Looking for some insight from some of shops owners and more well-seasoned members of the forum.
I work at a moderately sized job/prototype shop as a programmer. We have a very broad customer base and I program everything from 3 to 5 axis mills, plus help out as much as possible to process work in the lathe and EDM departments. The work is constantly changing and the variety of jobs that come across my desk keeps my mind active and entertained. After two years in this place I can say with the utmost sincerity that there's rarely a day that I wake up and don't enjoy coming to work. I make excellent money also. It's been absolutely the the greatest thing to happen to me in recent memory.
Yesterday the shop foreman and owner came to me and outlined a plan for the future - due to some shifting of management within the company the shop foreman will be taking a new role that's opening up. This isn't a role being specifically created for him, it's a role coming open due to retirement and change in ownership. With him taking up this position they expressed that they think I'm the right person to take on the shop foreman role. I can't necessarily disagree with them, I think my personality will be well suited for a good bulk of the duties that come with the position.
My question is about real world application if it comes to me ever leaving my current shop. Maybe it's an apples/oranges type comparison, but I can't help but feel like a great programmer is worth his weight in gold while a great foreman...well, isn't? That's to say maybe, if push comes to shove, it's easier to find solid employment as a programmer, or even easier to go farther as a programmer as far as getting involved in more complex work.
Ultimately, though I don't plan on making the jump to a new company, I'm concerned with decreasing my value to prospective future employers by making this move. I'm also concerned that I'll be mildly bored in the new role.
I work at a moderately sized job/prototype shop as a programmer. We have a very broad customer base and I program everything from 3 to 5 axis mills, plus help out as much as possible to process work in the lathe and EDM departments. The work is constantly changing and the variety of jobs that come across my desk keeps my mind active and entertained. After two years in this place I can say with the utmost sincerity that there's rarely a day that I wake up and don't enjoy coming to work. I make excellent money also. It's been absolutely the the greatest thing to happen to me in recent memory.
Yesterday the shop foreman and owner came to me and outlined a plan for the future - due to some shifting of management within the company the shop foreman will be taking a new role that's opening up. This isn't a role being specifically created for him, it's a role coming open due to retirement and change in ownership. With him taking up this position they expressed that they think I'm the right person to take on the shop foreman role. I can't necessarily disagree with them, I think my personality will be well suited for a good bulk of the duties that come with the position.
My question is about real world application if it comes to me ever leaving my current shop. Maybe it's an apples/oranges type comparison, but I can't help but feel like a great programmer is worth his weight in gold while a great foreman...well, isn't? That's to say maybe, if push comes to shove, it's easier to find solid employment as a programmer, or even easier to go farther as a programmer as far as getting involved in more complex work.
Ultimately, though I don't plan on making the jump to a new company, I'm concerned with decreasing my value to prospective future employers by making this move. I'm also concerned that I'll be mildly bored in the new role.