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That's it, I'm submitting a request to the mods that my name be changed to Mechanic Rob! lol

Originally Posted by klove

FWIW: When I was at York, I wanted them to reinstate the Area Service Supervisors position so I could be an ASS, but they told me it wasn't necessary.

HA! So would your assistant be an Ass. ASS?

Originally Posted by cjpwalker

I never realized "tech" was becoming a derogatory term. I have, however, seen a lot of people enter this trade who treated school like highschool (half-assing through and forgetting everything they learned as soon as each test was passed). There are no attempts to improve themselves. No studying or reading up on new products, new trends. No training other than required Continuing Ed hours. There is no concern for how their actions affect other techs, or the customers (their comfort, or often times their thousands of dollars worth of product that is rapidly thawing). Why troubleshoot when you can call another tech to diagnose it over the phone?

Anyway, I like Serviceman (no. not "person"). Referigeration Mechanic is good, but I'm about 50% hot-side. I wonder if the boss will go for the change on the business card. Oooh, and credential letters after my name... EPA, NATE, 06A, BAMF?

If you didn't really know your butt from third base (and didn't care to - just give me a paycheck), which term would salve your ego the most - technician or mechanic? That's the issue I have with that particular area of this conversation. People want to sound like something they're not willing to be. It's really about entitlement and ego.

FWIW: When I was at York, I wanted them to reinstate the Area Service Supervisors position so I could be an ASS, but they told me it wasn't necessary.

I never realized "tech" was becoming a derogatory term. I have, however, seen a lot of people enter this trade who treated school like highschool (half-assing through and forgetting everything they learned as soon as each test was passed). There are no attempts to improve themselves. No studying or reading up on new products, new trends. No training other than required Continuing Ed hours. There is no concern for how their actions affect other techs, or the customers (their comfort, or often times their thousands of dollars worth of product that is rapidly thawing). Why troubleshoot when you can call another tech to diagnose it over the phone?

Anyway, I like Serviceman (no. not "person"). Referigeration Mechanic is good, but I'm about 50% hot-side. I wonder if the boss will go for the change on the business card. Oooh, and credential letters after my name... EPA, NATE, 06A, BAMF?

New Hampshire? I hear it's beautiful up there. What do they pay? Do they discriminate against guys with Texas Accents?

Originally Posted by Dchappa21

We can't find one to fill out an app.... Been looking to hire someone for a couple months now.

Well put Klove, it is to bad that the few guys that truly do care for this craft are not paid what they are worth. The industry looks at all mechanics as replaceable, by a younger cheaper generation. Someday they will see the err in their ways, but until then the industry will suffer from some poor excuses for mechanics. There are some shinning stars, but they are few and far between.

Keep teaching the ones that care.

Originally Posted by keef

maybe I'm missing it, but are these not one in the same? Can you explain the difference?

The differences are philosophical. Many things come into play, namely: work ethic, sense of entitlement, technical and mechanical adeptness at your trade (do you know why, or do you just know what?), your attitude towards your work (is it a job, or is it a craft?), willingness to learn rather than be trained or taught, and if I took the time I could probably scrounge up a few more items.

Some folks call it "being old school", but I dislike that terminology because I know far too many old guys that think they know everything when in reality all they've done is survived within the industry. It simply comes down to this: If you want to be recognized as the best at what you do, then be willing to pick that load up and carry it. Don't expect to be recognized just because you want to be seen, but because you do something worth watching. Never mistake exposure for experience, nor activity for achievement. Let your work speak for itself - you be quiet. If you hire on to dig a ditch for a man, then dig it deep.... Enough outhouse philosophy for one day.....

I didn't grow up in an era when men that do this for a living were called "techs". They were "servicemen" and "refrigeration mechanics". Men that were able and willing to think for themselves and learn. The "tech" era ushered in a lot of self-entitled folks that think the industry, the world, and mainly their employer owed them a job, but they thought they should get paid because they showed up. They tend to think they can do their work from behind a computer and loathe the idea of sweating or getting dirty, and heaven forbid they should actually be held accountable for knowing their job, yet they want to get paid like they were Willis Carrier himself.

Luckily, all of the mechanics from my era aren't gone yet, and there are some in every generation that really are willing to step up, man up, and tote that load. It's just a matter of finding them.

Originally Posted by klove

Techs are a dime a ton - you can't turn around without tripping over one. Mechanics, however, are verging on extinction.

maybe I'm missing it, but are these not one in the same? Can you explain the difference?

lack of training/support on all the new computerized equipment and the micro managing is bad in some companies, the consensus of several techs I know who 'retired' early.

most of the large refrigerated warehouses that had built up equiptment left my state. I used to love that work.

Where' you having trouble with Source? I ran into the same thing in ABQ.
I directed a guy here in TUC to Source, our shop wouldn't sponsor him into the UA Apprenticeship. The Apprenticeship starts about $15/Hr. & Source started him at $18/Hr., give it being non-union he has to pay for his own benies. Anyways, I call Source, just for laughs. I tell the guy I'm a Chiller Mechanic (as they need one out here for their main communications account), but I know rack systems & even dable in food equipment. The guy tells me I'm gold and I'd be around $30/Hr. I tell the guy I'm at $30/Hr already and if I work on over 100TR, I'm at $35/Hr. Plus my employer pays for my health & welfare and retirement. I haven't heard anything since then.
I guess all that glitters ain't gold.

You're right. I went to school to be a refrigeration mechanic, but it's all about how much they are willing to pay. When I graduated, I had a start date for Source Refrigeration. A few days before I was to start, someone called me and offered me seven more dollars an hour to work on a fast food chain. I told my boss and he just shrugged and said they could not do anything about it. Seven bucks is seven bucks, so I went the restaurant route. A few years later and a few companies later, I was back in front of a Source Refrigeration manager because they called and wanted me. I told him what I had been making on the East Coast (the low end of the scale) and that is what I expected, and all he had to say was "That is East Coast wages....." and that was the end of the interview. I still want to be a refrigeration mechanic, but I am not willing to take a cut in pay to do it. Every few months the Source Recruiter calls me, I tell them what I want for pay, and they decline. Then they ask if I know anyone who would be interested, and I say everyone I know is making the same as me. I worked for one big company, and it seems like they like to have the inexperienced techs that they can run ragged for little pay, then they have a few really experienced guys to clean up after the inexperienced guys. It's kinda a big game and you have to keep looking till you get what you like. Given the shortage of refrigeration mechanics, you would think the wages would go up.......

well, coz no body is wanna spend the money training the green guy... I got my foot at the door and I jammed it open, hard. big boiler? bring it on. I'll take it. old junky incremental ptac crap? gimme sum. dirty social housing furnce inspection? I tried to avoid it, but if it gotta be done I'll do it. something I've never seen before with lots of zoning and sensor? ummm... ok... anybody I could call when I'm stuck? oozing ice machine? actually never had to deal with it... hahaha. so if you don't take the challenge u aint getting it.

as in refrigeration, unless you're doing anything big/critical charge and/or temperature, the attitude for comfort cooling unfortunately is always: it's cold enough, who cares about the correct charge or energy consumption. economizer broken? never get fixed. it's always how much??? can you make it work? sure, I'll by pass it. but don't complain about big hydro bill.

so in short. no gov training incentive and now they're stuck with green guys trying to run service calls, and some doesn't have the knack of doing it at all. or atleast keep themself involved after work by ie hanging out this great forum for example. just open some thread and learn from it. and owners, specially foreign origin owner seems doesn't get the point of correctly running piece of equipment. and I'm an immigrant. it's really that bad when an immigrant saying something like that about other immigrants.

Techs are a dime a ton - you can't turn around without tripping over one. Mechanics, however, are verging on extinction.

There are less true refri guys. One reason is a lot of cooling/freezing stuff is self contained so it does not, by design, require a trained person to install or start these systems.

As for the built up system the refri guys who installed them use to be the one to start and test them. No more for the most part.

A lot of installers now only trained to run lines and set the equipment. And only a few who actually comes out to start and test those built-up systems.

Plus, refig work is the hardest and dirtiest but the best paying and most secure in our industry if you are with the right company.

Baby Boomers are all starting to retire.....

there is less of that work around in general, and when it is, customers are difficult to deal with, expecting service for free. many guys moved away for it, or hunker down at specialty companies.

Originally Posted by Dchappa21

We can't find one to fill out an app.... Been looking to hire someone for a couple months now.

Where abouts in NH? I live in MA, Have been in field for 2 years, 1 year only part time though so I could get the school hours under my belt. I am looking to start full time again in October.

We can't find one to fill out an app.... Been looking to hire someone for a couple months now.

.

It's a fact, around here anyway.
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