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View Full Version : Apprenticeship Questions. Specifically... Heavy Equipment Technician



Colin_R6
11-09-2010, 04:52 PM
Hey guys! Wall of text! Look out! (Cliff notes at the bottom)

I've recently become dreadfully aware of where my career is going. If I want to progress to any point past about $70k/year, I will end up spending my days drinking energy drinks and trying to stay awake through meeting after meeting.

Unacceptable. That isn't me at all, not even one little bit. I'm already going bald, I don't need a job I hate to accelerate the process.

So! I'm looking for something blue-collar to get me out of Calgary and back to a small town where I don't have to drive 60min just to ride my mtn bike somewhere cool. Also tired of the traffic and all the $25M bridges and other idiocy that goes on here.

I am very mechanically inclined, always have been. I love fixing stuff up and I used to spend countless hours watching heavy equipment (loaders, dump trucks etc) work all day long. Not to mention my old man worked in the Coal Mines, so I had some knowledge of that process. I have also spent time working at Coal/Gold Mines.

I went to the apprenticeship board today, to hopefully register as an HET apprentice and find out what I need to do, to challenge the first 2 years of apprenticeship and begin as a 3rd year apprentice (I have bills to pay, and apprenticeship salary doesn't quite cut it-spoke with an HET friend of mine, and figured that 3rd year apprentices make about the same as I am making now). Anyway, they told me I can't register until I am already working as an apprentice.

Anyone know any loop-holes I can exploit?

Or should I explain my situation to a shop and see if they will let me *volunteer* in order to register, and then I can self-study the modules and challenge the exams?

Cliff Notes
1) Terrified of my career future - headed to an ugly/boring place.
2) Want to be a Heavy Equipment Technician.
3) Can't register as an apprentice, unless I am already working as an HET.
4) Wondering if I can find a loop-hole, so I can register as an apprentice and challenge the first 2 periods of the apprenticeship - so I can effectively begin at the 3rd year.

ricosuave
11-09-2010, 05:04 PM
^ can't be done.

Colin_R6
11-09-2010, 05:30 PM
Guess i'd better start saving some $ to cover living expenses then.


I can still challenge the 1st and 2nd year exams and become 3rd year fairly quickly though, right?

SOAB
11-09-2010, 05:35 PM
you can challenge the exams if you have enough hours worked. if not, you'll have to do it the old fashioned way. by earning it.

Colin_R6
11-09-2010, 05:44 PM
Thats just super.

Thanks for the replies.

:(

Ven
11-10-2010, 06:11 PM
Don't give up Colin, your idea is sound and it's a great career choice. You can always find ways to make a lifestyle change. If you can't increase your hourly wage then you need to work more hours. There's a lot of shops that offer extended hours and OT. Find a shop that does shift rotations like 4 on and 4 off working 12 hrs a day. Then just pick up an extra day at full OT and you'll still get 3 days off for recreational activities. I do that now, which equals 16 hours of OT each rotation and a long weekend. Love it. Also, I don't recommend skipping years of your apprenticeship, you'll miss a lot of useful fundamentals and procedure that will catch you later on. Why bullshit your career and cheat yourself, just start from zero and do it right. When you're done you have more money (and personal satisfaction) than you'll know what to do with.

Cos
11-10-2010, 06:17 PM
Dont give up man, anything worth doing in life is never easy.

Colin_R6
11-11-2010, 10:13 AM
Oh I haven't given up. Just getting used to the idea that its going to take me till i'm 33 to get it all done. Wish I would have done this back when I was in high school - no fuckin clue why I bothered with Chemical Technology at SAIT, lol.

I won't have a problem finding a job I don't think. I want to get the hell out of Calgary and one of my HET friends at the Finning branch in Sparwood (where I grew up) is a C-hair away from getting into management. Theres also a couple other places in that area looking for apprentice HET's.

I'd get started now, but i'd lose out on a years worth of bonus and profit-sharing if i leave my current job before Dec 31st, so i'm stuck for a few months yet. I just wanted to get a good jump start on it, is all.

Darell_n
11-11-2010, 10:34 AM
Originally posted by Cos
Dont give up man, anything worth doing in life is never easy.

100% bang on. The point of having an apprenticeship program is to ensure someone with a Journeyman designation has the necessary skills and experience to do quality work. It is unfortunate that trades are pushed in our educational system as remedial schooling when not everyone enjoys wearing a suit and sitting in meetings with no physical satisfaction from work . From high-school I was pressured to attend University and finished a BSc in Electronics after which I eventually went to SAIT for a trade.

My trade has a pre-employment program at SAIT that is becoming popular with the big employers which may start you off at 2nd yr rates. You should look into this. I enjoy having a new apprentice start under me with enough schooling to ask intelligent questions and carry-on work related conversations. This enough is worth a pay raise to me.

Iceman_19
11-14-2010, 03:44 AM
Most companies will have you on a lube truck for 2 years or so before they apprentice you, just a heads up. Avoid kidco as well.

supaj87GTS
11-14-2010, 01:14 PM
I know steward and Stevenson is Hiring...with a Mon-Fri work load its a okay place to work.

Although if you its no your reg HET position its pretty slow passed Oil Rig/Frac work.