This industry is hiring like crazy, good pay, can't be outsourced

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jme5343

Platinum Member
Nov 21, 2003
2,333
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Ahhh, back to the real me. Good thing Frey didn't have a bunch of personal info in his pm's. :)
 

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
15
81
fobot.com
this is true, i know several people that have gotten good paying jobs right out of "train school"
i know two engineers that make six figures
 

shoRunner

Platinum Member
Nov 8, 2004
2,629
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0
mmm, i'll have to look into this. 60k starting, is better than the avg pay for almost every degree in my area.
 

raildogg

Lifer
Aug 24, 2004
12,892
572
126
Originally posted by: RichUK
Don't truck drivers get paid a fair amount? I wouldn't want to be a truck driver however, driving all day long would send me loopy.

So you want a nice, cushy job that requires no physical activity?
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
Originally posted by: Albis
god, don't tell people to be an accountant b/c accounting in college is not what "accounting" is like in the real world.

it sucks being a big 4 auditor. you deal with clients that don't care about what you do or why you are need information from them.

i got my cpa and experience and left.

do not be an accountant for your life. it is the most unfulfilling boring job you can ever have. however becoming an accountant will give you invaluable information and perspective you can never receive elsewhere if you choose to go another route later in life.
 

Wrenchbender

Junior Member
Nov 11, 2003
10
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Originally posted by: JS80
Originally posted by: Albis
god, don't tell people to be an accountant b/c accounting in college is not what "accounting" is like in the real world.

it sucks being a big 4 auditor. you deal with clients that don't care about what you do or why you are need information from them.

i got my cpa and experience and left.

do not be an accountant for your life. it is the most unfulfilling boring job you can ever have. however becoming an accountant will give you invaluable information and perspective you can never receive elsewhere if you choose to go another route later in life.

i agree
 

Alienwho

Diamond Member
Apr 22, 2001
6,766
0
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Originally posted by: isekii
I work it a cubicle, and it's so boring..

I'm gonna need to research this.
No kidding I am so sick of the cubicle farm! Every weekend I watch the discovery channel or history channel and see all these people with the coolest jobs.
 

Svnla

Lifer
Nov 10, 2003
17,986
1,388
126
Our local RR, a division of KCS, is advertising a position of brakeman/conductor with a salary of about 40K, not 60K.

You are expect to work weekends, OT, holidays, on call at all time, and outside in extreme weather of hot and cold, rain or shine.

I am working with a guy that used to work in the RR for over 20 years. He liked it but he left because his legs were about to give way from all the up and down climbing. I will ask him about the RR industry tomorrow.
 

chusteczka

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2006
3,399
3
71
Originally posted by: Wrenchbender
Originally posted by: JS80
Originally posted by: Albis
god, don't tell people to be an accountant b/c accounting in college is not what "accounting" is like in the real world.

it sucks being a big 4 auditor. you deal with clients that don't care about what you do or why you are need information from them.

i got my cpa and experience and left.

do not be an accountant for your life. it is the most unfulfilling boring job you can ever have. however becoming an accountant will give you invaluable information and perspective you can never receive elsewhere if you choose to go another route later in life.

i agree

Like JS80 mentioned earlier, it all depends on what you do with an accounting degree. While auditors are disliked by their clients, tax accountants are loved by their clients since the tax accountant is there to help the client save anywhere from several hundred thousand dollars to a few million. Mergers and Acquisitions is also a very interesting area to get into. Tax accounting along with Mergers & Acquisitions are two areas that are in almost desperate need of well qualified people.

Also, like JS80 mentioned earlier, accounting provides an excellent technical degree with a unique insight into the business world.
 

EGGO

Diamond Member
Jul 29, 2004
5,504
1
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It'd be great if I could have it as some sort of summer job. I love working labor jobs between school years.
 

Svnla

Lifer
Nov 10, 2003
17,986
1,388
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Here is the details of the brakeman/conductor position from KCS that I was talking about earlier: (for those that are interest). Not sure where the big money is ($110.63 per day start and only 100% full rate paid after 5 years on the job>

-------------------------------------------------
Job Description:

Job Title: Brakeman Trainee/Conductor
Average Income: $40,000

Experience: Brakeman Trainees must possess a Conductor Training Certificate from an accredited learning establishment, preferably, the National Academy of Railroad Sciences (NARS), located at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, KS. Contingent offers of employment may be made pending the candidate?s successful completion of the NARS or equivalent Conductor Training course and satisfying the minimum requirements.

Visit the NARS website at www.railroadtraining.com

Basic Minimum Requirements:
? High school diploma or GED equivalent
? Valid driver?s license
? 18 years of age
? Conductor Training Certificate

Duties: Conductors assure safe, on-time/on-plan train operation and movement. Conductors operate various kinds of track switches, conduct train and equipment inspections, communicate and report information concerning train movements and work orders, observe, interpret and relay signals either in person or via communication devices such as radios, interpret and assure compliance with signals, and ensure compliance with company and industry rules, general orders and instructions. Conductors must be able to lift 65 lbs.

Training: Brakeman Trainees receive approximately 4-6 weeks of on-the-job training, at which point they will become probationary conductors.

Probationary Period: Conductors will undergo sixty (60) days of probationary employment after completing their on-the-job training in order to determine their ability to work alone and unsupervised as qualified railroad conductors.

Hours and Conditions: Conductors are expected to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on an on-call basis. Conductors must be able to report to duty 60-90 minutes after being called on duty. Conductors must be able to work outdoors in all weather conditions. Extensive travel may be required.

Union Membership: All conductors are required to join the union after completing their probationary period. Monthly union dues are required and will be deducted from the employee?s paycheck.

Rates of Pay: During their brakeman trainee training, employees receive $110.63 per day as compensation, which is 75% of the regular rate of pay for KCS conductors. This amount is per day, regardless of hours worked (except where a different rate of pay is required by state or federal law). Thereafter, the rate of pay will increase to the regular rate of pay pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement. Conductor pay is on a progression scale, with an increase each year until 100% of conductor pay is reached.

1st year ? 80% of full rate of pay
2nd year ? 85% of full rate of pay
3rd year ? 90% of full rate of pay
4th year ? 95% of full rate of pay
5th year ? 100% of full rate of pay


The duties, responsibilities and qualifications in this posting are representative categories to be used by an applicant in deciding whether to apply for the position. These general guidelines do not constitute an exhaustive list of qualifications or essential functions of the position.


We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

Text
 

razor2025

Diamond Member
May 24, 2002
3,010
0
71
well.. my railroad job wasn't great $0/hr. It was for a volunteer stint during my HS days at a railroad museum. Had to deal with tons of old retired railmen and little kids. At least most of them were nice, and I got the occasional ride of the trains. Money sounds good, and I'm sure many of us loved trains when we were 5.
 

jme5343

Platinum Member
Nov 21, 2003
2,333
0
71
Originally posted by: Svnla
Here is the details of the brakeman/conductor position from KCS that I was talking about earlier: (for those that are interest). Not sure where the big money is ($110.63 per day start and only 100% full rate paid after 5 years on the job>

Wow, that's a horrible wage, I thought KCS would be much better. Our guys get 80% while training, 100% when they mark up, usually 2-3 months after start.

They get roughly $170 / day guaranteed. That's for a 9 hour day, even if they work 6 (doesn't happen often), then time and a half for anything over 9 hours. 12 hour days are not uncommon.
 

BrownTown

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
5,314
1
0
Its funny how the average age in some jobs is so high. I know where my dad works the average age of nuclear engineers is ~55 since very few people graduated in the field since TMI and Chernobyl scared the cr@p out of everyone and it looked like the industry was gonna die off. Problem is now all the reactors are still online and the people running them are retiring much more rapidly than new people are graduating, not to mention that companies are looking to hire more as nuclear energy looks to be making another push.
 

Coquito

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2003
8,559
1
0
I recall my hamsters riding along in the train set I had as a kid. Too scared to jump off, so they would just hold the sides of the coal box like they were part of a bobsled team. :)

Is there anything available outside of the worst grunt work, for someone without a college degree? Or maybe a paid for education? I wouldn't mind moving around at all.
 

jme5343

Platinum Member
Nov 21, 2003
2,333
0
71
Coquito, the work itself is not the bad part, it's the hours. The pressure to perform is almost non-existent anymore since safety is now the priority. I've never seen someone get in trouble for being too slow. The work can be done methodically, it's not a breakneck pace. Maintenance is harder as far as manual labor goes.
 

imported_griffis

Senior member
Sep 14, 2005
592
0
71
Originally posted by: quikah
My dad was with the Chicago and Northwestern for ~20 yrs. He took a buyout when Union Pacific took over about 11 yrs ago. He started out of high school as general laborer I believe (digging post holes and ditches) and worked his way up the chain to become Signal Maintainer (the person that wires, repairs, maintains all the signals along the tracks). Generally hard work, ok hours, would occasionally have to work nights if some major problem happened (train derailment), union gig so it paid well. He worked on an associate degree in EE during nights. No idea how it is now. Most of it is computerized now, but someone has to dig post holes and wire up the signals still. It was cool to be able to see all the trains up close and personal as a kid.

Overall it is not a bad way to go. It is definately blue collar work, you will get your hands dirty, but sometimes I wonder if it would be better than sitting in this cubicle all day long.

He now works as a salesman for a major train Signal producer, makes a good bit of money.


My dad did this and is going to collect retirment in a couple years. He will make more money retired doing nothing than working
 

imported_griffis

Senior member
Sep 14, 2005
592
0
71
Originally posted by: Alienwho
Originally posted by: kranky
Originally posted by: JS80
accounting is more appealing.

Except there's that college degree and possible outsourcing thing.

What could I get with a degree in business in the Railroad field? Would that help me at all? What degrees would help to start at the upper end?



YOu can always work in car accounting or even better, sales!! Railroad jobs are fun and with a college degree you can get on at the corporate level making good money but just traveling alot!