How much do plant operators make?
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: The Woodlands Texas
Good and true post. I am a Pipeline Controller for Shell and LOVE my job!!!
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Im an operator at DuPont in Orange and from the looks of it Im not the only one here on Ls1Tech!!! 
We have our good days and def have our bad days. Pay here ranges in levels on which you hire in at. Level 6 (highest you can hire in at) is right at $34. Top out (level 8) is just a hair under $40 after 3 years.
We have our good days and def have our bad days. Pay here ranges in levels on which you hire in at. Level 6 (highest you can hire in at) is right at $34. Top out (level 8) is just a hair under $40 after 3 years. Just applied for DOW's process operator position. Refined my resume and with actual PTech courses under my belt I was much more confident in my online aptitude assessment than I was when I applied to be a distribution operator a year ago. When I clicked the test link, it gathered my data from way back when and automatically used that instead of a new assessment.
Awwwweeessooommmeeeeee.......................
Awwwweeessooommmeeeeee.......................
Hey Lake Jackson! Wonder if I've seen you around, I'm in Richwood/Clute myself.
Yes and no. I got a huge scholarship from BASF at the beginning of this semester and on the 10th of next month I'm giving a speech with the site manager who is apparently the top dog of BASF-Freeport. I also did an interview training session with a Mechanical Services Manager for BASF and he liked me enough to give me his card and email him anytime. Unfortunately BASF doesn't seem to be hiring operators right now
But as far as DOW, not particularly. I have a very close friend whos dad went to high school with one of the guys in charge of hiring over there and he's very good friends with my friend's entire family. My friend told me today to contact HR and ask to speak with him and explain the situation, but other than that, I seem to have hit a dead end for the moment.
Really sucks because DOW is the only company in this area hiring for operators as far as I have seen, at least for the moment. I am so ready to get the ball rolling and start making some real money and get past these pitiful wages I currently make.
Yes and no. I got a huge scholarship from BASF at the beginning of this semester and on the 10th of next month I'm giving a speech with the site manager who is apparently the top dog of BASF-Freeport. I also did an interview training session with a Mechanical Services Manager for BASF and he liked me enough to give me his card and email him anytime. Unfortunately BASF doesn't seem to be hiring operators right now
But as far as DOW, not particularly. I have a very close friend whos dad went to high school with one of the guys in charge of hiring over there and he's very good friends with my friend's entire family. My friend told me today to contact HR and ask to speak with him and explain the situation, but other than that, I seem to have hit a dead end for the moment.
Really sucks because DOW is the only company in this area hiring for operators as far as I have seen, at least for the moment. I am so ready to get the ball rolling and start making some real money and get past these pitiful wages I currently make.
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Verdad Gallardo You can't just aim for the big plants. A lot of the operators in the bigger refineries didn't start there. Many started in the smaller plants and got experience before moving on to the big refineries.
There are postings on Indeed just about everyday hiring for operations. Get you a list of logins and companies you applied for in a speeadsheet and just apply everywhere and anywhere.
If you dont know what plants are out there get in your car and drive up and down 225 go up and down the streets write down all the plant names you pass by.
Takes work to get in.
If you dont know what plants are out there get in your car and drive up and down 225 go up and down the streets write down all the plant names you pass by.
Takes work to get in.
Surely DOW can't be the only place hiring. How long is your list of plants. Because the Houston area has plenty of them. You can't just aim for the big plants. A lot of the operators in the bigger refineries didn't start there. Many started in the smaller plants and got experience before moving on to the big refineries.
I'm definitely okay with working in a smaller plant. I'm actually looking to start ANYWHERE. I haven't really looked at Houston much though since I live in the heart of Brazoria County (Lake Jackson/Clute/Richwood area).
A lot of the plants in the Houston area I've seen are anywhere from 50-70 miles away which seemed kind of impractical with (what I imagine it to be anyways) a hell-ish commute on 288.
When I worked at Jake's Performance I commuted 54 miles each way every day, but I never really encountered traffic on I-35 and there was muuuch more room for flexibility as far as arrival times go if the commute ending up taking a few extra minutes due to unforseen traffic circumstances. I guess I'm just scared of getting a job and potentially losing it due to something like that, whereas you can go from Surfside to the other side of Lake Jackson here in 15 minutes.
Any of you make any long commutes, or do you have any co-workers that do?
There are postings on Indeed just about everyday hiring for operations. Get you a list of logins and companies you applied for in a speeadsheet and just apply everywhere and anywhere.
If you dont know what plants are out there get in your car and drive up and down 225 go up and down the streets write down all the plant names you pass by.
Takes work to get in.
If you dont know what plants are out there get in your car and drive up and down 225 go up and down the streets write down all the plant names you pass by.
Takes work to get in.
Damn even TX-225 is 63 miles from me. If that's what it takes though.I like the spreadsheet idea, will definitely do that!
I remember several years ago browsing through here reading about when you first enrolled in classes. Was impressed by your dedication and putting a lot of things on pause for 2 years and then all that you went through to finally score a job. From what I've seen you say it sounds like it's paid off though, and stories like yours and the countless others I have read help keep me motivated
Show up early and you don't have to worry about that. You don't want to be the guy that everyone hates to be relieved by because you stroll in at the last minute.
My normal relief time is 4:30. I show up by 4:00. Some guys shows up at 4:25. To each their own.
My normal relief time is 4:30. I show up by 4:00. Some guys shows up at 4:25. To each their own.
I will check out CPChem right after this post. Just did a revised search through a few job posting websites and filled out a few applications, one of them even being a 36 hr/week internship, but that's still something!
Freeport does have a **** load of plants, my biggest hurdle is that so many of them want years of experience
Part of me agrees, but I know this area very well and I still need to finish out the rest of the school here that I have. BASF site manager gave me a scholarship I don't really want to throw away. On top of all that, my family and friends are all within minutes of me and relocating to the Houston area would leave me completely by myself for the most part, which just kind of sucks.
NOW the fact that you're up and responding at 5:00AM makes sense 
SnlpEz, I can't believe you aren't making a killing in transmission builds on the side. I have been working with the same popular transmission builder since I was a teenager and he never has enough time to catch up. He just recently stopped building transmissions because of another business opportunity and still has a hell of a time telling people he can't get to them. He charged varying prices but kept it very reasonable and still made lots of money. Hell, an average 4L60E build and R&R would be around $1300. Parts were a small portion of that and the rest was pocketed. That job ain't **** in a pickup. The biggest problem I saw in that business was telling beggers to go elsewhere.
SnlpEz, I can't believe you aren't making a killing in transmission builds on the side. I have been working with the same popular transmission builder since I was a teenager and he never has enough time to catch up. He just recently stopped building transmissions because of another business opportunity and still has a hell of a time telling people he can't get to them. He charged varying prices but kept it very reasonable and still made lots of money. Hell, an average 4L60E build and R&R would be around $1300. Parts were a small portion of that and the rest was pocketed. That job ain't **** in a pickup. The biggest problem I saw in that business was telling beggers to go elsewhere.
Part of my problem is not really being able to find people around here. There are no core yards in this part of Texas either. I also don't have a shop to work out of, or even a garage. I usually go to people's homes, once even as far as College Station (For a 4L60E, NOT doing that again)
If one ever pops up I'd do it, I just feel like I'm not in a very good area for it, generally speaking
My commute is about 40 miles from SW Houston to CPChem in Baytown. About a 40 min drive in the morning and in the evenings anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half.
Don't sell your short by only focusing on plants close to home. Relocate if you need to in the long run it will payoff. One of the guys that just started with me commutes from Port Arthur to Baytown.
Just keep applying everywhere. It takes a while to land the job but once you are in you will wish you would have started sooner at least that is how I feel.
Don't sell your short by only focusing on plants close to home. Relocate if you need to in the long run it will payoff. One of the guys that just started with me commutes from Port Arthur to Baytown.
Just keep applying everywhere. It takes a while to land the job but once you are in you will wish you would have started sooner at least that is how I feel.