should I switch careers and be a machinist?

[crawlitreal]

kicked my wife out and lost my job, I'm 30!! yeah, early mid life crisis. Well anyways, I'm sick of this rat race of working as a grease monkey, it has put a toll on me for over 10 years!! Just want ta ask you machinists out there if that is a good field to work in or should I stay away! Just thinking it would be a cool career change cause it's the closest thing I can think of thats related to hobbies that I can work on. Thinking more of the cnc and lighter duty work, or is it fast pace hell?

 

[Duuuuuuuude]

More importantly, is there a need in your area for machinists?


A couple years ago I was going to take some classes at the local college and become a welder. Two weeks later I read in the paper that they had to hire 3 more welding teachers because they couldn't keep up with the sudden influx of students.

 

[Rig Rocker]

Not sure about the current machine shop workplace or the money involved, but I say go for it!
Not a lot of jobs to choose from anyway. Most people won't even consider a job change because the current economical situation is making pay less, and jobs are far and few. Everybody else that I know, except for you, is just praying to keep their job right now. Good luck and you know I got your back!

 

[crawlitreal]

More importantly, is there a need in your area for machinists?


A couple years ago I was going to take some classes at the local college and become a welder. Two weeks later I read in the paper that they had to hire 3 more welding teachers because they couldn't keep up with the sudden influx of students.

yeah, there's craigslist postings 2-3 every day on cnc, machinists and manufacturing jobs.

oh, and if anyone in the area has heard of Tech Shops in menlo park, they are opening a new one in downtown San Jose at the end of June. It's a full fabrication shop that you can rent for your own personal use. they also offer classes on cnc, plasma cutters, etc. no certificates tho.

 

[crawlitreal]

Not sure about the current machine shop workplace or the money involved, but I say go for it!
Not a lot of jobs to choose from anyway. Most people won't even consider a job change because the current economical situation is making pay less, and jobs are far and few. Everybody else that I know, except for you, is just praying to keep their job right now. Good luck and you know I got your back!

Thanks again man, you've helped me a lot. Theres 1-2 mechanic jobs on CL a day. I applied and had an interview for a place and the manager had to shut off his phone before he can get out to show me the shop because there were too many people calling about the jobs. Seems like everyone in the central valley wants to move back to the bay area.

I'm pretty certain I can get a job in my field back, but I don't want to look back in my 40's saying damn! I should have went back to school! know what I mean

 

[TexasSP]

When I managed a machine shop I found the following. People that could do a mediocre job of running a CNC lathe or mill were a dime a dozen. Guys who could run them well were a little more scarce. However, what I found most desirable was the guy who could actually take a drawing and program them machine himself. These guys are extremely hard to find. I don't mean ones that could do basic programming but ones who actually knew their way around a CNC inside and out.

Learn CAD, learn to program, and the rest is cake. If you have those two skills you can be hired as a machinist very easily and get paid over twice what a basic operator would make. I know advanced machinists who can program anything they want and make 6 figures.

 

[crawlitreal]

When I managed a machine shop I found the following. People that could do a mediocre job of running a CNC lathe or mill were a dime a dozen. Guys who could run them well were a little more scarce. However, what I found most desirable was the guy who could actually take a drawing and program them machine himself. These guys are extremely hard to find. I don't mean ones that could do basic programming but ones who actually knew their way around a CNC inside and out.

Learn CAD, learn to program, and the rest is cake. If you have those two skills you can be hired as a machinist very easily and get paid over twice what a basic operator would make. I know advanced machinists who can program anything they want and make 6 figures.

Thanks, the Tech Shop looks like they have cad classes, but they are only 2-3 hours each, seems like they are just to help you with your personal project. I found another place that looks more professional, might hit them up. I had CAD classes in high school, measured the entire school for a class project, just never got further into it. thanks again for the input.