Looking for a new job

[yotapower07]

So I am really interested if anyone might have a lead on employment opportunities. Here's my deal I'll be 31 soon and am a father of 5. So I really need something that pays good. I have 10 years operating experience in sawmills cover all aspects from start to finish. I have been trying for the past 5 to become a millwright at my current job. The place I'm at now keeps a roof over our heads and the bill collectors away but the problem I'm having is advancing in the company. At this point it's just a waiting game. Just wanted to throw some feelers out there and see what options are out there and if this starts to turn into something then I will start sending out résumés. On a side note, I have lived in the same small town my whole life and it is a nice place to live. I'm not really interested in the hustle and bustle of the big city life style. Just looking for a nice change of pace and being a part of something that allows me to grow and provide a comfortable life for my family. Thanks all for taking the time to read my ramblings and I'm sure there's a few of you who can relate.

[wings_of_fire]

Have you thought about long term financial security other than a job?.
I would consider starting some part time business where the family could be a part of. Set a goal for next 5 years and work towards it collectively. Business don't boom overnight as they need a lot of smart and consistent work. But once the business picks up momentum, the returns are considerably good. Starting a business and keeping the job is the best thing to do.

[yotapower07]

Long term security is the ultimate goal. Not only for myself but my kids too. starting my own business is a beautiful idea. It would definitely allow me to be what I want to be. After 7 years with this company I have been looking around wondering where I go from here. The past year or so my goal has been to get into management. I put a lot of passion and pride into my work and it bugs the hell out of me when people hold me back. Pretty obvious now that being my own boss would be a perfect fit. Thank you so much for the great advice and please if anyone cares to add to this please do.

[wings_of_fire]

Originally Posted by yotapower07

Long term security is the ultimate goal. Not only for myself but my kids too. starting my own business is a beautiful idea. It would definitely allow me to be what I want to be. After 7 years with this company I have been looking around wondering where I go from here. The past year or so my goal has been to get into management. I put a lot of passion and pride into my work and it bugs the hell out of me when people hold me back. Pretty obvious now that being my own boss would be a perfect fit. Thank you so much for the great advice and please if anyone cares to add to this please do.

I know how you feel as I have been through that phase. One of the worst enemy of progress is politics involved at work. That creates an uneasy environment for those people that do their work honestly and passionately. Some people do not have the real thing in them and they simply concentrate on pulling others down to make a gain for themselves and this happens in every kind of job.

Just don't ditch your job and jump into business. There are risks involved in business and you must counteract those risks with your job. Even if you progress in your job or don't, you must keep progressing in business.

Since you have 5 kids, you have a pretty big responsibility on your shoulders. Since the world revolves around money, earning money by each consuming member is also vital. Not saying child labor, but developing that entrepreneurial spirit at an young age is the key.

All the best

[JeremyH]

The logging industry is big in north east Texas.....particularly the towns of Nacogdoches and Lufkin. It is also fairly inexpensive to live there. They are small towns and have nice scenery. I havent looked at the job industry there, but it is an area you should check out.

[yotapower07]

Right on man thanks for the info.

[JeremyH]

Not a problem.

I lived in Nacogdoches during college ('96-'01) and it's a really nice little town. I did a lot of camping (Davy Crockett National Forest) and there's some good wheeling close by. The university that is there (Stephen F. Austin State University) is a good school and they have a good forestry program if that's something you are looking into for your kids in the future. Sczerzba graduated from that program.

When I lived there, the most expensive place I lived was a 2/2.5 condo that I rented and it was $500/month. I am not sure what it costs now, but it cant be more than where you live.

[makya]

In one post you say you want to be a millwright, and in another you post you want to be in Management, and in another you want to pursue being self employed.

It sounds like you just don't want to be where you are.

I was a 3rd generation millwright in the moulding industry, and ended up getting into construction and cabinetry because the pay in a sawmill is not what it used to be.
If you want to be a good millwright that makes good money, you'll work a lot of hours and give up family time.
If you want to be in management in a woodmill, you'll go to work early and leave late.
If you want to own a woodmill, you'll end up broke

Seriously though, the only way to snag a job in the sawmill industry that pays well is to put in the time and bust your ass, then put in your own time to learn, so you can advance.

you say start to finish, are you in a roughstock mill or dimensional lumber? do you run kiln's? if so, what type? Do you do service and maintenance on any of the equipt? can you do electrical work? 3phase? can you weld, and if so what types, and can you weld Cast? how big is the outfit you work for currently and is it newer equipt. with digital controls or older equipt. still running magnetic switches? can you do setup?

I ask all of that, because those are all things I'd want to know if you were walking in my door at the mill my dad still runs in Ca. (I still go out there, grind knives and do setups and sharpening for him), there are obviously a ton of other questions that go along with the ones I listed, but I also know guys that have worked Green Chain for 15 years and tell everyone they could run the place and want a promotion, but they don't know anything.

East Tx has a market, Georgia does, California,Oregon, Washington, Idaho, etc...Canada has one of, if not the largest facilities in the world if you really want to relocate. Most hardwoods come from the eastern half of the U.S. and most softwoods come from the west. the market shrank a lot up until the last few years, and is in a recovery, but it's volatile for smaller companies, with a lot of buyouts and shutdowns making companies afraid to expand too much.


here's some clickable info on the largest producers in North America:
North America's Top Producers - The Sawmill Database

My suggestion is to read up on the industry, see where you think it is healthiest for what you want to do, and polish up the resume.

[yotapower07]

Im working at Port Angeles Hardwood. We specialize in alder and maple lumber we only cut 4/4 boards random width from 6'-12'. My actual job title is sawmill trimmer operator. I basically make sure the boards run through the saws evenly and push buttons to cut boards to desired length. The mill was opened in 2005 so its pretty much all computer controlled and optimized. In my time there I have had the opportunity to operate almost all of the machinery in the sawmill side. Only area I have not operated is our headrig. I have experience with 988, 980, our 322 shovel or log loader depending on where you're from. The de-barker / chop saw which cuts full logs to 8 10 or 12' segments depending on overall length and diameter. The gang edger, that cuts cants into boards. Drop sorter / line up sorter. they seperate the garbage from the good wood and also watch to make sure boards are desired thickness. The board edger, it removes wane. The trimmer which I talked a little bit about. I have been at that machine for 3 1/2 years and have broken the production record twice for boards ran through the machine in a shift. The stacker and stick placer, that builds the units of lumber in preperation for kiln drying. Then finally the outfeed forklift which is a hyster 155. That job requires setting up charges for the kilns. I am fully trained in all aspects of the jobs I have listed above including lockout precedures for the entire sawmill side. We also have dry kilns and a sander side. The sander side houses dry shed, sander, grading area, pull chain, and shipping area. I have not worked on that side but still understand the processes involved. The green side is my fortay. For millwright stuff I do some minimal welding with wire feed and arc welding. I am no certified welder by any means however nothing that i have welded has broken... yet lol. No I have not welded cast though i am aware of the some of the special needs it requires. Typically if my machine breaks down I will fix it myself if I am able to do so without tools. Otherwise I wait for one of the actual millwrights and assist them with repairs. I have been called in on occasions to help with larger projects too. I have a very good understanding and knowledge of how our systems operate be it hydraulic, pneumatic or electric. I am not allowed to mess with any of the computer programming but am able to help diagnose issues when they come up. The idea of managment came up when I started wanting to make changes in the company and have no power to do so other than talking to people that do. That takes us to starting my own business as wings of fire had suggested. As far as wages go, we are probably one of the best paying places for this line of work. Id rather not openly say how much I have made this year though i have been able to pay my bills and keep growing my toy truck collection I have also worked in a couple auto repair shops and tire shops around town. I replaced the headgaskets in my 05 duramax in my driveway without a repair manual. Time wise took me about a week though since I had to wait on parts and work a fulltime job in between. So here is an outline of some of my capabilities. I apologize if I may have missed some things so if you would like to know any more specifics then I would be happy to answer those questions.