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Wayne
12-23-2003 19:55:52
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Re: Airline Pilot to Ag Mechanic??? in reply to C. M. Allen, 12-23-2003 09:12:13
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As an equipment mechanic by trade I can tell you what I see and hear out there. I work mainly on construction equipment and cranes, but it seems to hold true for anybody I talk to no matter what they work on be it trucks, farm tractors, small engines, or whatever. First you need to decide do you want to be a mechanic or a "technician". A mechanic knows how to use his most important tool, his brain, to find the problem and what caused it and fix both, while a technician usually relys on the computer to tell him which part to replace and hopes it works afterwards. For a mechanic a degree of any type isn't mean much to an old school shop foreman. To them it just means your an "educated idiot". You may learn some mechanical and technical stuff in school, but if you have at least some background in mechanics, and most importantly are actually "mechanically inclined" I'd about bet that your background will make more difference than anything you can learn in a classroom. The main thing is the willingness to admit you don't know it all and ask questions and learn. Don't be afraid to tackle any problem put before you, remember they only make so many types of parts, it just depends on how you put them together as to what they do. If you can figure out the principle behind what a part is supposed to be doing then you can fix it. Now to actually answer your questions---The demand for GOOD mechanics is pretty high at least here in NC, there just aren't enough people really qualified to fill the openings. Don't expect to start out making much, I'd say average around here is $10-$13(starting) to $20+hr (with a good amount of experience). As for getting hired, a willingness to work hard, learn constantly and get dirty are top things you'll need to have. As for hours that will depend on what you get into. Most dealerships shops are gonna be "9-5" hours. If you get in the field, depending on the dealership, that can change. I work with my Dad and we do field work. During the summer months we always figure on at least a 10hr day just so we can finish up everything we have going. Sometimes we'll see dealership guys pack it up at 5,and sometimes their there til dark just like we are. Like I said some of it's the dealerships policys, and some of it is just the guys doing the work. If you want to work on the newer electronic controlled equipment, then some school is probably gonna be useful, but not right off. I'd sugest getting started, like you said, with someone reputable and actually doing the job for a while before going to school. This allows you to make sure it's actually what you want to do before you make the investment of time and money for school, as well as learning the basics "on the job", which is the best way to do it. After a few months of busting your hump maybe the dealership will be willing to pick up the tab and send you to some of the factory schools where you actually learn the newest electronic control systems, etc that are out there. The main thing, like I said is to be willing to learn and get dirty doing it. Working on equpment is hard physical work, and you have to love it to stick with it. If you want to become one of the new "technicians" and work on nothing but newer equipment then there is a place for you, but you'll always be competing with the new generation of technician. If you learn to be an old school mechanic I can tell you the competetion is slowly dying with each generation. I'm 36 so I have alot more years to go before I hand up my hat. With what I see out there, I know I'll always have a job for two reasons. First the new "technicians" don't seem want to think enough to work on the old stuff where your brain was the most important troubleshooting tool there was. If they can't plug it in their lost. It's like we're too "advanced" to remember how they used to do it, and how well it worked.... Secondly I'll always have work because the old equipment, that takes a real mechanic to work on it, will still be running when the new stuff is setting dead in a field or being recycled. I just heard the other day that Vulcan Materials was going back to the old cable operated front shovels in some of their quarries for this very reason. The new hydraulic machines were costing so much in downtime and maintenance in general that they weren't as economical to operate as some of the "educated idiots" (that replaced then with the newest machines)were tought in school that they would be..... Food for thought there.... I don't know about flying for an airlines, but flying is something I would love to have the oportunity to learn...I'll make a deal with you,come out to NC, I'll teach you mechanics and you can teach me to fly....
Seriously, this is all just my observations and opinion, I hope it helps you some with your decision.....Wayne
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