laminar-flow
Stainless
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2003
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
So when we decided to get married almost 40 years ago, her CPA pop asked me how I was going to support her daughter since I was nothing but an aircraft mechanic with no college... He died in debt, and I'm doing just fine.
Having worked in aircraft instruments, as an A&P, and then starting my own small business as a design engineer / prototype machinist, I guess I have worn both collars.
In engineering meetings I have seen managers and engineers treat machinists as dumb metal cutters. Many times I had to inform them that machinist are not as dumb as they may think and encouraged engineers to consult with machinist when designing things. I do.
I suppose the wisdom is that if you work with your hands you are blue and if you work with your head you are white? Or if you get dirty you are blue and not dirty white? ...whether one washes hands before or after the restroom? I knew an oral surgeon once. I guess he was white collar but he worked in peoples mouths all day. I would prefer an old road diesel truck to someone's mouth.
I sure wish management and engineers would respect machinist more.
A friend, who is an 737 captain was once telling me that I was blue collar. So I presented some examples and he said, chef = blue, accountant = white, machinist = blue, scientist = white, department manager = white, bus driver and he said blue. Then I let him have it. I asked... Airline Pilot...?
So my question is, in other countries do machinist and mechanics have a similar lack of respect that I have noticed in the US?
Having worked in aircraft instruments, as an A&P, and then starting my own small business as a design engineer / prototype machinist, I guess I have worn both collars.
In engineering meetings I have seen managers and engineers treat machinists as dumb metal cutters. Many times I had to inform them that machinist are not as dumb as they may think and encouraged engineers to consult with machinist when designing things. I do.
I suppose the wisdom is that if you work with your hands you are blue and if you work with your head you are white? Or if you get dirty you are blue and not dirty white? ...whether one washes hands before or after the restroom? I knew an oral surgeon once. I guess he was white collar but he worked in peoples mouths all day. I would prefer an old road diesel truck to someone's mouth.
I sure wish management and engineers would respect machinist more.
A friend, who is an 737 captain was once telling me that I was blue collar. So I presented some examples and he said, chef = blue, accountant = white, machinist = blue, scientist = white, department manager = white, bus driver and he said blue. Then I let him have it. I asked... Airline Pilot...?
So my question is, in other countries do machinist and mechanics have a similar lack of respect that I have noticed in the US?