Heavy duty mechanics

[magnet]

If you have something like 7000 hour's of work you can challenge the certification (or something like that) to become an h.d. while skipping the apprentice'ing.

(I may be wrong. Still learning the ropes.)

you can challenge all but your red seal and journeyman years in ech trade if i remember right. however i would not recomend it. lots of stuff you learn from the book that you may not getthe chance to work onin the field, ex. you want to go off road always worked on cats, loaders, graders etc. your going to have a hard time with the first year test as you have never worked on a trailer,1st year is mainly trailer stuff, as well as airbrake stuff would be difficult as you have never or rarely worked with it. jmo. i have sent three guys to challenge all had 3+ years working in the industry, all failed and had to do the school anyways.

So if I decide later in life that I want to start my own outfit, what would it require? Business course's or just a ton of tools or what? I know you did this Polar

as for starting up your own buis. get your licence from the municipality you want to work in and giver. the sky is the limit. oh and yah you'll need lots of tools. plan on 40g+ in your box depending on wht you do and whos breed you use. on your own with a shop your looking at easy 100k if you want a full blown do it all type shop.
ask your old man what he has tied up in shop tools it is scary. it all adds up fast.

 

[what_next]

All i know is that it takes people in management and offices, and it takes people physically doing work

i'f you're going to get a degree, get a professional's degree ie: engineering, nursing, business.. you waste your time getting a Liberal Arts/Lideral Sciences degree unless you become a Teacher, or get a PhD which then makes you a teacher...

trades are also great, you tend to make more money up front, but there is less room for advancement, generally speaking. My dad is a Mechanic and was Western Canada Equipment Manager... so dont let it stop you it is possible, just opportunities are fewer and further in between, so i have seen.

pick the one you will be most happy with, it all costs way too much anyways

 

[rmk 800 144]

So if I decide later in life that I want to start my own outfit, what would it require? Business course's or just a ton of tools or what? I know you did this Polar

start your own as in mechanic company??

 

[Junior Highmark]

Like starting my own small private company with a couple guys working. Sort of along the lines of my dads business but HD

Sent from my killer Nexus S.

 

[Polarblu]

So if I decide later in life that I want to start my own outfit, what would it require? Business course's or just a ton of tools or what? I know you did this Polar

Bussness license which anyone can get, Incorporate your self as either a proprietor, partnership, or Limited company(few hundred at a lawyer) Then you get your Insurance (requires your journeyman papers). This allows you to be a contract mechanic. You also have to have a WCB number which is an online thing.

Most contractors buy an old service truck and start begging for work. I was lucky that the company i was working for was hiring a guy all the time so i took over the service truck work while working in the shop as an employee when they needed. Then went over seas as a contract supervisor. When i got back to Canada i bought a place with a Shop and started begging for work. It all works out if you have the drive.

Short steps are get your license, get an accountant, they know all the steps to set the company up and just sign where they tell you to. Put on some good knee pads and start blowin people!!

 

[Rucky]

ALIS - Home

Great websites for researching careers.

And regarding university/college/etc: When I was contemplating careers, I thought about the things I enjoy doing. The main thing that popped up: sledding, quading, and trucks. When devoting 4 years to university with minimal excess $$$ and student loans coming out of the ears (my parents wouldn't throw in much money), you will have none left for your hobbies and enjoyments--as well as a few years after that, while you are paying off student loans and trying to get on your feet. So you're looking at being 23-25 or so and getting back into sledding. For example: Say for six years, you're not allowed to sled or quad... I know a lot of older fella's that can't quite "do the things they used to." Well, for the time being I would like to enjoy life while I'm young and by apprenticing and EARNING money while learning, I feel that's a much better fit for me.

Rant two for me is how much through High School they try to keep you in the university/college route, while not informing kids that lots of those folks are having difficulty getting jobs. For example there are 3-4 kids in my class that aspire to be teachers. What has everyone been hearing about that occupation lately? In E-town, 200 are being laid off in the near future. Not a very good hiring outlook. It just frustrates me that they totally undermine the trade scene. It's often spoken as if going in the trades is for unintelligent people... How many tradesmen object to that?

 

[Polarblu]

Like starting my own small private company with a couple guys working. Sort of along the lines of my dads business but HD

Sent from my killer Nexus S.

In most mechanics opinions you are not a real journeyman till 4 years after your ticket. Right after school you wont have the actual bank of mental how too's to make it on your own. That being said if you can afford an old truck and sub-contract to a larger company you will learn twice as fast, and i have seen many make it that way. Handling employees is a huge task all on its own, nobody understands untill they do it, think of couple big babies that think they know it all and then pay for thier F-ups....... paints a nice picture huh?

Its a good trade that has treated me well, it can get you into all sorts of different stuff cause you have that problem solving ability.

 

[the_real_wild1]

"think of couple big babies that think they know it all and then pay for thier F-ups....... paints a nice picture huh?" Now that is funny. Funny because its true lol.

 

[Caper11]

Hey junior! Have you looked into a Industrial mechanic (millwright)trade? You can work in powerplants, gas plants, fabrication shops, gas compression industry working with stationary equipment. You can also work as a construction millwright doing machinery installs.
I'm a millwright and specialize in steam turbines and pumps and compressors.
90% of my work is indoors in a clean work envrioment.

 

[what_next]

Hey junior! Have you looked into a Industrial mechanic (millwright)trade? You can work in powerplants, gas plants, fabrication shops, gas compression industry working with stationary equipment. You can also work as a construction millwright doing machinery installs.
I'm a millwright and specialize in steam turbines and pumps and compressors.
90% of my work is indoors in a clean work envrioment.

that requires a LOT of finesse

 

[magnet]

In most mechanics opinions you are not a real journeyman till 4 years after your ticket. Right after school you wont have the actual bank of mental how too's to make it on your own. That being said if you can afford an old truck and sub-contract to a larger company you will learn twice as fast, and i have seen many make it that way. Handling employees is a huge task all on its own, nobody understands untill they do it, think of couple big babies that think they know it all and then pay for thier F-ups....... paints a nice picture huh?

Its a good trade that has treated me well, it can get you into all sorts of different stuff cause you have that problem solving ability.

what he said i have 6 babies/kids working for me, a few think they know it all gets worse once they get their ticket, they feel they should get more money just cause they have a ticket. doesn't matter he only has the four yrs it toook to get it for exp.
but anyways good trade junior and i am sure you wil do good at it and live comfortable, just stay out of ag, and keep small eng, for a hobby as they dont really pay.
have you loooked into mechanical engineering, could get the best of both worlds with something like that, can do hands on stuff sometimes but also design the units you are working on. i am actually looking into getting that one right now, hard to swallow part is average wage in alberta for mech. eng. is only 48k yr.

 

[Junior Highmark]

I think I'm gonna stay in the het. Route

Sent from my killer Nexus S.

 

[Riverjet]

I've been a certified HDM since 82. It's an awesome trade. There will always be work. At least until the religious nuts get their predictions right.:d

I've made a living since then working on the following. Graders, skidsteers, excavators, dump trucks, Hwy tractors, forklifts, pickups, cars, chainsaws, waterpumps, ATV"s, sleds, Marine, Generators, Motorhomes, buses, Farm tractors, Motorcycles, Building Hydraulic power units for sawmills, Hydraulic hose fabrication, Engine and transmission rebuilding, Welding, fabricating, Machining, Air compressors up to 1600 CFM bad boys, Light towers, Scizzor lifts, Genie man lifts. Vibratory plate compactors, Roller compactors, Air tools, etc, etc, etc, etc.
There are a million directions the trade can take you. My specialty is electrical. It's a great money maker.

 

[Cyle]

"think of couple big babies that think they know it all and then pay for thier F-ups....... paints a nice picture huh?" Now that is funny. Funny because its true lol.

X10000. And it's even worse if it's older guys working for someone younger. I absolutely cannot stand dealing with employees. I would rather work 12 hours not dealing with them then 8 having to deal with their ch!t. Some days it's all you can do to stop yourself from strangling them....

Doing your own thing is good but a long road away, easily 10 years. You also got to think, it's not like a worker when they leave work they are done and leave it at work. When your the boss you will be working 24/7 sometimes trying to make people happy. No days off a lot of times, especially when starting out.

 

[the_real_wild1]

Thats why I went to working on the floor again. Only have to worry about one guy.

 

[Pawel]

I've been a certified HDM since 82. It's an awesome trade. There will always be work. At least until the religious nuts get their predictions right.:d

I've made a living since then working on the following. Graders, skidsteers, excavators, dump trucks, Hwy tractors, forklifts, pickups, cars, chainsaws, waterpumps, ATV"s, sleds, Marine, Generators, Motorhomes, buses, Farm tractors, Motorcycles, Building Hydraulic power units for sawmills, Hydraulic hose fabrication, Engine and transmission rebuilding, Welding, fabricating, Machining, Air compressors up to 1600 CFM bad boys, Light towers, Scizzor lifts, Genie man lifts. Vibratory plate compactors, Roller compactors, Air tools, etc, etc, etc, etc.
There are a million directions the trade can take you. My specialty is electrical. It's a great money maker.

It sounds like you may have worked for a rental shop at one point in your life lol

 

[Riverjet]

It sounds like you may have worked for a rental shop at one point in your life lol

Yes I did for about 5 years. Others places included mostly dealerships.
Kenworth, Bobcat, Thomas, Clark, Nissan and government.