Diesel mechanic for a future?

[rollie]

Im looking into what to do after high school and a local community college has a 2 year program thats based on diesel technology, i do my normal classes aswell, In the program your eligable for up to 4 certificates from cummins. What concerns me is there is no degree at the end, just a certificate, Anybody know what the job feild is like out there, or will i just start out as a mechanic making $11/hr?:ermm: Its either this or business that gives me a degree


To be completely honest i've never even worked on a diesel trucks motor, but i do want a cummins worse than anything, haha so im not completely sure if i would like it, i like working on gas engines and quads and all that but realize that diesels are comletely differnet, ANY insight to life after high school would be great!! thanks!

[AtvMxRider]

Trust me do something else. You are not going to go to a terchnical school and come right out working on engines I can tell you that right now. If I had to do it all over again I would have done something else. I am 38 years old and feel like I am sixty:ermm:

[TWISTED]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
Trust me do something else. You are not going to go to a terchnical school and come right out working on engines I can tell you that right now. If I had to do it all over again I would have done something else. I am 38 years old and feel like I am sixty:ermm:

I've got a buddy that works for Caterpillar, and he says the same thing....... He's a year younger than I am, and looks fifteen years older.......

[JJs450r]

Originally posted by TWISTED
I've got a buddy that works for Caterpillar, and he says the same thing....... He's a year younger than I am, and looks fifteen years older.......

they pay good though my uncle works for them making 6 figures

[gbcap]

if you become good you can make ALOT of money, but it is not an easy living. you rarely find a mechanic working in a shop that LOVES his job unless he specializes in hot rods or something like that. its hard, there are deadlines, pushy customers, annoying bosses that have never turned a wrench, and no promotion course in the future, not many mechanics go and become bosses.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by JJs450r
they pay good though my uncle works for them making 6 figures

Not working on truck engines he doesn't. Caterpillar is going away from truck engines all together in the very near future.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by gbcap
if you become good you can make ALOT of money, but it is not an easy living. you rarely find a mechanic working in a shop that LOVES his job unless he specializes in hot rods or something like that. its hard, there are deadlines, pushy customers, annoying bosses that have never turned a wrench, and no promotion course in the future, not many mechanics go and become bosses.


I have been doing this for along time and the ONLY way you are going to make any money is working for yourself. You are not going to make alot working for someone else period

[elkablaster94]

hey i know a school where u can learn all about diesels:D i think its only uhh 45 minuites from you too, how convienent

[TWISTED]

Originally posted by JJs450r
they pay good though my uncle works for them making 6 figures

He's probably working on the management side, or pulling some serious OT...... The end of 09 is the end of Cat truck engines.... It's gonna be a sad day in the truck world.....

[400exrider707]

working on diesel as a hobby is fun, but I dont think I've met anyone who enjoys it as a profession.

Be careful, diesel power is addicting... much worse than quads hahah and more expensive too!

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by TWISTED
He's probably working on the management side, or pulling some serious OT...... The end of 09 is the end of Cat truck engines.... It's gonna be a sad day in the truck world.....


He would have to be working 24 hours a day. If he is a mechanic there is no way he is making 6 figures. NO WAY!!!

[UNBROKEN]

i thought this would be a great carrer field for me aswell but got talked out of it from a guy i know who was in the army for 10 years and he said he hated it it recommned me workin on computers staing clean in and in the a/c makin good money, so i think thats the type of ob im going to pick when in enlist for the army

[gcart2]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
Not working on truck engines he doesn't. Caterpillar is going away from truck engines all together in the very near future.


they are done with big truck engines. We had cats in all of our t600 KW's until 08.

[jrspawn]

Originally posted by JJs450r
they pay good though my uncle works for them making 6 figures


He must be in a corporate position or a Very good salesman to be making that kind of money. Not a chance he's making that kind of money as a tech at a dealer/shop.

Thank you
Justin

[bustedknuckle]

Not shure where the others got there training.my sons going to wyotech. its the highest level school in the us.he wil get a degree , and is getting offers from several copanys.that are paying very good money. any job has its ups and downs but rember how much stuff trucks haul. good luck...

[TWISTED]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gcart2
they are done with big truck engines. We had cats in all of our t600 KW's until 08. [/QUOTE



The company I used to work for has all Cat engines and all the equipment is Cat..... Looks like they're going with Detroit..... I'd rather eat poop..... Long live the 3406B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gcart2]

Originally posted by TWISTED
[QUOTE]Originally posted by gcart2
they are done with big truck engines. We had cats in all of our t600 KW's until 08. [/QUOTE



The company I used to work for has all Cat engines and all the equipment is Cat..... Looks like they're going with Detroit..... I'd rather eat poop..... Long live the 3406B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


yep thatr sounds about right.

[bustedknuckle]

LOL .... My son sounds like twisted. whats up with cat .my son aways beatin me up because in driveing a duramax.i tell him it got him to all the races....just rember it doesnt matter what others think, if you love what your doing .thats all that matters.in these times some people would love to be doing anything.. ive got friends that haul garbage they lov it .. not me... :D :D :D

[gbcap]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
He would have to be working 24 hours a day. If he is a mechanic there is no way he is making 6 figures. NO WAY!!!

a friend of my 8 years ago was working for alban tractor working on cat motors. made 75k a year as a 19 year old kid. he got a 10k raise after the first year and he was only 20.

it all depends on who you work for as to how much you make.

he is still working for them and even at a modest 3% increase every year he would be making 107k now. i'd say thats pretty good.

[AtvMxRider]

I find that hard to believe

[ALAMX37]

My friend went to NADC the same year I went off to Auburn. I still have a year left, he only took a year. He makes $12.50 working for Catipillar. I make more than that buying and selling parts and drawing unemployment. He hates his job, works new guy shifts, and gets unhappier all the time. Be something without a cap on upper end salary.

[TWISTED]

Originally posted by bustedknuckle
LOL .... My son sounds like twisted. whats up with cat .my son aways beatin me up because in driveing a duramax.i tell him it got him to all the races....just rember it doesnt matter what others think, if you love what your doing .thats all that matters.in these times some people would love to be doing anything.. ive got friends that haul garbage they lov it .. not me... :D :D :D


I'm a Caterpillar FANATIC!!!!!! I bleed Cat yellow....

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
He would have to be working 24 hours a day. If he is a mechanic there is no way he is making 6 figures. NO WAY!!!

I know up here in the mines they are crying for guys. If you don't mind laying in the cold wet dirt for 12 hours a day , than you can make 6 figures easily. Stats came out for last year and the highest paid workers in the mines were Heavy Duty Mechanics ..... their average salary was between $200 000 and $225 000 including their overtime. Like I said ... if you don't mind the working conditions then it's good ..... great job for a young guy ... not so great for an old guy with back problems.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by Quad18star
I know up here in the mines they are crying for guys. If you don't mind laying in the cold wet dirt for 12 hours a day , than you can make 6 figures easily. Stats came out for last year and the highest paid workers in the mines were Heavy Duty Mechanics ..... their average salary was between $200 000 and $225 000 including their overtime. Like I said ... if you don't mind the working conditions then it's good ..... great job for a young guy ... not so great for an old guy with back problems.


Working on something like that then yes but you are not going to make 6 figures working on trucks. I have been working on trucks for along time and there is not the kind of money in it.

[TWISTED]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
Working on something like that then yes but you are not going to make 6 figures working on trucks. I have been working on trucks for along time and there is not the kind of money in it.

Do you work for a dealership in Richmond by chance???

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by TWISTED
Do you work for a dealership in Richmond by chance???

I used to work at the KW dealer years ago. I work at a trucking company now.

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
Working on something like that then yes but you are not going to make 6 figures working on trucks. I have been working on trucks for along time and there is not the kind of money in it.

Jerry ... you probably make 6 digits .... but you spend it all on beer . :p

But I'm sure you're right. Just letting the young guys know , that if they don't mind getting down and dirty in the field or in settings such as mines , there is potential for good money.

As you mentioned earlier though , I have an uncle that is a Heavy Equip Mechanic , and at 40 years old , he looks like he's 60. Years of having hands soaked in oil and grease has also caused him a lot of problems with his blood ... which the doctors figure is all linked to being a mechanic.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by Quad18star
Jerry ... you probably make 6 digits .... but you spend it all on beer . :p

But I'm sure you're right. Just letting the young guys know , that if they don't mind getting down and dirty in the field or in settings such as mines , there is potential for good money.

As you mentioned earlier though , I have an uncle that is a Heavy Equip Mechanic , and at 40 years old , he looks like he's 60. Years of having hands soaked in oil and grease has also caused him a lot of problems with his blood ... which the doctors figure is all linked to being a mechanic.


Go to any heavy equipment shop and see how many mechanics are missing fingers:ermm:

[TWISTED]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
Go to any heavy equipment shop and see how many mechanics are missing fingers:ermm:



VERY TRUE!!!!!

[jesseweaver]

my friend went to a tech school during his last year of high school last year for diesel mechanics. he did good there and got a good job out of there and got hired by a pretty big trucking company around here. hes worked there full time since june and is making 14 or 15 an hour. i guess not that bad for a 18 year old and he likes it.

[sportraxkid]

My dads a engine mechanic for kenworth, makes 75-90k a year but he's been there 15 years.

[bustedknuckle]

im always listening to what every one has to say ..my son came home fri , and showed a offer from a copany in alaska 4 grand every two weeks,all expences paid.just get his sorry butt there. my sons woried about raceing.if i was only twenty years younger. so for all the nay sayers. theres gold in them thare hills.. yes its a hard liveing but we have always worked hard in my family,who needs all them fingers,thats why we got extrays lol lol...

[witech]

If you want to make money drive something witha diesel in it. You wont need to invest $30k to $40k in schooling and tools which by the way you will need right away . The first 5 years were tough for me money wise as local jobs didnt pay much even at the dealerships and the tool trucks got most of my extra cash. Most of my freinds went to be acountants and factory jobs and were making at one year what took me 10 years to work up to.
Unless you find one of these jobs working out in a mine or oil company in appaling conditions with mega hours some are talking about I doubt you will be happy with the money.
I happen to love doing what I do and am very good at it but most that I went to diesel school with have since gone back to do other types of work. I graduated from wyotech in 1988 just at the transition from mechanical to electronic engines so I had to do extensive schooling afterwards to keep up. The new emmisions diesels are a marvel of complexity making gas engines seem simple. I spend much of my time doing diagnostics with a computer . I still enjoy diggin in and getting dirty though .
I guess I would recommend staying away from the field unless you were born with a wrench in your hand. If doing things like working on quads and engines dont come easy and you cant figure mechanical things out in an intuative way being a mechanic is probalbly not the field for you.

[rollie]

i deff love working on my quad and other things but considering there are no mines anywhere close to me and i would prefer to have all my fingers, I think I'll stick to business for college then go make some money and have someone else work on my diesel truck! haha