Elevator Mechanic?

Off Topic
21

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:

[quote]X-Factor wrote:
Are you a welder? In canada I’ve heard of guys in fort mcmurray making 320/hr. However the property costs are now 300k for a 1 trailer lot. Kind of nuts.[/quote]

Yes. I currently work building and repairing barges. That $320/hr. thing does sound kind of crazy, but it could be true. I’m not in Canada, but it almost goes without saying that no one gets filthy stinking rich working in any trade, but depending on skill level you can do pretty well. Filthy and stinking for sure though.

Most in house or shop welders can reasonably expect 30-50K/year. Pipeline and service work is better, and if you have your own rig or fab shop, you can do pretty darn good.

[/quote]

Hmm my brother worked at Fort McMurray earlier this year. He made something like 30/hour, but he worked 12 hour days, 7 days/week so he had 40 hours/week at 30/hour and 44ish hours a week overtime at 45/hour. He did 2 weeks on, 1 week off. And he lived on-site so he paid nothing to live there, and they gave him lots of good food, 3 times/day. He said the welders make a bit more than him, $40-50/hour.

22

[quote]BobParr wrote:

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:
It has its ups and downs[/quote]

Dammit, you beat me to it! :slight_smile:

OK, how about this:

Getting into this field can really open some doors for you. Plus, it’s the kind of career where you can rise quickly to the top, provided you get in on the ground floor.

[/quote]

Nicely done.

I was getting upset that everyone ignored my comment, thought I was being hilarious.

23

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:

[quote]X-Factor wrote:
Are you a welder? In canada I’ve heard of guys in fort mcmurray making 320/hr. However the property costs are now 300k for a 1 trailer lot. Kind of nuts.[/quote]

Yes. I currently work building and repairing barges. That $320/hr. thing does sound kind of crazy, but it could be true. I’m not in Canada, but it almost goes without saying that no one gets filthy stinking rich working in any trade, but depending on skill level you can do pretty well. Filthy and stinking for sure though.

Most in house or shop welders can reasonably expect 30-50K/year. Pipeline and service work is better, and if you have your own rig or fab shop, you can do pretty darn good.

[/quote]

Hmm my brother worked at Fort McMurray earlier this year. He made something like 30/hour, but he worked 12 hour days, 7 days/week so he had 40 hours/week at 30/hour and 44ish hours a week overtime at 45/hour. He did 2 weeks on, 1 week off. And he lived on-site so he paid nothing to live there, and they gave him lots of good food, 3 times/day. He said the welders make a bit more than him, $40-50/hour.[/quote]

That sounds a lot more realistic for that type of work.

24

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]BobParr wrote:

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:
It has its ups and downs[/quote]

Dammit, you beat me to it! :slight_smile:

OK, how about this:

Getting into this field can really open some doors for you. Plus, it’s the kind of career where you can rise quickly to the top, provided you get in on the ground floor.

[/quote]

Nicely done.

I was getting upset that everyone ignored my comment, thought I was being hilarious.[/quote]

I LOL’d!

As for the OP’s question about the trades, the Elevator Workers are an exclusive bunch, but if you get in, the pay and the bennies are about ten to twenty percent better than the rest of the higher paying trades (Electrical Workers, Steam Fitters, Plumbers, etc…) To echo Skyzyks, in each of those other trades there is an hourly bonus on top of the pay scale for welding, and each of those trades uses welders.

Personally, if I had to rank the trades in order of best conditions and best pay (from MY observation/experience in the DC area, not picking on anyone), the order would look something like this:

Elevator workers (best pay, best benefits, best representation, no non-union competition, this is the holy grail of the trades - although I personally have a friend who lost 4 fingers in this trade with one momentary laps of attention)

Electrical workers / Steam fitters (they are almost the same in pay and working conditions - you can get dirty sometimes, but if you have a brain and work hard you can have a reasonably clean, safe, well paying career with an excellent retirement pension and annuity)

Plumbers / Sprinkler fitters (You will get dirty, but the pay is good - benefits not so much)

Steel workers / Glaziers (hard fucking work, always outside, often at heights, lot’s of people fall and die)

Tin-knockers / Carpenters (expect stitches several times a year, medium pay, shitty benefits, lots of non-union competition)

Bricklayers (get whipped and driven like slaves, when you inadvertently “forget” to cut in my junction boxes, I WILL put them in using my sledge hammer… Lot’s of asshole bricklayers) LOL

Painters (low pay, low benefits, lots of competition - mainly from illegal workers)

Asbestos workers (it’s ASBESTOS! need I say more?)

Laborers (shit pay, shit bennies, shit work)

25

High level woodworkers/finish work and high level smiths make great money as well.

26

[quote]angry chicken wrote:

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]BobParr wrote:

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:
It has its ups and downs[/quote]

Dammit, you beat me to it! :slight_smile:

OK, how about this:

Getting into this field can really open some doors for you. Plus, it’s the kind of career where you can rise quickly to the top, provided you get in on the ground floor.

[/quote]

Nicely done.

I was getting upset that everyone ignored my comment, thought I was being hilarious.[/quote]

I LOL’d!

As for the OP’s question about the trades, the Elevator Workers are an exclusive bunch, but if you get in, the pay and the bennies are about ten to twenty percent better than the rest of the higher paying trades (Electrical Workers, Steam Fitters, Plumbers, etc…) To echo Skyzyks, in each of those other trades there is an hourly bonus on top of the pay scale for welding, and each of those trades uses welders.

Personally, if I had to rank the trades in order of best conditions and best pay (from MY observation/experience in the DC area, not picking on anyone), the order would look something like this:

Elevator workers (best pay, best benefits, best representation, no non-union competition, this is the holy grail of the trades - although I personally have a friend who lost 4 fingers in this trade with one momentary laps of attention)

Electrical workers / Steam fitters (they are almost the same in pay and working conditions - you can get dirty sometimes, but if you have a brain and work hard you can have a reasonably clean, safe, well paying career with an excellent retirement pension and annuity)

Plumbers / Sprinkler fitters (You will get dirty, but the pay is good - benefits not so much)

Steel workers / Glaziers (hard fucking work, always outside, often at heights, lot’s of people fall and die)

Tin-knockers / Carpenters (expect stitches several times a year, medium pay, shitty benefits, lots of non-union competition)

Bricklayers (get whipped and driven like slaves, when you inadvertently “forget” to cut in my junction boxes, I WILL put them in using my sledge hammer… Lot’s of asshole bricklayers) LOL

Painters (low pay, low benefits, lots of competition - mainly from illegal workers)

Asbestos workers (it’s ASBESTOS! need I say more?)

Laborers (shit pay, shit bennies, shit work)
[/quote]

Ha! This looks pretty damn accurate, from what I remember.

I did the laboring for a brick/block contractor, then concrete and then built/repaired railroad a few years later.

Pay your dues while you can, OP. Get in, bust your ass for a while, then reap the benefits when you get older. It’ll be worth it.

Good luck!

27

OH SNAP! Were YOU a bricklayer, tiger? I had forgotten… :wink:

28

[quote]angry chicken wrote:
OH SNAP! Were YOU a bricklayer, tiger? I had forgotten… ;)[/quote]

I was more of a laborer than a bricklayer, since we couldn’t keep any laborers for very long:)

29

Was just talking to my apprentice buddy. Turns out these are the guys that are licensed to work on roller-coasters too. Thats gotta be some kinda hero…right?

30

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:
It has its ups and downs[/quote]

I lol’d

31

Did it several years.

Apprentices learn every aspect by doing. So try to get on with a smaller company or you will do ultimate donkey work on mondo skyscrapers of toting and hanging the rails the cars ride on for months and months and months,
Better a smaller company where you do start to finish more often, so you can actually learn something.

Good compensation, out of the weather generally, quite varied daily work from grunt to electrical, pipe fitting, mechanical assembly, welding, door hanging, machine setting. Many guys move into service /maintenance after putting in their time doing construction since it is less physical, cleaner, varied locations per day…

Downside - claustrophobic, dark and dank at times, loss of life or limb for lapse of attention.

All in all, it is honorable and every year there are more elevators - thus, more service guys.

32

[quote]treco wrote:
Did it several years.

Apprentices learn every aspect by doing. So try to get on with a smaller company or you will do ultimate donkey work on mondo skyscrapers of toting and hanging the rails the cars ride on for months and months and months,
Better a smaller company where you do start to finish more often, so you can actually learn something.

Good compensation, out of the weather generally, quite varied daily work from grunt to electrical, pipe fitting, mechanical assembly, welding, door hanging, machine setting. Many guys move into service /maintenance after putting in their time doing construction since it is less physical, cleaner, varied locations per day…

Downside - claustrophobic, dark and dank at times, loss of life or limb for lapse of attention.

All in all, it is honorable and every year there are more elevators - thus, more service guys.

[/quote]

What steps did you take to get started?

33

[quote]X-Factor wrote:

[quote]treco wrote:
Did it several years.

Apprentices learn every aspect by doing. So try to get on with a smaller company or you will do ultimate donkey work on mondo skyscrapers of toting and hanging the rails the cars ride on for months and months and months,
Better a smaller company where you do start to finish more often, so you can actually learn something.

Good compensation, out of the weather generally, quite varied daily work from grunt to electrical, pipe fitting, mechanical assembly, welding, door hanging, machine setting. Many guys move into service /maintenance after putting in their time doing construction since it is less physical, cleaner, varied locations per day…

Downside - claustrophobic, dark and dank at times, loss of life or limb for lapse of attention.

All in all, it is honorable and every year there are more elevators - thus, more service guys.

[/quote]

What steps did you take to get started?[/quote]

Careful ones?

34

[quote]X-Factor wrote:
what advice you guys could give me.[/quote]

If you work hard and do your job, then you’ll quickly rise to the top.

35

[quote]X-Factor wrote:

[quote]treco wrote:

[/quote]

What steps did you take to get started?[/quote]

I went to work for a company that I had a couple of connections in, but since it is a union oriented field - you might go to the union and sign up on a list and whichever company calls them gets the next guy on the list. Sorry I just don’t recall.

36

Well here is the update.

There are 2 routes to take.

1.) Union. There was just an intake in December, they took 500 applications…they only have 1000 people in the local :s This was the first time they every did an intake as it seems they are seeking equal opportunity more so now. That being said, it’s gonna be fuckin damn near impossible this way. They wouldn’t even let me put in an application so i’m kind of fucked there. She said it’s a waiting game. However did advise me to get my family friend to “speak to X about what I should do”. Sounded like a suggested possible round-a-bout way.

2.) Go private…at first (if I even decide I want union after that). This being said, I have been endlessly forwarding cover letters/resumes to the non-uni companies. I made some headway with one company. She said it was clear I was keen on doing it and that I should get my EDM-T license which is essentially what you need to register. As it will show a legitimate interest in pursuing this. I will be doing that within a month I believe.

37

Well, I got a sponsor for an apprenticeship. Only took about 4 weeks…funny what you can do when you put your shoulder to it. Thanks for the advice guys.

38

Who do I have to kill to get in? Honestly, over thousands show up, most of whom are already in a trade, and some over qualified. Its hard to get into the union but, its a single day of training and school over 4yrs. Non union, you got to do school yourself after you find a non union company to take you on. I got out the yellow pages and began calling companies. All the large ones are unionized. Its 2yr program plus safety, and a 4yr apprenticeship. Any help is extremely appreciated.

39

I know nothing about this- but I have seen an elevator mechanic truck once, and it said Thyssen-Krupp. Cool name. The dude in the truck was huge.

40

I work for a Global company out of Charlotte North Carolina. The bigger companies like Otis, ThyssenKrupp, Schindler, and Kone mostly work the same way in respect to hiring. These companies are in agreement with the I.U.E.C. in the United States and Canada. The hiring process may be different in Canada, but in the United States you must first take an Apprenticeship exam given by the union and monitored by the Dept of Labor. The exam is a basic exam that tests math and reading skills. A high school diploma or G.E.D. is also required.

Applicants who pass the exam are then interviewed by a two person team consisting of one union member and one company representative. The interview is scored by both representatives for a final number. The applicant is then ranked according to his score among the other applicants. There is usually a high number of applicants “in the hundreds” so it is very possible that you will never be called during the time period that applicants are pulled from this apprenticeship drive.

When a company is in need of a new apprentice, they call the union hall and request a new hire. The apprentice starts work at 50% Mechanics wage. After 6 months on the job there wage increases to 55%. After the next year is completed the hourly wage will increase to 70%. When the second year is complete “starting year 3” the wage increases to 75%. Third year completed “starting year 4” wages increase to 80%. After year 4 and upon completion of all classes you can now sit for the mechanics exam.

Once you pass the mechanics exam you have the option of notifying the company of your intent to advance to mechanics status and have your wage increased to 100%, or you may remain as an assistant mechanic for 85% wage. The deciding factor for the apprentice on advancing or not depends on the current work situation. The company cannot tell you that you may not take your mechanics card, but they can say that the currently have no room for another mechanic at this time and lay you off. Also, some of us make whats called “over scale” or “mechanic in charge” which is 12.5% over mechanics wage. These positions are typically reserved in service for field troubleshooters, repair foreman, and construction adjusters.