ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
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engineering company lookin for a trainee up my way, wondering weather to change career,
currently waiting to go offshore but would rather work at home if the oppertunity is there
just wondering what the jobs like?
im already a fully qualified mechanic, done some mechanical fitting for another engineering firm,
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Hamish
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Registered: 4th Apr 05
Location: Ashtead, Surrey Drives: 100bhp Mint with Hole
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engineering in the UK is on its arse IMO.
Unless you get into the programming side of things i doubt there will be much money in it.
Ed maybe able to give you some decent information about the industry.
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Jamie
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Registered: 1st Apr 02
Location: Aberdeen
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Did a module at college for it
Manual stuff is quite boring and if your not 100% on the ball you'll make slight mistakes which will result in having to start again
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Hamish
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Registered: 4th Apr 05
Location: Ashtead, Surrey Drives: 100bhp Mint with Hole
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hence why he said CNC machine work 
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ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
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apparently its with all these new machines, the computerised ones, the guys there dont want to train for it all over again so they're getting new starts
the company just got a multi-million pound contract to do windfarms so there should be a few years work
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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There is no money in operating the machines a all. Even if you can write the G Code to make them do stuff, you are still onl a puppet on a string.
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ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
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what sort of money we talking about?
i'd rather £400 a week for the rest of my days
weighed up against being away from home, in and out of contracts, not knowing when the next wage is,
want some stability in my career instead of working/paid off
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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Driving around in a clapped out Nova or AX money in my experience.
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ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
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hmm re-think again then,
they are looking for fabricators aswell, but been told to stay away from that,
my father is a safety manager in an engineering firm,
he started out as a welder/fabrictor then supervisor,
suppose he does ok for himself
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Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
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quote:
Originally posted by Hamish
engineering in the UK is on its arse IMO.
Exactly... it's seriously in decline.
Every company gets everything made in China now.
My dad's company got people wanting sometihng made, designed and made a prototype or it, and then mass produced it. People like vodaphone etc, all getting all their electronic boards / cases all made... then more smaller clients, needing components made for what they were making...
But basically early - mid 90s was booming, turning over millions a year, taking huge amounts of profit, with 13 staff. Bought another house, motor boat, paid off mortgages etc... - but since late 90 / early 00's just been in more and more decline... more big manufacturers getting everything made in China. It was costing my dad more money in overheads than really what it was making, so slowly laid most of the staff off, moved to cheaper premises etc... and now just kinda does stuff to order, mainly just specialist stuff, security or re developments requiring metal work. But got plenty in the bank that he's planning on just knocking it on the head soon and retiring early.
But the point is, in the UK it's not a trade I'd want to get into!
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Hamish
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Registered: 4th Apr 05
Location: Ashtead, Surrey Drives: 100bhp Mint with Hole
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the construction industry is crying out for people atm. Possibly a consideration?
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul_J
quote:
Originally posted by Hamish
engineering in the UK is on its arse IMO.
Exactly... it's seriously in decline.
Every company gets everything made in China now.
My dad's company got people wanting sometihng made, designed and made a prototype or it, and then mass produced it. People like vodaphone etc, all getting all their electronic boards / cases all made... then more smaller clients, needing components made for what they were making...
But basically early - mid 90s was booming, turning over millions a year, taking huge amounts of profit, with 13 staff. Bought another house, motor boat, paid off mortgages etc... - but since late 90 / early 00's just been in more and more decline... more big manufacturers getting everything made in China. It was costing my dad more money in overheads than really what it was making, so slowly laid most of the staff off, moved to cheaper premises etc... and now just kinda does stuff to order, mainly just specialist stuff, security or re developments requiring metal work. But got plenty in the bank that he's planning on just knocking it on the head soon and retiring early.
But the point is, in the UK it's not a trade I'd want to get into!
Not everything is made in China Paul. A lot of companys manufacture parts in the UK still and engineering in the UK is certainly not in decline!
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ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
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only other thing i was interested in is taping
my mate does taping and get paid by price,
what a loody wage he gets in 1 week  shocking
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Simon_16v
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Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
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Taping?
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ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul_J
quote:
Originally posted by Hamish
engineering in the UK is on its arse IMO.
Exactly... it's seriously in decline.
Every company gets everything made in China now.
My dad's company got people wanting sometihng made, designed and made a prototype or it, and then mass produced it. People like vodaphone etc, all getting all their electronic boards / cases all made... then more smaller clients, needing components made for what they were making...
But basically early - mid 90s was booming, turning over millions a year, taking huge amounts of profit, with 13 staff. Bought another house, motor boat, paid off mortgages etc... - but since late 90 / early 00's just been in more and more decline... more big manufacturers getting everything made in China. It was costing my dad more money in overheads than really what it was making, so slowly laid most of the staff off, moved to cheaper premises etc... and now just kinda does stuff to order, mainly just specialist stuff, security or re developments requiring metal work. But got plenty in the bank that he's planning on just knocking it on the head soon and retiring early.
But the point is, in the UK it's not a trade I'd want to get into!
up where i live is a different story, its going from strength to strength, after a few shady years of the massive Nigg yard closing, its getting stronger now
with the refurbishment of all scottish power dams, windfarms, etc
there's more work now than before, but its just not rig building now, if companies are able to adapt to change with the times then i dont see there being a problem.
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ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
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quote:
Originally posted by SRi_Si
Taping?
painting and taping,
taping is filling in where the plasterboard meets on new buildings, also refurbishment work can be done,
highly paid job
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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A company I ued to be involved with has just spent £8million on a new laser fabrication machine. That's hardly the sign of decline is it. There are hundred of engineering businesses around Birmingham, independant and multi national as there are companys like Land Rover, Jaguar and BF Goodrich who all rely on independant companys for things.
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by ShEp
quote:
Originally posted by SRi_Si
Taping?
painting and taping,
taping is filling in where the plasterboard meets on new buildings, also refurbishment work can be done,
highly paid job
Define highly paid though.
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Hamish
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Registered: 4th Apr 05
Location: Ashtead, Surrey Drives: 100bhp Mint with Hole
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quote:
Originally posted by ed
A company I ued to be involved with has just spent £8million on a new laser fabrication machine. That's hardly the sign of decline is it. There are hundred of engineering businesses around Birmingham, independant and multi national as there are companys like Land Rover, Jaguar and BF Goodrich who all rely on independant companys for things.
but compared to what it was say 15-20 years ago the country as a whole has a declining engineering sector.
Just because onle company is buyig new machines doesnt mean its not declining. There will obviously be sectors in engineering that are expanding as such. But on the whole i think they are not
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Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
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quote:
Originally posted by ed
quote:
Originally posted by Paul_J
quote:
Originally posted by Hamish
engineering in the UK is on its arse IMO.
Exactly... it's seriously in decline.
Every company gets everything made in China now.
My dad's company got people wanting sometihng made, designed and made a prototype or it, and then mass produced it. People like vodaphone etc, all getting all their electronic boards / cases all made... then more smaller clients, needing components made for what they were making...
But basically early - mid 90s was booming, turning over millions a year, taking huge amounts of profit, with 13 staff. Bought another house, motor boat, paid off mortgages etc... - but since late 90 / early 00's just been in more and more decline... more big manufacturers getting everything made in China. It was costing my dad more money in overheads than really what it was making, so slowly laid most of the staff off, moved to cheaper premises etc... and now just kinda does stuff to order, mainly just specialist stuff, security or re developments requiring metal work. But got plenty in the bank that he's planning on just knocking it on the head soon and retiring early.
But the point is, in the UK it's not a trade I'd want to get into!
Not everything is made in China Paul. A lot of companys manufacture parts in the UK still and engineering in the UK is certainly not in decline!
No not everything, hence my dad's company still makes a profit... Just nothing like before, neither can you charge the prices you used to be able to.
the things he makes the best money on are things that are completely custom, designed to fit something already existing and needed QUICK! He did some work for this company called modus, added plenty on and they were like 'triple that price... our company will pay it no probs lol'.
But, these days... most companies that want something mass produced ... like they're gonna do 100,000 units - will be cheaper to send designs to manufacturer in China or set up your own factory out there.
I know one company, essentially got my dad's company to design, and produce a prototype, they got a limited run of say 100-1000 units... then apparently took it to japan and just got it made loads cheaper with the prototype / limited run as the base for production.
Thing is, up north, it's cheaper of living / cheaper rent I'd imagine on premises... so it's more profitable I suppose. Down here your paying £1200 + for rent a month on a factory, plus staff wages (which are probably higher than up north) plus electricity etc... = lots of overheads. Also because so many other companies are on the edge of going under, your never guarenteed to get your money.
I remember one company asked for £40,000's worth of stuff... but they went under before they could settle the payment  loss of money.
At end of the day, I think it's gonna get worse. If the item can be produced and shipped back to the UK cheaper than the cost of making it in the uk, then companies will obviously do that... and now the infrastructure is set up in china to get this done, then more companies will take that approach.
Laser cutting is quite a good thing to get into (Though I doubt the operators would be paid much) - but can do good stuff with it.
imo - one of two things will happen in the future... either it'll continue in decline and our engineering will be out of the window
or - China's prices will go up thus making it not worth getting it produced over there, or China will hold the world at randsom only trading with countries that meet it's ransom lol :lol;
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Jamie
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Registered: 1st Apr 02
Location: Aberdeen
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 I missed that bit sorry
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ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by ed
quote:
Originally posted by ShEp
quote:
Originally posted by SRi_Si
Taping?
painting and taping,
taping is filling in where the plasterboard meets on new buildings, also refurbishment work can be done,
highly paid job
Define highly paid though.
i see what he gets
£1200 in a week
8.30am to 4.30pm
1pm on fridays
no weekends
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ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
User status: Offline
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i think standard operators are on £13 per hour up here,
fabricators £14
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Mad Moe
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Registered: 14th Jun 01
Location: Northumberland
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quote:
Originally posted by ShEp
quote:
Originally posted by ed
quote:
Originally posted by ShEp
quote:
Originally posted by SRi_Si
Taping?
painting and taping,
taping is filling in where the plasterboard meets on new buildings, also refurbishment work can be done,
highly paid job
Define highly paid though.
i see what he gets
£1200 in a week
8.30am to 4.30pm
1pm on fridays
no weekends
£1200/week for taping? Must be constant large commercial work as a Labour only contractor for that sort of coin
[Edited on 03-12-2007 by Mad Moe]
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ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
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it is yeah
lots of new schools getting built and the company he works for has the contract
he's paid by the meter
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