datsunlover Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 Need to rant a bit.. Just stressed out.. See, I'm currently in school (2nd year Machinest Apprentice course) which is 6.5 hours a day, monday to friday and at 4:30, I go home, change clothes and go to work.. ussualy for about 4 hours. Ok, cool.. make $$$ to live while learing the 'mostly theory' stuff of my trade. BUT; I'm starting to get.. cranky. A lot of the stuf in school is new to me, or I don't have much experiance with it, and the math stuff is gona get very tricky. There are also the 'two dickhead guys' every class has/needs.. You know, the know it all, I'm faster then you, you're an idiot guys. There's a bit of the stress.. Part of the problem here is that in the school, things are 'laid back' and there's nobody breathing down your neck to finish your work quickly. Then I go to work.. heh.. and ALL last week and the past two days, I've been at a factory setting up conveyor and shoot/slide systems that my shop has designed/built. The factory is TOTALY disorganised, and the head guy(s) have NO idea WTF is going on. IE; They have an idea of what they THINK is the way something should be, but it's not.. or it wont work like that.. ect. Example; I have to set a slide up and drill/tap holes in the frame of it so I can determine where the end will .. end up. THEN, I have to take it down, and install brackets on the end that join it to the next slide. I also have to cut some of them, and the factory's band saw is junk... as is the jig saw.. The factory guy sees this and figures "well that take a lot of time.. you should just do all of that at once and then put it up." Problem is, evrything will get out of line and not match up if I do it this way. On top of THAT whole issue, the head guy is CONSTANTLY walking over, hovering around, and pointing out stupid crap. (guy) "Oh.. this isn't the same lenghth here as the other one.." (Me) "Yah.. it's adjustable. I'll move it into position after I've drilled these holes and bolted it to the machine" (guy)"wellll... I dono.. lets see if it changes anything..." (me) " It wont. It can't. The bar moves/slides in a horzontal plane..parallel to the floor.. hight will stay the same no mater how far out it sticks.." (guy) "Well lets move it then and see.." (me) 0k I'm loosing my mind... and my boss is going nuts, cause we have enough work for the next month.. to be done in the next two weeks, and I'M IN SCHOOL!!! Aside from the CNC guy ($30/hour I think) I'm the only other employee that can run all the machines without constant supervision/help, and also weld. The one guy has only been there 6 months, and the other guy is the bosses 18 year old son.. he stands around doing nothing a lot.. I'm wondering if it's worth it.. (for $12/hour btw) I havn't touched the Z in a month.. I realy wanted to get the motor out so I can rebuild it, but I hardly have time to SLEAP anymore! I'm gona need a vacation after this two months is up.. Whew... ok, I'm done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 Just remember the guys who "know it all" now are the guys who will be asking questions later because they were too busy "knowing how to do everything" when they should have been asking questions! That's my experice with guys who "know it all" The guys from my class (tech) who knew how to do everything were without a doubt the most annoying guys because they would try to answer every question and when they werent right they would try to arrgue their point on why they were right and why the teacher was wrong! Yeah it gets old but remember those are the guys who no one wants to talk to in a work environment because people get sick of hearing about "how things should be done". Trust me on this, we have a tech like that and nobody can BS with him because he's too busy trying to act like MR. KNOWN IT ALL! If you really like the machininst job stick with the schooling and before you know it, you'll be working and wishing you were back in school! LOL Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilRufusKay Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 I feel your pain brother. I work full time during the day, and do the school thing at night. True it sucks, but you are doing the right thing. I have one more semester and I will have my second degree. Education is what it takes to make it today. Then, you will have time for the Z. Take pride, and do your best. Keep an eye open for other places that may support your education endevors, (usually larger scale employers) they pay for education and help you get through. Some employers really respect those that do the school thing. Good Luck!! Rufus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted January 19, 2005 Share Posted January 19, 2005 Where ever you go you will run into folks just like that....get used to it and learn how to deal with it.....it won't go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave240Z Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 I don't blame ya for venting a bit, it's rough to attend school and work at the same time. My only consolation to you is that you're not alone. I know all too well how much your social life can suck, the constant sleep deprivation and huge amounts of stress both from work and school. I did the same thing as you, but I worked full time (mostly 45+hours) and went to school at night. This went on for almost 7 years but I eventually came out on the other side with two engineering degrees. It's definitely worth it, both on a personal and professional level. I earn far more $$$ today than I ever would have if I did not attend school and I have the personal satisfaction of knowing that I did it. I don't think I would have ever forgiven myself had I not finished and as such it became a mission in my life. I wish you the best man and the best advice I can give is to just stick with it. By far the hardest thing is to keep going and once you stop it's so very hard to start again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted January 20, 2005 Author Share Posted January 20, 2005 Well I'm having a better day today.. still quite tired, but I guess that won't go away for a while.. I'm actually suprised with myself, as I have stuck with "this" for over 2 years now, and still have the urge to continue.. After this schooling, it'll be another year working, then another 2 months traning, some more working (to get the required hours in) then the trade exam, and THEN (assuming I get my papers) I'll have to work for 3-4 years just to be worth anything. I'll make more as time pases though, so it's not all bad.. It does kinda burn me a bit that the local factory workers make on average $5-$10 more than me for doing..well.. not much! I don't think I could do that though.. brainless monkey work for the next 25 years and end up old and cranky. Oh and as for the 'guys who know it all' well.. heh.. it bugs me a little, but I've delt with people like that a LOT and it's actually kind of funny when you get the chance to shut them up... One of them was bitching earlier this week about a particular lathe being "a piece of crap" and guess what machine I had to use yesterday? Hmm.. worked great for me! I made sure to tell another classmate about 'how good this thing works' while the knowitall was within earshot.. And went on to explain why the other guy most likely had problems.. (had the RPM WAY to high for parting off) He gave me a dirty look and I smiled. it was all I could do no to laugh out loud.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 Work + School = long days, but it pays off. I did it for 9 years. Started out like you, in a machinist votech program as an apprentice working summers and durring the week, got a job and the company paid my tuition to contiunue college. Worked in the shop for about 7 years or so total and got tired of the crap you are talking about, moved into the office to 'make a difference'. Like the others said, it's the same everywhere. The office is just as bad as the shop but I do like my boss better now. I've been with this company for a total of 12 years and I feel that I have contributed alot to change things. It is a very difficult thing to stay optimistic and work hard when many around you are pessimistic and say things like "we've already tried that" and crap like that. You have to get past that and keep trucking, it ain't easy but I guess that is what you deal with working for someone else. Good luck and hang in there!!! So CNC machinists can make 30/hr up there??? It is a union shop? Our shop is non-union (thank god) and we make oil tools, but top guys here make 22 or so max probably. Of course our cost of living is probably lower as well so it may be equal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 That's $30 canadian... Which is equal to our minimum! Couldn't resist! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCZ Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 I read a quote that was attributed to Winston Churchill: "When you are going through Hell, keep going!" Good luck and hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted January 21, 2005 Author Share Posted January 21, 2005 That's $30 canadian... Which is equal to our minimum! Couldn't resist! Mike Heh. you aint kidding! grumble grumble... Frigin government taxing my paycheck, I pay TAX on anything I buy (with money left over on the paycheck after taxes) and THEN I have to do 'income tax' at the end of the year.. I may get by this year (might get a few hundred back) as I was in school, and only making $9/h.. but now I make $12, and will make more after I finish school.. the more you make, the more thay take! As for hell, I'm not there yet.. but I can see it coming soon.. the next few weeks are gona get rough... I just had a thought tonite though (as I stood in front of the lathe at WORK..) When this 8 weeks is up, I'll have LOTS of time for 'my stuff' after work hours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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