first I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this. i don't like to get long winded but I'm at my wits end. recently i got a job in a job shop as a machinist. I interviewed for a engineering position but the company at that time needed more machinist, though the interview went really well for the eingeering spot I agreed to a spot as a machinist and was told what i would be doing as far as setting up and running mills. me personally I am a lathe guy I have a ton of experience with y axis live tool sub spindle lathes programming and setting up (witch the job I applied for was a process engineer for the lathe department) I also explained to them there might be a learning curve as I used a probe on the mills I've ran set up and programmed this place used edge finders and very outdated (no offense) practices at least in my eyes. I even walked around with the GM around the 5 axis machines and broke down how I would set up program and run a aerospace part and he was excited for me to start. so I've been here for a couple months now first week was very basic I set up and ran a 5 axis mill and a 3 axis mill my supervisor was very impressed and even told me how good I was doing and everything else however the last few weeks I've been in a de-bur room deburring parts that from my knowledge are already way past due and on a good day take about 3 hours a part to deburr. I've offered input to my supervisor to reduce the deburr time since a lot of it was pretty basic like running a chamfer mill outside of the pockets to break very sharp edges but instead of positive feed back I got " that's not your job to worry about what we do we've done it this way for years" so I asked why I was back there doing deburr work when I was hired to run a machine and was told it was because I was the new guy witch I understood so I did the work. once the order was done I went back to a machine. I cam in early one morning and was told to run a weird part and told my supervisor that I wasn't too comfortable with it and was told to ask a co worker how to do it and follow the set up notes. so I did exactly that and had a part move in the fixture so I stopped and found something else to do till the other operator who usually ran those parts came in so I could ask. I started up the machine I usually ran and did my normal thing checked the coolant warmed up the spindle and my supervisor comes over red faced mad and tells me (not ask)why did you scrap those parts there's 4 of them there when i tell you to do something you f&^%ing do it!" so I told him that I ran one and it moved I do not know were 4 came from so the normal operator said "oh must of been night shift I didn't know anyone was running it or id left a note its not your fault that's just how he is " (the supervisor). so then he comes and grabs me and ask me to set up a very old machine I told him I didn't know the control panel (97 Fadel) and asked for help. he told me what to do to the T then when I came back from break I noticed he was messing with it and threw a part on my table and said " you forgot to move your edge finder I thought I told you to pay attention!!". I didn't say anything I walked back to my machine did my task then the next morning I had parts to deburr and bend back into tolerance. yes I said that correctly bend parts back into tolerance witch no one had any clue how to do so I messed with it and messed with it and didn't get a lot done and I walk to my supervisor and told him this and his response was " its ok we will get them tomorrow I know they aren't easy" to only come in the very next day to be told I'm not trying hard enough and to pull my head out of somewhere. now I do NOT want you to think this is a bash post cause it isn't and yes I have looked for work else where but it seems like a lot of these job shops in my area have the same problems as this. I do not mind the work but as the title says in this situation what would you do with that going on?
I might have a go at reformatting this ^^^ , later in the thread / get to the "Meat".
Weirdly I was in a similar situation at two different work places in my 20's.
Sort of bait and switch of job/project roles.
I think you are probably going to have to "suck it up" for at least 6 months, and in essence
beat them at their own game - in a couple of areas - at least to prove you are "worthy".
In other words they
know you are the '
hot shot" ,
But in essence they want you to experience everything they have gone through and learn process-wise everything they are doing.
Basically comply and do everything exactly the way they have been asking you to do things, but get really good at whatever they are doing (if possible) - no matter how archaic it may seem, but as you know some of this older stuff requires skill. [key point later.].
~ But here's the thing, here's the 'Ace " in the hole.
Having learnt
some of their processes inside and out , you then through the six months take meticulous notes of how things are being done now,
How things can be improved , process wise , + whatever minor training programs need to be devised (for example "probing" ).
+ make the real arguments as to what that does to their bottom line.
If we were gonna get all "Titan Gilroy" from the "Pulpit" ;-)
Then you would hold a meeting with said "stressed boss" and say "
I can make you and your company THIS much $$$$$$$$$$$ from this... "
But the key thing is , IS that you have to show a reasonable or deep understanding of their existing processes and most importantly ,
GAIN THE TRUST of the people you are working with. <---- That six months will give you time to learn what everyone else there is really having trouble with AND also gives you time to listen to what they want or would like (in some measure). In a lot of cases you find people to be somewhat guarded initially as they "feel" in some cases rather insecure about what they are doing. These people you work with would probably rather work for a company that is on the up and up rather than have lessened prospects and job security with a company that is on a vector to a "Slow burn" fail.
[ ^^^ But takes subtle ways of approaching all that almost by osmosis and more subtle influence rather than shooting your mouth off as to how things can be done "Better". "Raise a company up" and maybe also raise the livelihood and prospects of the people you work with , no matter how cynical and bitter they may seem. - but don't underestimate your co-workers for having figured this all out a LONG time ago. ~
but you will need allies and need to make friends to actually pull that off. ].
[A written proposal / formal presentation might be needed, + written metrics and outline + process and profit margin + scope of growth potential and maybe even (future projected) different approach to hiring / skills and training issues for new staff etc. Seems that your Boss has slightly painted himself/ herself into a corner on that with diminishing returns. i.e. a younger workforce with different skill set coupled with more modern methods will eventually be needed no matter what. ].
<---- But obviously to prepare all of that initial documentation and "Analysis' you will have to do that on your own time -"After hours" or super early in the morning and probably (at home or away from work.). You might need someone to help format / edit your written proposal. And if you do meet don't give ALL of your proposal away all at once or be in a situation where it just get's immediately filed in the garbage can. A bit of "Selling" and a smidge of showmanship may be required but Soft sell not hard sell, like you have the juiciest worm and your Boss is the "hungry" fish as you roll up the proposal and walk away with it (after initial discussion). Peak their curiosity.
Takes time and diplomacy to implement change - sounds like there are 100 things that could be changed for the better in an incremental way. And also people may be fearful of losing their jobs -
so don't underestimate the capacity of co-workers that perceive you as a threat to sabotage what you are trying to do. . you won't be thrown under the bus, but with boring repetitive tasks gives people plenty of time to devise the most ingenious ways to "Set you up for failure " lol. In some ways that can be fun to overcome.
So you have to pick (to begin with) one or two things that may be the easiest to implement in terms of bang for their buck and meeting deadlines and making things more efficient.
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So then there's the "Imaginary" conversation with your boss, "If I can make you this amount of $$$$$$$$$$ by doing this, this and that, can you pay me this $$$$$$+ and create the ENGINEERING position that I originally applied for"
^^^
So this is where Imaginary scenarios vs reality comes into play - where the "Rubber meets the road", as I would wager there is a high probability you will get/ be screwed on all this and will be forced to leave,
^^^^
but at least you have documentation of what you improved that you can take to your next job. (
at least that is one way to turn what is initially an exploitative situation to your advantage.) As there are things you can still learn there and gain experience of real process improvement and the bottom line. Ironically you mention that a lot of other shops in the area are in a similar situation, find one that will give you a break and then (possibly) a more receptive shop will in the end out-compete your former work place. Out of twenty shops you might find one that is a really good fit for you and what you can help in partnership "Raise up".
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On reflection there sounds like there are literally 1000's of things you could improve from now till doomsday.
OTOH if the Boss is getting old etc. and improvements are made then maybe you have an opportunity to eventually manage the company, but proof of that will take years to gain that level of trust - hopefully the company is not run into the ground before adequate and incremental changes can be made.
On a practical / technical note there are also 100 specific interconnected process improvements you out line above.
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