Commencement

[pfx]

Ed, you more or less hit the nail on the head there. Kids come out of school, college, uni these days and expect to walk into a £30k + job straight away. First off, life's not like that. My first job was £8.5k years back and I thought that was great money compared to having had none...

Then there are the number of folk getting degrees in useless subjects and expecting it to translate into the workplace. I saw one on offer about Disney of all things! Consider though, those people who go from school to the workplace and start building up real experience over those who take the academic route. I worked in a call centre for a couple of years and I'd say about 80% of the staff had an ology degree of some sort or another and they were doing no better than me although they had a shed load of student loans to pay off.

The most important message is to take what you're offered, don't expect to earn big straight away and don't forget the old adage that it's easier to get a job from a job.

 

[Euphod]

Most companies in the US are hiring from within, which reverses a trend that started before the recession. Man, if I was young and healthy, I would be on the first bus to the fracking fields! Those guys are working 80 hour weeks (no experience required, just a strong back and desire to work), and they're making enough to retire after TEN years! Can you imagine?

But you're right pfx; you have to be willing to start at the bottom and work alongside those guys with degrees that are starting at the bottom too!

 

[Kris94]

Well I'm either looking at working part time for CVS. Since I've got job training there a couple months back. Don't know if I'll be working as a cashier or what or if they'll have me doing more janitor work although that's basically what I did. If not, then Champs Sporting Goods in San Francisco, Safeway in Oakland, or something decent. I just don't want to be in Elk Grove/Sacramento anymore.

 

[NevadaNorthernFan901]

Kris,

Like Euphod said, maybe you should head to North Dakota and get a job, heck even people working at McDonalds up there make $12.00 an hour just starting.
And working in the oil fields you can earn up to $80,000-$100,000 the first year! You might want to bring a tent up there with you, there is a shortage of housing.
I had some friends go there and they are loving the jobs and are raking in big dough. It is kind of like Alaska in the 1970's with the building of the pipeline and developing of the oil fields and they were making $40,000 a year back then.
Then save up money, go to college, and maybe even invest in the companies that are in North Dakota, or even start your own oil company?
For a job, the oil and natural gas industries in America is the way to go right now.
I think you would be happy with it, but it is just my two cents.

Good Luck to you Kris

NavadaNorthernFan901
Ethan

 

[Kris94]

Well I don't know about all that. Seems that it requires a lot of knowledge working in the oil fields. And they come and go. It's dangerous and that's mainly in the Gulf of Mexico. That's a long shot.

 

[NevadaNorthernFan901]

You learn along just like everybody else, you could get a semi license and drive truck which pays well, not just working on a rig, there are tons of other jobs to do that pays well in the oil field.
Every job has its dangers though, some more apparent that others, but its life and employment. The Gulf of Mexico has nothing to do with Williston Basin which is in North Dakota.

But do what you want to make you happy, that is what life is all about.

Just offering suggestions to you.

My 2 cents.

NNF

 

[steamboateng]

You want to leave home, Elk Grove!
Come live with us in MA. I'll send my son, who's almost 30 to Elk Grove! I keep on sending him away, but he keeps on coming back!
Maybe if I send him far enough away, the whiff of free hotdogs and pizza won't follow!

 

[Kris94]

I guess he's home sick.

 

[Kris94]

How about a ballast technician?
https://herzograilroad.hiretouch.co...job-details?jobID=3169&job=ballast-technician

 

[Kris94]

Or Equipment Operator?
https://herzograilroad.hiretouch.co...ob-details?jobID=3144&job=equipment-operators

 

[pfx]

If you start applying for jobs instead of posting about them here, you will find out all the sooner what you're going to do. No idea what the US job market is like, but if it's anywhere near that in the UK and Ireland, every job is massively over-subscribed which can lead to repeated disappointment.

 

[Kris94]

I can't even start even doing it until after July 21 due a mentoring group I attend on Saturdays. That's if no more sessions are postponed due to unexpected incidents.

 

[yutzk]

To be honest I also have to agree with Euphod. It seems like these days everyone goes to college, gets out and expects the world handed to them on a silver platter. It's great being book smart but as far as application of the degree in the field, dear god it makes me facepalm sometimes when i see some with degrees fall flat on their face in the "real world".

I originally went to a tech school out of high school for almost 2 yrs for IT, but the IT industry fell apart and so did any outlook of a job in that field. At that point i started in the very bottom of the warehousing/logistics field as a order selector. In the course of about 6 years ive moved my way up using some of my IT end of knowledge as well to be about the #2 of the entire warehouse I work at. Stuff takes time but it seems these days if your entering a field you have to enter at the bottom and work your way up to the top. I'd like to eventually transition to the transportation logistics end of the business but im young yet (30) so i have some time there. I already work with several people in the railroad industry as I use alot of intermodal services at work ( Triple Crown, Pacer, EMP etc) so im working those contacts to better myself as well eventually.

Sometimes a piece of paper is just that...a piece of paper.... hard work pays off, you got to start somewhere! Look outside of the railroad industry for jobs...your chances of getting in the door right out of high school are slim in multiple facets of the industry...

Kevin

 

[Euphod]

To be honest I also have to agree with Euphod.

That had to hurt!
I just heard a news story last night detailing how tech schools were a better deal and led to better jobs (with a certificate) than college does now days. I was lucky enough to learn a trade along the way, which puts me into the "skilled labor" category.
If I were just starting out after high school now, and knowing what I know now, I would research fields or work that will be in demand over the next 10 to 20 years, and see if any of those fit with my desires. This economy isn't going to get that much better anytime soon, and with the advent of the internet, there's no excuse to be unprepared!

Logistics is a great field, and projected for growth in the future. I'm sure with your IT skills and practical work experience, you'll do really well Kevin!

 

[wholbr]

Hi Everybody.
As Ed and pfx have said the best way to find employment is to tell your prospective employer that you are prepared to start at the bottom and then work your way up.

You say that you are interested in the transport industry preferably rail. Well I spent a lifetime in the road transport industry here in Britain where I started as a warehouse lad in 1960 mainly sweeping up, cleaning the canteen and sorting out damaged goods for credit claims.

I was then moved into the warehouse as a picker then on to a forklift driver and then trained as a HGV Artic driver. That was a job I loved for many years. However, I always knew the time would come when I would look to move on and up. I therefore improved my education through courses laid on by the trade union where I worked.

In any part of the transport industry you will find yourself working very long hours, starting work at all hours of the day and night and at the same time carrying much responsibility whatever position you find yourself in. But it is an industry with good secure employment for the most part, and enjoyable with workmates who like you do not mind hard and very often dirty work.

Bill

 

[Kris94]

Well I do have a question.

 

[wholbr]

Well I do have a question.

Eh,Well..........................What was the quetion. An essential requirement in whatever workplace you find yourself is that you always explain yourself clearly. That is particularly essential in the transport industry whether that be rail, air on road. People not explaining clearly what they are doing or about to do which leads to others failing to understand their actions, all too often leads to accidents especially when vehicles or other equipment such as forklifts are in transit or about to be so.

Just some advice
Bill

 

[Kris94]

It's about the experience in computers and hydraulics. Will that most likely come with the training or should I do some of my own hands on experimenting just to get my feet wet?

 

[pfx]

Why don't you approach the companies you want to work for and ask them? Unless someone here happens to be doing that exact job, all you will get is speculation. Have you completed an application yet for either of the jobs you posted or even started doing so?

You've been given a lot of good advice in this thread from a few of us who have many years of workplace experience (apologies gents if I'm making assumptions). Continuing to post here isn't going to get you a job, that will require you to get out there and do the legwork! Speak to these companies, apply for the jobs, get some interview coaching if you can (not here). Prepare yourself for the inevitable knock backs. I could wall paper my bedroom with the PFO letters I've had over the years...

My best advice is be realistic.

Ádh mór ort.

 

[Kris94]

I'm applying right now.