Getting BACK into the field I love... advice would be awesome!

[oklahomacitycontrols]

Hey guys,

I'm a newbie here at HVAC-Talk and would just like to say hi, and get some advice.

I am 30 years old and work at a University here in the Oklahoma City Metro and have been working here as a power plant operator for the past 5 years. It has been very limited control work as most of my job deals with Electrical Generation and Chillwater and Heating systems.

Before this job, I had worked as a commercial building automations tech for about 6 years. Starting in Houston Texas for a company called Enco Systems doing Andover and Johnson Controls. I started out at the bottom doing installation and worked my way up to the service and software side. I then moved to Oklahoma City and took a job with Automated Building Systems doing Barber-Colman, Invensys, and some other varied control systems like Pheonix etc.

I loved what I was doing. And to say that I have had nightmares about losing that job because of my young and stupid immature age is a BIG understatement. I just took they great position that I had at the age of 24 pretty lightly.

I went on to a Fire Controls and Suppression company after that job and was soon laid off 3 months later along with 4 others due to lack of work. I then took the job at the university that I am now employed because of my experience with their control system on campus and some people that I had met while working at Automated Building Systems.

I would love to get back into doing JUST commercial building automation. I love doing it and I find it to be the most rewarding and fun job I have ever had. I'm not afraid of work and I am VERY intelligent (although my common sense IQ has dropped a couple of times in my life) and I have NO problem with the picking up on the apptitude of mechanical/electrical controls.

If anyone has any ideas how to cross back over to this field in the okc metro area, I would love to hear from you.
There are limited companies here and I am making very good money what I am doing now (18.00 - 19.00 dollar range).

I am currently working on my Mechanical HVAC Journeyman and have been approved to take the test from the state.

Any help is appreciated guys.
I've read through some of the posts on here, and you guys' definatly seem to know your stuff...

Any body have any schools they have taken in the Building automations control field? Theres not many "non specific" schools to be had from my experience..

-William

[oklahomacitycontrols]

anyone?

-Chris

[dbaker]

Chris,

Do you have a profile set up with HVAC Agent? You really need to have your resume posted in as many places as you can.

[oklahomacitycontrols]

NO, I dont dbaker. What is their website? Does it really work? I have my resume' posted on Monster, Career Builder, NewsOK.com (local classifieds), and various other websites. I check back week after week and here in the Oklahoma City area there are very limited companies that major in Building Automation Controls.

Usually they are HVAC Sales and Repair companies that do a little bit of subcontract work on controls for retrofit and small jobs.



-Chris

[maxster]

build yourself a resume and post it on Johnson Controls website!you can also type an extra page to describe your other experience....chiller controls,heating,fire systems,energy management you won't believe how many jobs they have listed on all aspects of service and control work and updating of exsisting systems. https://johnsoncontrols.taleo.net/servlets/CareerSection?art_ip_action=FlowDispatcher&flowTypeNo=13&art_servlet_language=en&csNo=10000&alt=1&JServSessionIdjohnsoncontrols=2bumotses9dfv6c91.RJ S247091

[Edited by maxster on 02-07-2006 at 06:49 PM]

[rickl]

We receive a trade magazine concerning building automation. It may be a good place to place an ad or it might have a classified employment section. I normally just glance through them as that is not our line of work, I will look for a copy. I think it is called Building Automation. Like all magazines it was full of ads and phone numbers! You should be prepared to relocate. Network a bit, call the manufacturers, sales reps, dealers. I am sure somebody knows somebody else in the field that needs qualified help.

good luck

[oklahomacitycontrols]

Good Call, Rickl...

I'll grab some of those mags online today if I can.

I work at the University of Oklahoma. I'm sure they would love to send us some publications. :)

-Chris

[dbaker]

Chris,

Go to the job section on this site and click on the link on the upper part of the page. Johnson Controls does have a ton of openings right now and it sounds like you have what they are looking for. Siemens does as well. Good Luck.

[R12rules]

Welcome Chris, have you visited the Controls forum on this site?

Once you go there, find 9mm and begin reading. Once you've completed THAT assignment, post a reply.


By the time you've done all that, you should know WHY some men drink:D



seriously though, welcome. Your gonna love it here.