Josh@KY-Turbo

iTrader: (120)

Okay I am greedy as hell. My wife hates it. I am driven by $$$. PERIOD. I went to school for Industrial Maintenance Technology. Technical Degree. I can do Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Machinery repair and trouble shooting, MIG, TIG, and stick weld, Some robotics and PLC's. I am well versed in a lot of fields. I currently work 12hr shifts. They end up turning into 15hr shifts and end up going for 7 to 8 days straight. All this to barley clear $46k in 06 with a metric ton of OT. To say the least here in KY it sucks. I need a change. Be it the wife likes it or not.

Carbon

iTrader: (3)

operator here! PM sent.......

cantdrv65

iTrader: (3)

I work in the same field but in online analyzers. I work the same schedule as operations. The pay and benefits are second to none, but you will give up alot of your life to get there. No different than any other high paying job.....

Personally I LOVE it! They are also paying for my second degree and allowing me to work straight nights to get it.

beardWS6

iTrader: (1)

As said before. Theres good and bad. We don`t make this kind of money because everyone wants to do it. There are sacrifices you have to make. I don`t make all my girls functions etc. But most I do. But what is most important. When you do get time off you family comes first. Not hunting, racing, tit bars etc. Your wife and kids. When this happens your marriage will work. I know because I`ve went threw it on both sides. I`ve been blessed with a good wife and a job that has given me things I use to dream of. My older kids in college and my little ones are spoiled. My wife has everything she wants just about. As for me, I have a good family and my WS6 So yes, its hard sometimes, but the amount of money you make to take GOOD care of your family is worth it. As for this, and I think I speak for all of us. You need to make sure you have a good women at home. Not going out while your working nights etc. Thats the key! I think if you decide to do this you will enjoy it. Good Luck and God Bless!

AGRV8D

iTrader: (19)

good post guys... im going to put that to use....tired of iraq

Toxic Texan

I work for BP Chem in Texas City. DO you know Steve Little? He is a safety man where you work. If so tell him Josh says hi.

ProjecT 9

iTrader: (6)

i appreciate all the honest responses. i just need to talk to my wife about all this. im sure the divorce rate cant be any worse then the military. granted you have to work long hours and work a rotating shift, but at least you come home at the end of the day. I've done 3 deployments and have been gone for 7+ months each time. if we can make it through that, i think we will be ok.

im between attending San Jacinto College for my AAS to be a Operator or going to S.A.M. (school of automotive machinist) im wanting what has more job security, and better benifits. granted going to SAM would be awesome, but the pay with jobs is just so broad. i could either be making $17 a hour, or 150k+ a year. being a operator im already prety sure of what im getting into and the kinda income ill be making. also i know there is good benifits. so its just something i have to figure out for myself. i appreaciate all the great help though.

Jon

ProjecT 9

iTrader: (6)

AGRV8D

i like that!

had20z

iTrader: (2)

I went threw the process tech. classes at Lee College in baytown....this semester im starting my millwright classes this semester....

i work out at bayer in baytown

JMBLOWNWS6

iTrader: (17)

Oh yea if you work shift work expect to die sooner than later! LOL

AGRV8D

iTrader: (19)

appreciate that...

Splitz

iTrader: (1)

Yea, I know that's right, got a $171 electric bill for less than 900 KWH!!!! Your welcome!!

NDTInspector

Anybody work for Lyondell

1bad03snake

iTrader: (16)

I have 7 years of FCC/boiler/lt oil treating and gas treating experience plus a degree. Shift work is hard on married life. She has to understand that you can make 650.00 in 12 hours so when OT is offered you better jump on it. My worst year was 86K and ive had a string of 100K+ years. If you can find another job that you make 100k+ (with a 2 yr degree) and work 14 days a month jump on it and send me a PM lol

NDTInspector

where you work at my wife work shift already I work at Dow in Louisiana but moving to texas

carlos sauceda

iTrader: (3)

Cant wait to finish my degree. 3yrs as a welder in the plants plus a 2yr degree will look good. My dream is to be in operations or work for a terminal since its pretty chill there working with tanks.

LS2 KLR

iTrader: (1)

I worked at the Bayport plant for almost 6yrs, good place to work minus the 4 on, 4 off schedule.


I've been an operator since I was 20, 34 now. I finished my aas from san jac and was easily able to get a job when I finished. The trick if you are young is to stay home and save money as long as you can. Putting as much as possible down on your first home will help you out tremendously in the long run. Since for most it will be the most money you have ever made, max out your 401k every yr. If you want to truely be successful you need to have some sort of side business. I've worked with several operators over the yrs who are very, very well off.

I could see how shift work could suck if you have always worked a regular job. I really like shift work and love my time off during the week when everyone else is at work. On nights and weekends at most plants operators watch tv, movies, play games, or just catch up on sleep. Operators are masters at making any chair comfortable to sleep in, lol.

For money most pay $35-$40 per hr and with overtime most will make $100-$150k. This yr I've worked more than I would have liked but made $135 with over 500hrs of overtime.

NDTInspector

Thanks How much do they start off at

sway99bird

iTrader: (22)

I used to work at a Combined Cycle plant as a operator and now i'm a Mechanic and another plant and have plenty of OT and I also love Mon.-Fri. 7-3:30. Oklahoma state also offers a 2 year degree for operators that my company and OSU built together it might be something to check out. Oh and yes alot of the baby boomers are about to be heading out next 2-6 years there are going to be a lot of job openings.

Footlead

iTrader: (18)

Go to San Jac and get the degree. Then you can get a job making 6 figures within 3 years. Exxon is building their world headquarters in the Woodlands right now. It opens in 2014 and there will be over 4k jobs there. They are building small pilot plant and R&D facilities also so there will be a need for operators and lab techs. I have been doing this a long time ==over 20 years and you can make some good money==well over 100k a year with overtime. Some people cannot handle shift work and some can. Some people cannot handle working with dangerous chemicals and some can. Depends on the individual but I would rather put up with some crap and make 130k a year than put up with the same crap in a day job and make 70k or less.