Family business is folding. 15 years of work down the tube. And the best part is my machinist experience is limited to manual machines, as in not CNC machinery. So if I want to “get back” to this level of work and pay I have to go to school to learn CNC machinery. I also did all the office work at the end, deliveries, purchasing, quoting, point of contact, setting up every moving part, god damn everything...and it just came down to not being able to beat out companies who have the CNC machines, employees, etc. We got passed up. My freelance audio production has been mostly small jobs and people trying to get me to do 4 months of work for $80 total. I truly loathe live performing but I mean, I guess it would be better than nothing but I would be starting at the very bottom so who knows if it’s even worthwhile to try. Studios want me to be an intern for an undetermined amount of time. I don’t have the luxury of not needing to get paid. My side gig cash job is seasonal and it’s pretty much almost over (helping a crawfish catering company). I don’t have a degree in anything but blood, sweat and tears. And that’s not a real thing. Wtf do I do now? I’m applying to UPS and couple part-time joe jobs around my neighborhood but I need something better before I feel right again. A career as it were. Ugh.
Good luck out there in the workforce. Sucks to hear a family business go under. If I remember correctly, the family business was a steel mill wasn't it? Not to get political but would you say the tariffs contributed or other factors? If it's a little too fresh to talk about it, I understand but would just be interesting to hear from someone who seems to be personally impacted by this. I dunno if you live in Texas, but construction is always lucrative out here. I mean paid apprenticeships with a pay bump every 6 months to a year until you achieve journeyman status. 8,000 hours of work experience in the field and you can become a Master in whatever trade you choose and can start your own small business. Often times, at least with entities like the IBEW, your tuition and books are covered by the dues you pay as a member and the work contracts they provide for you. Good luck.
While you're looking for a primary job, you could probably be an Uber or Lyft driver, just to have some income.
Sheet metal fabrication shop... and yeah, materials prices exploded with the tariffs but that’s hardly something I would pin it down with. There were many other factors. Specifically to that point though, it was kinda weird to see people’s colors come through in talking about why the price tripled in some cases. Like bro I don’t care what you think about it, I’m not paying 500 extra bucks for a sheet of stainless because you’re mad about it. I had an offer to come work part time at another shop, little different kind of work but I fee like they would just work me to death for as little pay as possible. Kinda vultured it a bit and being perfectly honest...being a machinist is not fun. I’m 32, I’m not broken but the machining I’ve done to this point has taken a toll. I’m not dying to get back into another machine shop. And to be overly political about it, I super don’t want to be around that whole dissatisfied middle aged white guy scene. I can keep it in check when I just have business to get to...having to hear from those folks every day would kill me.
You should probably sign up for unemployment ASAP so you get some cash coming in. Unemployment is pretty low so you should be able to get a job relatively quickly. https://twc.texas.gov/ You can get 454 dollars a week: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/collecting-unemployment-benefits-texas-32500.html At least it help you pay some bills while you find a new job.
Sorry to hear that. Apply for UE right away. I'd then, if you can, take a week off to figure out what you want to do because you seem to be all over the place. If you want to be a machinist, go get that certification while you work other side gigs if that's enough to support you. In any case, I'd suggest getting a professionally made resume. I don't think he posts here any more but @dandorotik does this for a living (and sometimes gives CF discounts). It's well worth the expense.
Are you considering Texas only for your career or are you open to moving? Machinists get paid a lot more (really any labor industry gets paid a lot where I live) and most places are still union shops. Either way, collect your unemployment and give yourself some time to explore your opportunities. Ask yourself what you might want to do and once you figure that out, post something about it. There are a lot of people here with diverse backgrounds who could probably help you figure out how to get to that next career choice.
Sorry to hear that. Like others have said, take some time to figure out a plan while you collect unemployment. It may feel like it now, since it's so fresh, but you don't have to make a decision in the next 20 minutes. Sounds like you may have some PM skills that could be valuable in the workforce. Not to be "that guy" but the good news is, you're only 32. You still have plenty of time to completely change careers if that's what you want to. Now might be the perfect time, actually.
Sorry to hear that. Before I went back to school I did data entry work for about 3 years. Easy work that pays well enough (around $11-$15/hour), of course its boring as hell and you sit at a desk for 8 hours. Most dont require a ton of experience. Just go to indeed and search "data entry clerk". Might find something. Good luck!
Oh yeah we didn’t pay into unemployment so I get nothing and like it. The good news I saw I have never been one to blow my money and my wife just got a great job/pay raise so indeed, it’s not the most urgent time ever. Still, I need gainful employment. Yes, Texas is my home of homes so unless it was a no-brainer uprooting my family isn’t a preference. But if it was lol yeah I’d sell my house (which honestly would put a few coins in my bank but that’s a wayyyyy back fall back plan) and move just about anywhere. I’ve been off for something like 3 weeks and while the urge to “get back to work” is there, this situation sucks and it’s kinda messed with my head. Like I’m not depressed just don’t want to feel like I’m starting over but neither do I really want to continue on the machinist route. Weird mood to be in.
Just out of curiosity did you do engine blocks/heads refinishing/milling etc.? Or just fabrication work? And sorry to hear this
OP, really sorry to hear your news. I'm actually trained (low level) in metal machining b/c I had to have it for my physics work at some point, and so I appreciate the real art of good machining and also the toll that real machining, heavy machining can take on someone. Just highlighting what you're saying about part-time employment. If anyone on this board or in this country doesn't think the same sorts of tough decisions are coming to their industry (it's definitely in mine, higher education), then they are fooling themselves. Separate from any political statement, it's just obvious: we're headed full speed toward gig economy, which will look kind of feudal at some point. You'll be in the castle (owning a company or business) or outside the castle (hustling for hard, under-funded work). Best wishes, Derp. I like the advice about project management type of work. Having helped run a business is nothing to sneeze at and you might undersell or not even fully recognize your skills on that front.
Yeah, it's coming (some areas of employment slower than others but it's coming for pretty much everything) when some of these specialty shops don't need workers because the machines do it all.... A real skill is going to be even more lost... Ie like you won't even need a guy to dial in specs to the machine. On a side note I have a big background in computers/electronics/mechanics so... I'll continue to fix everything myself, but for sure that'll be a lost skill and has already started. I mean I've tried to teach my kids how to fix stuff and while they're ahead of most of their peers it's scary when others can't change a tire. I'm sure this is repeated all the time, but with the speed of information/AI etc it's becoming more a reality. Sure... We'll say "well I'll just fix the machines when they break!!" , but what happens when that's done by a machine too....
No, instrument panels, brackets, enclosures....that sort of thing. Honestly, it’s just been all i know and I don’t really have like certifications or training to show so I dont really know how to categorize everything i did. Like....I really did everything. Last 2-3 years have just been me and my pops running a friggin machine shop start to finish and he’s never been one to do office work. Billing, accounting, planning, invoicing, AP and AR, shipping, purchasing, EVERYTHING lol...Except welding. I wasn’t interested in college so my dad and grandpa put me to work. Started out just deburring and graining parts for like 6.50 an hour and learned machines, picked up more responsibilities...one thing I will be happy to put in the rear view is the weird mentality people have of working for family being easy. But I will probably need to speak with someone who knows more about resumes to really categorize and make it look nice. Maybe that’s my first step.
