lately.If it is like this everywhere you young fellas just starting out may find it hard to work for a spell. I am not even hiring laborers at the moment.My hands that know how to finish concrete get sent now and then to help concrete crews as work is slow on my side(site work) of the house. Sad but true,the recession is in full swing here.
Thanks Reuben :drinkup:
Ben eldred was long gone when I went through all the classes. Another guy took over like 2 or 3 years before i started. But Thanks, I know Im not gonna be used to a operating on a real site environment since the closest thing we had was the training site, but I know where I have room to improve and that will make me good in a company.