Career move.

I've been a machine operator/machinist since 2006 and am thinking about moving on career wise. I want a position at either a machine tool dealer/builder, ,a tooling supplier/manufacturer or a CAD/CAM company. I would really enjoy having a field position. Anybody that has made a similar move have any advice or cautionary tales? Which companies are the best or worst to work for?

cunaf85 said:

I've been a machine operator/machinist since 2006 and am thinking about moving on career wise. I want a position at either a machine tool dealer/builder, ,a tooling supplier/manufacturer or a CAD/CAM company. I would really enjoy having a field position. Anybody that has made a similar move have any advice or cautionary tales? Which companies are the best or worst to work for?

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seems like you are bored and want to do something different.
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you get older and find working in the field often means working outside in the rain or snow or in unheated buildings or other uncomfortable areas. me after decades I went from field machinist (millwright) to maintenance machinist to now cnc machinist (operator) and find job a lot easier for a older person
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if you get a job at a big company you might be able to apply or transfer to other areas of different types of work. but since they would need to find your replacement and to train you at your new job most places resist doing this. unless job you apply for nobody wants and your old job its relatively easy to find your replacement.
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you might want to just get a hobby to do at home in your spare time. or take some night school courses if you want to learn new stuff. college courses often they have info on where to find jobs

Another direction you might consider is Inspector for a company that designs and sells equipment that is made by subcontractors. I don't know how common this is, but this situation does exist. Sometimes these companies have engineers who don't know how to build their products. This knowledge resided in the now closed shops, and with the inspectors who worked in those shops. In addition to the more mundane tasks, these inspectors travel the world, and are home most weekends.

traveling far away from home living out of a hotel room gets old after awhile. especially if you got a wife and children.
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and many spend all their money at a bar
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if traveling with a group sure you might have some fun in different cities. but if traveling alone, it can be not so fun and even boring if trying to save money

cunaf85 said:

I've been a machine operator/machinist since 2006 and am thinking about moving on career wise. I want a position at either a machine tool dealer/builder, ,a tooling supplier/manufacturer or a CAD/CAM company. I would really enjoy having a field position. Anybody that has made a similar move have any advice or cautionary tales? Which companies are the best or worst to work for?

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after 17 years at the spindle of all types of machines from lathe's, milling centers, ,mill-turn machines and the last 5.5 years a cnc cylindrical grinder, i had enough and luckily it came at the right time because the position that i am in now, i did not apply for.

i had been teaching 25 hours a week for the past 2 years on top of working 50 hours at my full time job so that did not help my loss if interest with this trade.

with my new career path and employer, it keeps me in the trade on the business side of things but it is ALOT SLOWER pace then what it was for the past 17 years.

No regrets but i will say i wish i could be on the shop floor more often rubbing elbows with machinist again.