Foot in the Door

Hello, I've read many of the threads on getting your foot in the door but still have some questions. I'm 27 and will be 28 soon and would like to get into the field. I've been working in Computers for the past 5 years and don't really care for the work or the politics. I know an apprenticeship program is the way to go but I missed the date for our local 440 here by a year and the other union (local 136) isn't really in my area. I've applied to that union (136) but I'm afraid they will not select me because I'm not in that district.

I spoke with a rep at the local 440 in my area and he said there are helper roles but because of the lack of work and pay he said stay where I'm at.

So, what's the best way to get in?

Thanks,

jp

If you really want to go union then either move to the other district which wouldn't make much sense or wait till the next year comes around and apply where you currently live. Take a community college course in the mean time so you can see if you are really interested and help put yourself ahead of the curve.

If you want to go non-union which I know about what you are going to have to do is bust your tail trying to get in and show how bad you want it. If you know little to nothing about HVAC a resume isn't going to mean much unless you have stable job history with very little time off or military back ground. Show that you are willing to get your hands dirty and possibly offer to work for free with a crew to see if the boss is willing to give you a shot. Any one willing to work for a day for free to try and get a job because of it is some one who is definitely willing to be loyal and learn. You go to a company when it is slow though and you arent going to have nearly as much luck. If you are in a warm weather climate then busy season is just around the corner and spring means time to hire and get ready for busy season. Show your worth by willing to work and you should have no problem IMO.

Thanks but I'm not real sure I can work for free to much. I have a wife, son and another on the way so working for free makes me sorta gringe when thinking about bills...

Thanks

jp

Try this. I am sure you have vacation time where you currently are. Plan out the company you want to work for. Use a day or 2 of vacation time and then offer to work for that company for free for those 1 or 2 days. It is a door way into what it is you seek. That way you wont miss pay and you get a chance to see first hand and try to get a job.

If it does not work out at the first place, which I would be surprised if it didnt then plan a second company and heck offer to do it on a Saturday if they have a job that is coming up on the weekend.

Some sacrifices will have to be made if it is what you want. Some of us are lucky and have a ffriend or relative in the business. Others like you and myself require some hard work to get in. Once you are in though it is not hard finding the next stop.

Pay is probably going to be less than what you make now if you are going into the role of helper or maintenance technician. There almost certainly will be a reduction.

Try to get a job as a helper during the day and take hvac classes at a community college at night. Spring is Almost here and that's when many companies start to hire helpers.

offer to work for that company for free


That is against the law that isn't only bad for you if you work for free that hurts everyone that has a job & is looking for a job!We do have minimum wage laws!Why don't you just tell him to tell a company that they must hire him or else?:D:D Both are against the law.

There are community colleges and commercial trade schools such as Coyne and ETI that have nightime class hours-and offer placement assistance upon graduation to the top students(if not all). Are you close to Northwest Tech/IUPUI in Gary area? Why not do that while you've still got a job. Your experience with computers may make you a possible candidate for controls work, which usually has openings.
Trade school training will usually get you above minimum $$ pay at entry.

Quote:

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Originally posted by rimek
There are community colleges and commercial trade schools such as Coyne and ETI that have nightime class hours-and offer placement assistance upon graduation to the top students(if not all). Are you close to Northwest Tech/IUPUI in Gary area? Why not do that while you've still got a job. Your experience with computers may make you a possible candidate for controls work, which usually has openings.
Trade school training will usually get you above minimum $$ pay at entry.

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Triton College is another good school for hvac, They have good instructors and a great lab.

I'm in Southern Indiana so we do have an IUPUI and an Ivy Tech. I will have to look into those classes.

Thanks

jp

Since you have to maintian the family, you are not going to go to school unless sent there by an employer once he has already hired you.
You dont have the money nor the time for school. And a bad school is a bad investment in your carreer future.

The best step for you, in my opinion, is to jump from computers, ie, your present job ... over into computers. Ie, control systems in building automation.

Check out the controls forum on this site for advice in making a transition from where you are to where you want to be at.


If you had began in this trade, even at your present age, BEFORE you got married, etc, you may have a chance. But not anymore. You cant afford to work for peanuts and cant afford to take a year or two out of yoru life working days in the field for chump change and then burning the midnight oil attending classes.

Even though some of us who went to school and worked during the day ... did exactely this scenario.
It was tough. It was grueling. But it paid off in the end.

But we werent married and had no bills to speak of and lived whereever we could, for the time being.


You must leverage your virtues.

1) you married which means your stable.
2) length of time with current employer. The longer the better, according to most people.
3) any degree you gained in computer technology.
4) any certificates for additional training you may have attended classes in. 802.1 wireless for example.
Or networks or A+ cert.
You have a mortgage.
You arent late for work.
Your vehicles are paid for.
You dont call in sick much if ever.


Johnson controls was recently hiring new people, fresh people and offering them training. Or so I heard.
You would have made an excellant candidate for them.
But there are better firms to work for than johnson.

Visit the controls forum here and get to know some of the guys.
If you have the aptitude to learn some of the programing language, you are on your way.

You can learn how the systems function and sequence of operation etc, in time.


But if you started a good school today, and there are NOT too many in the entire nation, you would start out making maybe eight to ten dollars an hour if you were hired on tomorrow.
Chances are, there is NOT a suitable school in your area.
Chances are, there is maybe a good employer in your area. But you need both.
And this is if you decided to go the conventional service man route, versus going into controls and staying clean with a white shirt on.

Thanks R12!
I don't mind getting dirty but I will try to get info on the controls side of things. It does sound very interesting but I would like to know a bit of everything. I like to know how things work!

Thanks again,

jp