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mavfreak

my job went by by

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mavfreak

I have been laid off cine the first of this year. Got called in today for a meeting. 35 of us were told that do to rising cost and liability reasons the shop was being shut down.

I have 12 years with company as a welder.

This company I worked for has been in business for 82 years. A big company called ITT bought us 4 years ago. It took them 4 years to find outsourcing to do there manufacturing.

And with that a good company and 35 + people are on the street. All do to a bottom line for a multi billion dollar company

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buckeye

that sucks Heath. What ever happened to the good ole' USA? :omg:

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rmaynard

Heath,

I am really sorry to hear that. Lot's of folks are in the same boat as you these days, so you have a lot of good company. But that does not help your situation. The thing that you have in your favor is that you have a marketable skill. Good welders are not easy to come by.

You are doing the first thing that I would suggest, and that is "network". Let everyone know that you are out of work. Let people know what your skills are. RedSquare is a very good source for networking. I may know someone who knows someone, who knows a guy that is looking for a welder...etc.

If you don't mind giving out personal information, post your full name, address, and phone number here on the "square". That way, if somebody reading this post, knows someone in need of a skilled welder, your info is right there for the taking.

There are many other things that you can do too. If you have been laid off now since the beginning of the year, have you registered with your local unemployment agency? Tap them for info and help finding work. Do you have a shop at your home where you can do small welding jobs? Lord knows I have wished there was someone in my neighborhood that did welding. Get a box a cheap business cards made that you can pass out to everyone you meet telling them that you weld. If you know any of the customers that your company had and they are local, approach them and see if they would be interested in hiring an employee who has welding skills. Think outside of the box.

Do you have any other marketable skills. Don't think that just because you have welded all your life, that is all you can do.

Don't despair.

Hoping for the best, I wish you good luck.

Bob

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mavfreak

It's all about pennys on the dollar

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mavfreak

I accually got to sit tight right now. I'll qualify for alot of things like schooling for free and other stuff. I won't if I go to anther job. I think its time for a change. Manufauting isn't were its at anymore. I was make very very good money and the shop that is taken this over pays there top people around $5 dollars less an hour and if i went there the start rate is half what i make.

I just don't know what to go to school for. I've went to school for auto mechanic and worked on cars for about 5 years but got out of that when this job as welder came along. I've been a hands on blue coller guy for so long I just don't know where to start now.

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buckeye

Ever thought about being an authorized small engine tech? my neighbor got his certification online. Now he has a garage full of mowers, tillers, weedeaters, and you name it, to work on. He was in the same boat as alot of people, and now he is doing just fine. If your gonna pick a new career, pick something that you love to do, not something you HAVE to do. Money will follow. :D

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rickv1957

Heath,good luck on your job search,Rick

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jimbotelho

Heath i have been there along with many other people. Like someone else said a good welder always can find good work Keep the chin up and keep looking this economy will be picking up soonNobody said life is easy keep plugging :D Good luck

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VinsRJ

Its never to late to start something new..... you may find your passion instead of a job. You'll be happier and the money will find you instead. Good luck. :D

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stevasaurus

Good luck Heath. Don't know if you have Verizon around you, but they are starting to hire here in Ill. Good money and benefits.

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tarcoleo

Heath-

Serious situation there. Don't know 'bout your circumstances--

family, finance, other private stuff. But you surely are taking

stock and considering your options. You have to figure whether you

can 1) live in Prospect and find employment there, 2) start a little private

business there where you are (I did this years ago when faced with your

problem), or 3) go somewhere else where there might be a good job.

Consider your choices carefully. You can make one of these work, or

maybe two. Good luck.

Tom in RI

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mavfreak

It has made me sit back and take stock in alot of things. I just don't know. I did lose my passion as a welder and metal fab, it was my passion. But its not something I feel I should stay with. I just feel if i stay with manufationering I'll be in this same situation again

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truckin88

go apply to freight railroads, if you are in PA, there are a bunch start with norfolk Southern and CSX then move to others. Use your welding skills to get you in the door, if you are a good employee it will blossom into other oppourtunities. GOOD LUCK

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mavfreak

I did here that conrail is looking for engineers. I have been thinking about that some. I'm fairly close to there rail yard

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papaglide

Heath I hear where you are coming from brother. I was laid off from the Bethlehem Steel Company in September 2001. I was a machinist. A MANUAL machinist, not some CNC numbers puncher. Well, manual machinists are not needed anymore. Everyone wants CNC "machinists" now.

So onto Norfolk Southern I went. Hired on in November of 2001. I was over the road from Buffalo to Renovo,PA. I would board up around Buffalo or East Aurora and take the train to Renovo. That was a crew change spot. Sometimes I would be in Renovo for up to 3 days waiting to get assigned to a north bound back to Buffalo. All for $500 SALARY a week. Once in Buffalo I would be on the list for up to another 2 days waiting to get a train back to Renovo. I spent a lot of time away from home and with 2 very little babies at home it wasn't a good thing. I am glad I quit the railroad. If you get hired be aware that you may spend a lot of time away from home. Also be aware that CSX is way more employee friendly than Big Black!

I was made to be a union factory worker like my Dad but times are changing. I am still trying to figure out what the hell to do.

I realize that I probably haven't been much help but I hope that I gave some insight to the RR jobs. Good luck to you and may God bless.

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mavfreak

:D

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Doubletrouble

My 2 cents worth: I would think of something you love to do wheather it"s working on wheel horses or whatever, and see if you can apply that to a career. I used to dream of driving big trucks when I was little and now I drive a large International eagle 9900I and am contracted to Fedex ground. I figure I could probably make a little better money elsewhere but I have a dedicated rout and I love what I'm doing and can make ends meet. I really hope that you figure things out for yourself. I hear of alot of people in similar situations and hope and pray that things get better for all of us. Good luck on your future, I sincerely hope it works out for you.

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rickv1957

Sometimes I with my job would go by by :D Rick

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mavfreak

update

I was called back from layoff today. I'll start back on Friday.

i get the pleasure of cleaning up and getting machinery ready to be shipped of to Mexico. At least i get to work for a couple of months

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markslawnmowerworld

My ex-wife once told me to find a job in this world that is and will allways be in-demand........i gave this a real long thought working some real crummy jobs,

and came to the conclussion of being a mechanic, either auto,or small engine....

that was the smartest thing i ever did........next to getting a divorce... :D

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Operator

Well that is kind of good news, with a bad ending. But at least you know how it ends.

Couple years back I went through the same deal , on the first of the year I got a call " Ending production" shutting down plant, and I ended up coming in to take wash plants and crushing operations apart and shipped out. Knowing my job would end in a month, it was a bummer. They kept telling me "we will find you something" well they eventually did, on third shift wash plant and repair! Third shift 8 pm to 5 am, I couldn't sleep in the daytime and left Aggregate Ind. after 10 years. I'm running a crushing operation now doing concrete and blacktop recycle, and hating it enough to go back to trucking.

Good luck to you.

Randy

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rwilson

Heath. I'm in the same boat you are in. laid off january 1st. Got a different job though. Have you checkd into these gas wells going up all over the northcentral region of pa yet? I know they need workers bad. pay is great as well. shoot me a pm if you need some info on hem and i'll see what i can do.

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mavfreak

16 more days until shop closes. The company is working us hard to get jobs out before they close doors. With a 50 million dollar backlog and steady work for the next three years its hard to believe that they're doing this and saying that it for financial reasons. I company Has been in business for 89 years and its doors stayed open during the depression and ww2. This new multi billion dollar company(ITT) is looking to save pennies on the dollar.

Anyway 16 more days and I'm looking for a new job. I have started looking but haven't had any calls yet. Hopeful that god will show me some kind of sign soon. Especially when my unemployment runs out 2 weeks after i get laid off and I can't reopen a new claim.

Things are going to very hard

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Operator

Big company mentality sucks doesn't it.

No extensions on your Un-emp.?

Hang in there and keep us updated.

Randy

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jlangdon

I left a tool and die job in 2006 because I feared the place was changing because of a recent buyout by a foreign company. 1 yr after I left they cut the tool room head count down from 15 to 4. Only the lead men got to stay, I wasn't a lead man. I left that job for a machine maintenance position in an Eaton Transmission assembly plant. I was there for 3 terrible years. They closed the doors 1 week after my first child was born, and now I am a full time student paid for through TAA and am also the soul operator of my very own daddy daycare with one pupil enrolled. It has been quite refreshing to go back to school and learn new tricks. Our situation is a challenging thing to have to go through and figure out, but somehow the pieces seem to just keep falling in the right places. Every day when I am trying to think of good thing that have come out of this bad situation. I got out of a job that I didn't like working with toxic people, and I am one lucky SOB to get to spend this much time with my 8 month old baby girl!

Try to think about the good things while you are working out the bad. :D

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