I think this is part of my problem. I don't even have benefits for myself unless working on cool shit counts as a benefit.
On another thread someone was looking for a guy to do all kinds of machine work with a lot of experience. He listed off the pay and several people including myself felt he was off the mark for what he was expecting. I left the auto/cycle trades back in the late 80s to get health and retirement. If you can fix something you can fix anything is the way I’ve always looked at it. That’s if your a good wrench of course. So I went into a trade that had the benefits I needed. Here we are 30 years later and your wanting someone really good and no bennies. It doesn’t seem realistic.
Especially in today’s crazy high cost of healthcare world. min blown away by guys paying 3000+ for their monthly benefit costs and still have out of pockets costs before insurance kicks in.
All depends on how much the half is ! Insurance and benefits is easy , just add hundreds of dollars a week/month , whatever it takes to retain the good ones . This must be taking into consideration at the beginning so employers don’t loose their shirt .
This idea that people don't want to work labor jobs is a convenient distraction from reality. The industry has been shitting on techs for as long as I can remember. Auto and MC. The pay has been below average for years. The only way you were gonna get a raise is to go from shop to shop. Traveling gypsy. Shit working conditions. Paying for thousands $$$$ of your own tools with said shit salary. No respect. Garbage benefits. No room to advance. A lot of these shops took advantage of the younger guys wanting to be in the industry and ran off the ones that were passionate about it. And now people are wondering why there is a lack of qualified applicants. And complain the ones that are qualified want too much money. The chickens have come home to roost. This country has spent decades putting down the blue collar worker and now it wonders why people don't want to be blue collar workers. Weird shit huh...
Health insurance costs are a huge issue for smaller shops that aren't making that much. I keep getting emails from recruiters about machinist positions since those skills are on my linkedin and resumes. I've only gotten 1/30 that was offering more than $20/hr for a true machinist (manual, setup, programming, ect.) The rest start between $12-$15/hr and offered up to $18. Maybe you get a parts changer for that who will show up and not screw up, but that's it. And I absolutely hate when they add that "with mandatory overtime, actual salary is ....".
Outstanding post. Motorcycle dealers especially enjoyed the steady supply of young men who would happily start out sweeping the floors for free if it got them a chance to get on there. Their love for motorcycles is what drew them in, and what would keep them there long after they figured out that the shop owner couldn't care less about them beyond the profit that could be extracted from their labor. Around here, and I'm sure it's universal, the best techs went out on their own. They finally realized that the dealership needed them more than they needed the dealership.
I wish I knew more, I’m considering leaving my County job for the motorcycling industry. I’ve started to get into the industry by taking my own stuff apart more and more (I’ve built cars for years just never motorcycles) and I love it. Since the last few years of doing my own stuff I’ve gotten the opportunity to work with a MA rider, at a local shop, and rebuilding bikes, but it’s really hard to give up my county job with great benefits. The pay would have to outweigh the bennies and I know I’m not worth the risk yet to private business owners. As a manager I’ve learned that school only gets people a piece of paper, if the mindset isn’t their they’re worth shit, but their a certified piece of shit cause of that paper. I’ve hired and fired for years certified poop and my best employees are those who have the right head on their shoulders, but are a risk to hire due to lack of experience.
I grew up a gear head. Didn’t have a dad so it was up to me to dive in and screw shit up. Learned a lot reading and tearing stuff apart. This was long before the endless information internet highway. First ten years out of high school I worked in the car/ motorcycle industry and what I had loved turned to something I could hardly look at. Even my personal projects were like a bad day at work. And that’s due to Exactly what 418 posted. What he said is so spot on I would’ve liked it ten times if possible. My recommendation is keep it a side job. Keep your great county job with bennies and hold on to the love you have for the motor sports. It took me ten years to get over the industry and turn a wrench on my personal projects.
I joined the local steamfitters union 30 years ago. I bartended for a year between careers while I checked out pros and cons of the local electrician, elevator and steamfitters. Ten years in I started a small company and it’s been so much better as a career. You already have your own shop and your super busy so it’s probably just tweaking the numbers to make it work.
It fixes the motorcycles that come in or else it gets the hose again. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
This! As well as many other jobs out there but this post hits it out of the park, through a car’s windshield deploying an airbag.