Seeking advice and general inputs to help my future career decisions

[Turbocharged]

I wanted to start off by giving you guys some information about myself and where my headspace is at. So to kick it off I'm in my late 20's and have been machining for 6ish years, 4 years of that was my apprenticeship. I've been with the same company for about a decade (pretty much spent my whole adult life here). The payrate is decent and I enjoy the company atmosphere. The Machining isn't overly complex but it is extremely fast paced and frankly overwhelming. My concerns are that I'm stagnating as an individual due to : (the limited materials I machine),(limited to handwriting g-code),(the shop not having a cad/cam software for the machinists),(barely learning new things from my peers). Being a "journeyman" machinist I have that imposter syndrome... This past year I've been focusing on core machining techniques and I've realized how little I know. My goal is to transition to a cad/cam programmer but it's going to take me awhile to build my skills. Now I'll get to all the issues that have rolled around in my head. I'm young and a hard worker... I strive to do my best day in day out so everyone in the company will succeed. With that being said I don't think I will ever be moved off the machine I operate due to several factors. Such as my high production rate, lack of new talent/hires, the money/ training invested into me to operate the machining center. This high production/high paced work is going to break my body it's just a matter of time. The price of my knees...back...honestly any body part outweighs my Payrate 30 fold. I'm overly stressed every day due to lights-out operation (I leave work with that constant feeling of I missed something or put a part in wrong). Everyday is a mental battle for me... stay and potentially be broken and limited to the scope of this company, or move on and risk being a failure at a new company or companies. Currently I'm learning and pursuing some certifications for fusion 360 but I'm unsure if certifications would even prepare me for a lateral move to a full time programming position. On a side note.. (HOPES) : What I would like to do is move out of heavy production so I can use future cad/cam skills to better the companies machining/fixturing. (FEARS) : Losing my job and starting back at square one because I didn't progress my career correctly. Maybe someone here has been in a situation like this and can shed their own personal experience. Any machining resources will help, also all opinions and advice are welcome.

 

[Mechanola]

You are a machine appendix, exactly how capitalism wishes. The step off means that you leave the felt security, yeah, only felt because there’s little reliable in the trade. Trust yourself, look for a different place, jump. What I don’t quite understand is that you can’t work in a CAD-CAM environment after a four-years apprenticeship at your age. I don’t understand entrepreneurs that buy CNC equipment but no software, either.

 

[memphisjed]

Take the term journeyman and apply it. That is to journey from shop to shop as skilled person- not the most skilled and not an apprentice. Live your young live seeing the country/world being a mercenary machinist.
If a shop goes out and has nc equipment and no software then they have no interest in testing or building skills. Yes, you can learn production mo better in that environment, a great and fun talent- no go find a shop with less production and more thinking or welding or line cook for the summer.

Best of luck, Godspeed, and may the odds be in your favor.

 

[???]

I started as an apprentice instrument mechanic, left that to join the military as an apprentice armourer best training in the world. Did an apprenticeship as a tool, jig and die maker. Left press tooling to move into injection molding. Left that to start and run a re-manufacturing facility in the IT industry. Returned to toolmaking. Left toolmaking to be a very highly paid technical consultant sorting out manufacturing issues. I now own my shop where I get to apply all the skills I picked up along the way. Most times when I moved I had to take a drop in pay but quickly returned to or exceeded my previous pay rate. At least you are thinking about your future. Below is one of my favourite quotes.

Come to the edge”, he said. “We can’t, we are afraid”, they responded.
“Come to the edge”, he said. They said “We can’t, we will fall.”
“Come to the edge!”
They came. He pushed them. And they flew.

Guillaume Apollinaire 1880–1918

 

[DouglasJRizzo]

You have reached "the wall" where you are now.
Thankfully, in a capitalist system, you have the opportunity to:
A) Go to a different place, and take your experiences and knowledge with you. Gain new knowledge and experience and improve your value and worth.
B) Change careers completely.
C) Do what I did and begin planning for your own operation
D) Do nothing and gripe.

All are valid options!

 

[MwTech Inc]

B) Change careers completely.

The HVAC, refrigeration , electrical and plumbing trades are where the money is now. Yes in the right place or owning your own co, yes, in machining guys are doing just fine.
But, the need for techs in the above has led to really high wages just to get someone.
Life is too short to do one thing your entire life.......
I don't know here you are in money, but a fellow business owner around here is willing to start someone at $28/30, company vehicle to drive home and back, benefits the whole works.
He cant find anyone that will show up on time, not be stoned and have a drivers license, three simple things.
If you had a skillset you would start higher.

 

[DouglasJRizzo]

The HVAC, refrigeration , electrical and plumbing trades are where the money is now. Yes in the right place or owning your own co, yes, in machining guys are doing just fine.
But, the need for techs in the above has led to really high wages just to get someone.
Life is too short to do one thing your entire life.......
I don't know here you are in money, but a fellow business owner around here is willing to start someone at $28/30, company vehicle to drive home and back, benefits the whole works.
He cant find anyone that will show up on time, not be stoned and have a drivers license, three simple things.
If you had a skillset you would start higher.

I have a relative in the HVAC business. He owns his own shop with 1-2 employees. He does very well.

 

[Turbocharged]

Hahaha if I jump ship it will most certainly not be any other trade. I would go head first into a full stack web development coding camp. I think when I finish this 4 month course for cad/cam I'm going to put myself out there for a programmer position.

 

[Slugo]

I wanted to start off by giving you guys some information about myself and where my headspace is at. So to kick it off I'm in my late 20's and have been machining for 6ish years, 4 years of that was my apprenticeship. I've been with the same company for about a decade (pretty much spent my whole adult life here). The payrate is decent and I enjoy the company atmosphere. The Machining isn't overly complex but it is extremely fast paced and frankly overwhelming. My concerns are that I'm stagnating as an individual due to : (the limited materials I machine),(limited to handwriting g-code),(the shop not having a cad/cam software for the machinists),(barely learning new things from my peers). Being a "journeyman" machinist I have that imposter syndrome... This past year I've been focusing on core machining techniques and I've realized how little I know. My goal is to transition to a cad/cam programmer but it's going to take me awhile to build my skills. Now I'll get to all the issues that have rolled around in my head. I'm young and a hard worker... I strive to do my best day in day out so everyone in the company will succeed. With that being said I don't think I will ever be moved off the machine I operate due to several factors. Such as my high production rate, lack of new talent/hires, the money/ training invested into me to operate the machining center. This high production/high paced work is going to break my body it's just a matter of time. The price of my knees...back...honestly any body part outweighs my Payrate 30 fold. I'm overly stressed every day due to lights-out operation (I leave work with that constant feeling of I missed something or put a part in wrong). Everyday is a mental battle for me... stay and potentially be broken and limited to the scope of this company, or move on and risk being a failure at a new company or companies. Currently I'm learning and pursuing some certifications for fusion 360 but I'm unsure if certifications would even prepare me for a lateral move to a full time programming position. On a side note.. (HOPES) : What I would like to do is move out of heavy production so I can use future cad/cam skills to better the companies machining/fixturing. (FEARS) : Losing my job and starting back at square one because I didn't progress my career correctly. Maybe someone here has been in a situation like this and can shed their own personal experience. Any machining resources will help, also all opinions and advice are welcome.

Sounds to me like you have more skills and talent than you are giving yourself credit for.

 

[twr]

Hi take your time and look around for new employment weigh out the pros and cons of what new place has to offer. When it feels right give 2 weeks notice and jump ship. I was at the same place for 32.5 years and after 10 years i should have left and started on my own but pension and benefits keep me their. I would have made more money on my own but put in my 10 hours and go home! Now retired and doing my own bussiness thing, welding fab and machining. Good luck with what ever you decide!!

 

[EmGo]

You have reached "the wall" where you are now.
Thankfully, in a capitalist system, you have the opportunity to:

You can do all that in a communist system, too. I know several people who have

 

[D Nelson]

Hahaha if I jump ship it will most certainly not be any other trade. I would go head first into a full stack web development coding camp. I think when I finish this 4 month course for cad/cam I'm going to put myself out there for a programmer position.

4 months and your going to be a programmer? You are a dreamer. Do you think you would be able to write a program and send that to a company and they upload that and have an operator just push the button on a nice big pallet 5 axis machine ? Back to my beautiful dreamer.
Don

 

[Turbocharged]

4 months and your going to be a programmer? You are a dreamer. Do you think you would be able to write a program and send that to a company and they upload that and have an operator just push the button on a nice big pallet 5 axis machine ? Back to my beautiful dreamer.
Don

Well that's to add on top of years of manual g-code programming, fixture design&creation, setups and tooling. I just think you are a negative person, not once have I claimed to be a master 5 axis programmer. Also to answer your question I believe I would be able to. Would the program be so flawless and optimized to perfection absolutely not. To clarify I wanted to see if putting in the work of getting certificates would get me into a bottom of the barrel software programming position (to get the experience using different software's). I'm fine with starting all over again like an apprentice and working my ass off to improve. I asked this because I've read through forums I've seen countless people stuck as button pushers. Every shop needs more machinists and hell they need SKILLED machinists, but lets not spend any time teaching current software/technology.

 

[Donkey Hotey]

4 months and your going to be a programmer? You are a dreamer. Do you think you would be able to write a program and send that to a company and they upload that and have an operator just push the button on a nice big pallet 5 axis machine ? Back to my beautiful dreamer.

He's working in a shop that has machines and no CAM software. I can't take such places seriously. If @Turbocharged takes a CAM class and can do basic pocketing and profiling, he'll be the most up to date person in the place. They'd be smart to get a seat of whatever software, give him a fat raise and hope he doesn't jump ship.

 

[drcoelho]

Given your experience, I don't see any issue with you learning CAD/CAM. You just have to focus and pay your dues to learn. I became somewhat competent CAD/CAM with Siemens NX in just about 4 months, am able to program just about any 3-axis part these days, all self-taught. I might suggest that you identify a mentor or two in your area, maybe a machinist that does CAD/CAM and is willing to show you the ropes, maybe a local community college. Definately buy some books and also spend time on youtube for the CAD/CAM software you choose, and get a low cost access to the software so you can learn it hands on.

 

[drcoelho]

AND, DO NOT sit around just wondering what to do. SET A GOAL, and go for it. DO NOT let your current management/job hold you back. The skies the limit, but only if you are willing to work hard and take risks. ALL of the major upticks in my career were centered around quitting my job and taking huge risks, but this always paid off. Even failure pays off, you tend to learn 10x more when things don't go as you want them to. Staying in a dead end job that is not helping you grow will just hold you back and ultimately result in rot of brain and body and career.

 

[Turbocharged]

He's working in a shop that has machines and no CAM software. I can't take such places seriously. If @Turbocharged takes a CAM class and can do basic pocketing and profiling, he'll be the most up to date person in the place. They'd be smart to get a seat of whatever software, give him a fat raise and hope he doesn't jump ship.

Hahaha, that is true I can do 5 axis paths but it doesn't help on a 4 axis... I've made it work so far, I do my heavy production at work … looking out for tool chatter/problems or room for improvement. If any improvement needs made I take my work home and I do some modeling and cam toolpaths off the clock. When I return to work I test them out the next day/days.

 

[john.k]

Yep,home loan ,wife kids etc are what keeps you chained to a job.......do something different before all that stuff weighs you down......afterwards it will not happen until the day you get terminated.

 

[D Nelson]

Hahaha, that is true I can do 5 axis paths but it doesn't help on a 4 axis... I've made it work so far, I do my heavy production at work … looking out for tool chatter/problems or room for improvement. If any improvement needs made I take my work home and I do some modeling and cam toolpaths off the clock. When I return to work I test them out the next day/days.

I’m saying it would take 4 months for you to learn post processing to set up different machines and axis combinations another 4 months to learn all the different tooling and feeds and Speeds for them I’m sorry but nobody would pay you anything. It takes a long time to learn this I don’t mean to be a asshole but it ain’t happening
Don

 

[D Nelson]

Worked on a job recently the material I was able to put in the machine by hand. The cost 30k now program that for someone and see who pays for the scrap. like I said not trying to be mean but being a programmer is not a easy deal at all
Don