CNC Machinist Career questions

[snoop101]

Any CNC Machinist's on the Forum. I seen post from 2-3 years ago and noticed that at the time CNC machinist's were having troubles work wise. Yet now I see a demand for them and the pay is really good.

If there is any CNC machinists on the forum could you let me know as I have a few questions.

[Dilmah]

I haven't worked on a machine for a while, but I do CNC machining, CNC programming and AutoCAD design/drafting in the wood industry. Ask away...

[GenericUsername]

Sorry to thread jack but what is the starting pay of a cnc machine operator? I just started doing my job 2 months ago and I'm still making 14.00 but my friend who started at the same time at a different company is making closer to 16. I'm thinking that I should find a different shop that will actually apprentice me but I need some experience first.

[snoop101]

Im 34 and have been in corporate IT now for over 7 years and before that I technical jobs in Audio/visual and electronics. Will my technical background help in CNC programming or will I be the same off as the 19 year old high school grad?


With a wife and 5 month old baby this is a big career move for me. I think the hardest part will be going from job I make good pay in to a job that at the start is going to be less, but then later on be more. I love computers, but I find my work not so rewarding. Reading forum posts it seems like most people in this line of work do it because its very rewarding. You develop something and watch it being produced. With that said, what do you love most about your job and what do you least like?

Is taking the machinist apprenticeship a must or can I just do the CNC programming course? I assume "most" places will want a machinist to program as they understand what can damage equipment, etc.

[snoop101]

Originally posted by GenericUsername
Sorry to thread jack but what is the starting pay of a cnc machine operator? I just started doing my job 2 months ago and I'm still making 14.00 but my friend who started at the same time at a different company is making closer to 16. I'm thinking that I should find a different shop that will actually apprentice me but I need some experience first.

Im curious as well.. The Alberta apprenticeship website says that first year apprentice make 55 of a journeyman. But with a journeyman making $40/h I cant see a shop paying a 1st year apprentice $20-22/h.

[Rat Fink]

.

[GenericUsername]

One of my friends just told me that it's 17.25 starting at his place,.a few of my co-workers said they started at 15 so I'm getting stiffed. Fuck.

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by snoop101
I seen post from 2-3 years ago and noticed that at the time CNC machinist's were having troubles work wise.

Well yeah, but that's because he was trying to build it out of an ikea cutting board and ladder parts.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz


Well yeah, but that's because he was trying to build it out of an ikea cutting board and ladder parts.


:clap:

[HO2S]

Originally posted by snoop101


Im curious as well.. The Alberta apprenticeship website says that first year apprentice make 55 of a journeyman. But with a journeyman making $40/h I cant see a shop paying a 1st year apprentice $20-22/h.

The government says the apprentices wage should be X percentage of the lowest paid journeyman, but that is just a guide line. Its not law, the employer can pay a 4th year apprentice minimum wage if he/she desires. At my shop my third year apprentice makes $1 an hour less than the other journeyman that we have on staff. Due to the fact that our other tech dose not know his ass from his foot and the apprentice actually knows his shit.

Its not all about money, I would gladly make a few dollars an hour less and work in a good environment with good people than make more but hate going to work every day.

[snoop101]

I agree with the money thing. I make decent money now but im not learning anything and job feels like its going no where. I have been thinking of doing servers or DB admin, but I really want to do something more creative. Unfortunetly though I still have to support a family and cant just walk away from decent pay.

I also have been looking at PLC as it uses computers more and all I will need to do is brush up on my electronics and learn electrical.

[GenericUsername]

Originally posted by snoop101
I agree with the money thing. I make decent money now but im not learning anything and job feels like its going no where. I have been thinking of doing servers or DB admin, but I really want to do something more creative. Unfortunetly though I still have to support a family and cant just walk away from decent pay.

I also have been looking at PLC as it uses computers more and all I will need to do is brush up on my electronics and learn electrical.


If you're looking for some creativity then maybe cnc machining might not be the way to go. Speaking as an operator, you put stuff in a machine and press "start". For 8 to 12 hours a day. The job is very stressful when you have to make tight tolerances. Fuck up one part by half a thousandth of an inch and you just cost your company some huge money. I imagine that working ad Qn actual machinist wouldn't be too much different.

[Dilmah]

In the wood industry, I think most CNC operators are trained on the job. Then from there they move to programming and beyond. So for myself I started working on a CNC machine 15 years ago, taught myself AutoCAD and started to learn CNC programming. The two can go hand in hand.
If you came into the shop today with no machine experience you’d start at $12-$15/hr like everyone else. I think it would be very hard to walk into a place and tell them “I want to be a CNC operator” and have them throw you on a machine. Come in with experience and first question is how much do you make right now? $20/hr we’ll give you $21/hr.
Remember this is the wood industry and non-union, metal and union in Ontario and you can make $30/hr for just pushing a button.

Are you talking about a job in metal or wood? I can't comment on the metal industry. These are two different animals with some common aspects.

[GenericUsername]

Originally posted by Dilmah
In the wood industry, I think most CNC operators are trained on the job. Then from there they move to programming and beyond. So for myself I started working on a CNC machine 15 years ago, taught myself AutoCAD and started to learn CNC programming. The two can go hand in hand.
If you came into the shop today with no machine experience you’d start at $12-$15/hr like everyone else. I think it would be very hard to walk into a place and tell them “I want to be a CNC operator” and have them throw you on a machine. Come in with experience and first question is how much do you make right now? $20/hr we’ll give you $21/hr.
Remember this is the wood industry and non-union, metal and union in Ontario and you can make $30/hr for just pushing a button.

Are you talking about a job in metal or wood? I can't comment on the metal industry. These are two different animals with some common aspects.

I was talking about metal but what you're saying is similar to what I'm seeing at my shop.