Read Online Blue Collar and Proud of It: The All-In-One Resource for Finding Freedom, Financial Success, and Security Outside the Cubicle by Joe Lamacchia, Bridget Samburg - Free Book Online
Authors: Joe Lamacchia, Bridget Samburg
Tags: Business
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Baseball Team
Craig Copeland enjoys his job, but he says the sporadic hours prevent himfromjoining a baseball team. Asalary close to $100, 000 makes it well worth the sacrifice. Copeland has worked as a bed truck operator, moving drilling rigs, and is nowa dispatch operator forDCEnergy Services inCrossfield, Alberta.He used to go to and from drilling sites around Alberta that required equipment deliveries or removal. “This is not a 9-to-5 job, ” says Copeland, explaining that an entire operation could be held up while waiting for one of his trucks to arrive.
Precision is everything in this job, says Copeland, who explains that the sometimes-eighty-thousand-pound equipmentmust be loadedwithin an inch of specification to ensure proper and safe hauling. “You feel good when you get it right.” Copeland always enjoyed driving the huge rigs and appreciated the challenge in driving across rugged terrain. He says he wouldn’t have enjoyed the long-haul trucking and endless open roads.He’s always liked that his job didn’t involve sitting in front of a computer all day, though it can involve physical labor.
Copeland says that recent workforce shortages have driven down the expertise of operators, something that he finds disappointing. He says people are promoted fairly quickly in this industry now, which is good for people getting into it, but Copeland would like to see more training. Copeland was trained by his employer and says that’s the way people typically learn the industry.
Some days I wish I could try all of the jobs we talk about in this chapter. And with the way things are changing in the American workforce, I am envious of all of you who are thinking about one of these careers. This country needs enthusiastic, hardworking, trained people, and it is an exciting time to be going into the blue-collar world of work.
AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN
Gone are the days of the grease monkeys who were able to tinker under the hood of a car without any training or certification. As technology has advanced, so, too, have the cars and theirmanymoving parts. Being able to master these changes as well as stay on top of the hybrids, electric cars, and alternative-fuel sources for cars (ever heard of running a car on cooking oil? ) will help you in the long run. Who knows where all of these changes will lead the industry ultimately, but one thing is for sure: things are changing rapidly, and technicians must be prepared to keep up. The more training you have in alternative cars, the better your chances for success in the future.
Not only aremany carmanufacturers complete sticklers for how well their mechanics are trained, some prefer to train their employees themselves. Most of themajor carmanufacturers, such as BMW, Ford, and Toyota, have outstanding training programs that provide specific manufacturing certification and paid positions after program completion.
The Work
As you may know, cars now roll out of the factory with their own computers onboard, which means more parts to break, but really, different parts that need servicing. In other words, this is not your grandfather’s automobile. From the dashboard to the computerized antilock brake systems, there are dozens of electrical and technical components. They positively confuseme. But for a technician they open a whole new world of automotive repair.Diagnostics, computers, and troubleshooting are all key to this industry.
Technicians inspect, maintain, and repair automobiles. The increased sophistication of automobiles requires workers who can use computerized shop equipment and electronic components and still maneuver around a car’s engine with basic hand tools. Automotive service technicians must be able to adapt to the constantly changing technology, and they must be detail oriented and precise in their calculations and diagnostic skills. Small parts and tiny errors can createmassive problems.Technicians use a variety of tools from pneumatic wrenches to flame-cutting
Craig Copeland enjoys his job, but he says the sporadic hours prevent himfromjoining a baseball team. Asalary close to $100, 000 makes it well worth the sacrifice. Copeland has worked as a bed truck operator, moving drilling rigs, and is nowa dispatch operator forDCEnergy Services inCrossfield, Alberta.He used to go to and from drilling sites around Alberta that required equipment deliveries or removal. “This is not a 9-to-5 job, ” says Copeland, explaining that an entire operation could be held up while waiting for one of his trucks to arrive.
Precision is everything in this job, says Copeland, who explains that the sometimes-eighty-thousand-pound equipmentmust be loadedwithin an inch of specification to ensure proper and safe hauling. “You feel good when you get it right.” Copeland always enjoyed driving the huge rigs and appreciated the challenge in driving across rugged terrain. He says he wouldn’t have enjoyed the long-haul trucking and endless open roads.He’s always liked that his job didn’t involve sitting in front of a computer all day, though it can involve physical labor.
Copeland says that recent workforce shortages have driven down the expertise of operators, something that he finds disappointing. He says people are promoted fairly quickly in this industry now, which is good for people getting into it, but Copeland would like to see more training. Copeland was trained by his employer and says that’s the way people typically learn the industry.
Some days I wish I could try all of the jobs we talk about in this chapter. And with the way things are changing in the American workforce, I am envious of all of you who are thinking about one of these careers. This country needs enthusiastic, hardworking, trained people, and it is an exciting time to be going into the blue-collar world of work.
AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN
Gone are the days of the grease monkeys who were able to tinker under the hood of a car without any training or certification. As technology has advanced, so, too, have the cars and theirmanymoving parts. Being able to master these changes as well as stay on top of the hybrids, electric cars, and alternative-fuel sources for cars (ever heard of running a car on cooking oil? ) will help you in the long run. Who knows where all of these changes will lead the industry ultimately, but one thing is for sure: things are changing rapidly, and technicians must be prepared to keep up. The more training you have in alternative cars, the better your chances for success in the future.
Not only aremany carmanufacturers complete sticklers for how well their mechanics are trained, some prefer to train their employees themselves. Most of themajor carmanufacturers, such as BMW, Ford, and Toyota, have outstanding training programs that provide specific manufacturing certification and paid positions after program completion.
The Work
As you may know, cars now roll out of the factory with their own computers onboard, which means more parts to break, but really, different parts that need servicing. In other words, this is not your grandfather’s automobile. From the dashboard to the computerized antilock brake systems, there are dozens of electrical and technical components. They positively confuseme. But for a technician they open a whole new world of automotive repair.Diagnostics, computers, and troubleshooting are all key to this industry.
Technicians inspect, maintain, and repair automobiles. The increased sophistication of automobiles requires workers who can use computerized shop equipment and electronic components and still maneuver around a car’s engine with basic hand tools. Automotive service technicians must be able to adapt to the constantly changing technology, and they must be detail oriented and precise in their calculations and diagnostic skills. Small parts and tiny errors can createmassive problems.Technicians use a variety of tools from pneumatic wrenches to flame-cutting
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