Pretty big question....

[rYan01400EX]

You all are going to help me decide my future.

Next year in May, 2008 - I'll be graduating High School.. Yah, yah, whatever... All that work and not a dime for it.. So, I'm pretty damn ready to make the money. I'll do the work and I'll do anything to make money. I just refuse to stand out side and build roads and things like that.. That's something I would hate. Anyhow, this is what I plan on doing and where everyone comes in. I want to work at a powerplant. I'd like to be a heavy equipment operator or a loader at the local powerplant, Dayton Power & Light. I just want to know what type of work environment I'm looking at here. I realize a dirty environment but that's fine. I've worked on a farm almost all of my life and dirty isn't a problem. But, I know DP&L operates on swing shift.. You work 12hr. days for so many days then your off for a while and then you work so many 12hr. nights.. They say the schedule can get hairy at first but if you do it for a month or two it's no so bad. 3 of my uncles work there and they've not had much problems at all but I do know they are making some killer money. I don't care what I do as long as I'm not stuck in a mine... (There are none at this plant.) I'd like it as there's money to be made but it's also something I'm interested in. I plan on graduating high school and then attending the community college for 2 years in Energy Systems class then having those classes turn over into an Industrial Engineering degree. So tell me this, Is it better to go in under the union and work my way up the pay scale? (You start at 11.22 then in 6 months it raises to 17 bucks. It continues to raise after that.) Also, one thing is, my uncle who is a supervisor there told me that if I write down the days I'm supposed to work on the calender then go back and count them, I am off EXACTLY half of the year BUT I can go in for any amount of overtime and make time and a half whenever I want. So, if I wanted a new toy, I could work overtime and pay it off... Perfect it sounds to me. Less debt I guess? I'm only 18 so I realize some of these things I think may be way out of league here.. I've grown up in a family of powerplant workers and have gained a good amount of courage over my lifetime. So here's what I ask, those of you who work at powerplants, is this a legitiment idea or am I stupid? Where I live good paying jobs are scarce and powerplants seem to be a good source of money. Sure, I'm not gonna be in for just the money... I want to be in for the sheer fact of enjoyment and hard work. Call me stupid but I'd rather sit and work for hours on something huge that's failed like a scrubber stack or something and then see it work again. I love to repair things and operate heavy equipment or do any type of maintenance. I think this may be good for me. Those of you who take on this as a career, let me know how you feel!

Ryan

Sorry for my obnoxious post.

[my88r]

where i live in ny its the same thing.you can get all kinds of retail jobs.but good jobs are hard to come by. where i live there lots of dirt bikes and atvs. with the help of my dad where opening up a parts shop. i graduated in June i didn't know what to do. but i guess stick with what you want to do. if it runs in your family then that's where the kids end up.good luck with your last year in school it was fun for me and really really easy too.

[rYan01400EX]

Same here.. Im into woodworking and restoring old cars aswell.. My dad has been at UPS for a LONG time and is able to retire before long. I look for him start a business either in woodworking or restoration... if he does, it may become me and him! I'm not sure yet though!

[my88r]

Originally posted by rYan01400EX
Same here.. Im into woodworking and restoring old cars aswell.. My dad has been at UPS for a LONG time and is able to retire before long. I look for him start a business either in woodworking or restoration... if he does, it may become me and him! I'm not sure yet though!
i took carpentry at a trade school. i did it in my 11/12 grade year.so i know that stuff too. ups isnt a bad job either.

[rYan01400EX]

Dads pullin' right around 30 - 32 an hour now... he's doing pretty good.

[derekhonda]

Originally posted by rYan01400EX
You all are going to help me decide my future.

Also, one thing is, my uncle who is a supervisor there told me that if I write down the days I'm supposed to work on the calender then go back and count them, I am off EXACTLY half of the year BUT I can go in for any amount of overtime and make time and a half whenever I want.


sounds good theoretically,

But a person working 8 hour days 5 days a week will actually work less than you. Either way, do what you want. I know you are excited about the big pay jump from 11 to 17, but what do you top out at? I know a lot of people like you who get on assembly line work cause of the quickpay rates, but they've all lost motivation to go to work when you top out after 2 years and there isnt much more to look forward too. Don't get me wrong, 22 bucks an hour is great, but if they don't raise ya as inflation goes up 22 bucks an hour in 20 years won't really be a lot of money...

[rYan01400EX]

Im not really sure... I know my uncle, whose been there 22 years is making somewhere around 28 - 30 some odd dollars an hour.. It may not raise as quick... but I mean, at 20 years old making 17 bucks an hour and any overtime I can possibly get then I can't hit off to bad... correct? I guess if it doesn't work the way I look for it too there's room to improve, right? I'm not trying to work to make millions... It'd be hard for me to do and I don't have the patience for all the extra schooling. I want enough money to live a good life, in a nice, comfortable house, a nice car and something to drive back and forth everyday, and most of all, money to raise a good, healthy family.. which is my first concern... As long as I can keep a healthy, steady, and good solid family, then the rest of the great commodities of life can come next. But having a little extra money to do the things in life that it takes to have a little fun would be great. I'm wondering if this job, which is something I should like, will supply me with the funds needed to reach the goals I've set. My goals may not seem high to you guys, but, the most important thing in this world to me is my family and I'd rather support them and live in a box then have no family at all and live in a mansion? I guess that's how I want to say it.

[07250ex]

My buddie is 14 he makes 12 dollars and hour on regular work and 13 on weddings ... + tips im working there next year hopefully ... u get started at 10 dollars an hour =]

but once ur off on ur own 17 dollars an hour is no good in my town you need to make at least 40 dollars an hour to even live here

[rYan01400EX]

Thats cool man... that'd be great for someone of his age... I've made 15 bucks an hour before putting shingles on a roof... To be honest with you, the worth isn't worth 15 bucks an hour in 100 degree heat. But at 15 years old, that's good money... Would I choose it for a career? Probably not.. I'm looking for a career not a little job to piddle with here and there... I want a job that when I get done with an interview, tour, etc... I know I'll keep that job for 20 years.. But yea, at 14 years old, 13 bucks an hour is awesome.... but that's probably where it'll stay... Here in my town, everyone wants to hire deadbeats so they only have to pay minimum wage. Almost noone here wants to hire a nice, clean, well-cut, polite person to work for them because they're afraid they'll expect more of a paycheck... I'm not in it for a paycheck - just for a guaranteed job.

[rYan01400EX]

Thats cool man... that'd be great for someone of his age... I've made 15 bucks an hour before putting shingles on a roof... To be honest with you, the worth isn't worth 15 bucks an hour in 100 degree heat. But at 15 years old, that's good money... Would I choose it for a career? Probably not.. I'm looking for a career not a little job to piddle with here and there... I want a job that when I get done with an interview, tour, etc... I know I'll keep that job for 20 years.. But yea, at 14 years old, 13 bucks an hour is awesome.... but that's probably where it'll stay... Here in my town, everyone wants to hire deadbeats so they only have to pay minimum wage. Almost noone here wants to hire a nice, clean, well-cut, polite person to work for them because they're afraid they'll expect more of a paycheck... I'm not in it for a paycheck - just for a guaranteed job.

[Ace Sixx]

Motivate yourself to get a degree or learn a trade. Seriously. If you want a well-paying guaranteed job, you need to make yourself marketable in a field that is in demand.

[troyleepred719]

It doesnt matter how much you make, the more you make the more you spend......


I work and a Heavy Equpment operator. Take courses for it, something llike a vocational course, get used to your OSHA rules, and you will find a job somewhere. And as far as building roads, it sounds boring, but think, the roads will always be different, you will loading the same trucks everyday for at least 8 hours a day, how long are you going to want to work there? You could also go with a company that does site development, leveling, and grading, and building up sites for stores like Lowes and Home Depot. That is the most funs stuff, and in the winter, most big cmpanies do snow removal, so you wont get laid off, cause they will need you....Just my .2

Originally posted by derekhonda
sounds good theoretically,

But a person working 8 hour days 5 days a week will actually work less than you.

no he won't...i just came off of this type of schedule and i loved it...i want to go back to is sooooo badly...

he will work 3 days a week...12 hours per day...that is 36 hours per week, but will get paid for 40(no overtime for hours 9-12 per day)...

here is how our rotation worked...

the pay week ran from 7pm wednesday to the following wednesday, unlike everybidoy else that does sun to sun

the first 3 weeks was 7am to 7pm on mon, tues and wed. week 4 is 7am to 7 pm on mon, tues, wed, thur, fri, and sat. weeks 5-7 is 7 am to 7 pm thur, fri, and sat. there is no ot on week 4(unless they have you work a sunday)
week 8 is an off week which is covered by week 4...
week 9-11 starts you off at 7pm sunday night until 7 am monday morning and ends at 7 am wednesday night...week 12 is sunday night through saturday morning and weeks 13-15 is wednesday night through saturday morning with week 16 being another off week.

one downfall is that i did not have schedule-able vacation...i i wanted to do anything it had to be on my days off...but then again, i had 6 or 7 full weeks off a year

when it all works out...if you never had any holidays off, only working 3 days a week, that is 156 days a year to work...

there were some decembers that i only worked 12 days the whole month

some downfalls are that sometimes your sunday is ruined as is a saturday, adn you have no time to do anything when you work 12 hours...you pretty much have to go home adn shoer, eat supper adn then go to bed...

[cdrookie]

a powerplant job is a great carreer but like any great place to work, it may be harder to get into than you think. sounds like you have some good connections though. watch going in under the union, your part of the country use to be bad about that. and if you get the job start immediately investing in 401K AND open a Roth IRA. you'll be able to retire when your 50 if you're smart about it.

[Quad18star]

Take a looking into a Power Engineering program ... it would give you the basics needed to work in a power plant . Our community college offers it , and it's a 2 year program.

[derekhonda]

Originally posted by speedyquad
no he won't...i just came off of this type of schedule and i loved it...i want to go back to is sooooo badly...


I was just going by what he said, "work exactly half of the year"

that would be 7 out of 14 days (for 2 weeks); or 3.5 days a week on average, thus a 12 hour day = 42 hours a week.

[72 chevelle ss]

Originally posted by rYan01400EX
Im not really sure... I know my uncle, whose been there 22 years is making somewhere around 28 - 30 some odd dollars an hour.. It may not raise as quick... but I mean, at 20 years old making 17 bucks an hour and any overtime I can possibly get then I can't hit off to bad... correct? I guess if it doesn't work the way I look for it too there's room to improve, right? I'm not trying to work to make millions... It'd be hard for me to do and I don't have the patience for all the extra schooling. I want enough money to live a good life, in a nice, comfortable house, a nice car and something to drive back and forth everyday, and most of all, money to raise a good, healthy family.. which is my first concern... As long as I can keep a healthy, steady, and good solid family, then the rest of the great commodities of life can come next. But having a little extra money to do the things in life that it takes to have a little fun would be great. I'm wondering if this job, which is something I should like, will supply me with the funds needed to reach the goals I've set. My goals may not seem high to you guys, but, the most important thing in this world to me is my family and I'd rather support them and live in a box then have no family at all and live in a mansion? I guess that's how I want to say it.

Not at 17 an hour. My sister get 16.50, and struggles to maker her car payment, rent, and utilities. That's just a single bedroom apartment too.

And if I were you. I would work there for a few years until you find something better. My dad did swing shifts for 30 years and he was miserable the whole time.

I graduated this year. And right now I work at a shipping plant. I don't plan on staying there for the rest of my life. That is what you have to do when you graduate. Just get something to get into the work force, and then start thinking about what you want to do.

[rYan01400EX]

How about this? How would it be if me and my 2 friends got into a fencing business here? Theres huge demand for it here. How much money could we make? What would it take?

[mineralgrey01gt]

definitely hit up a some sort of schooling after you graduate. It helps out a ton!

[rYan01400EX]

Oh definitely, I'm gonna tat up the local community college.. but nonetheless, would the fencing be a decent job? What would it require as far as insurance and things like that would go? I have every bit of equipment I would need already...

[my88r]

Originally posted by rYan01400EX
Oh definitely, I'm gonna tat up the local community college.. but nonetheless, would the fencing be a decent job? What would it require as far as insurance and things like that would go? I have every bit of equipment I would need already...

i think it would be yes for insurance and you will need a business license. and also file for federal and state taxes i believe,

[beaker1214]

yeah I would DEFIANTLY Consider going on to school and get a degree. Alot of kids around my area think that they are making alot when they are 20 working in some of the factories in our town but they dont look down the road and realize thats probably what they will be making for the rest of their life. But if you go to school its alot easier to advance up the job ladder and be making twice as much money down the road. Also another big reason is if something should happen to your job at the plant you will have a degree to fall back on, its amazing how many older people there are in my classes getting a degree because of a maytag plant that just closed a few years ago and they had nothing to fall back on when it happened. I will admit that it does suck being a broke college kid sometimes but it the long run it will pay off for ya man. But like you said if you know people that are work at the power plant, thats great but think about going to school for a degree that can be used at the plant so one day you could be making real good money down the road. But thats just my $.02!