Career!!!

tapeworm · 26-02-2008, 05:12 PM

Gday people, after finding out Heavy Vehicle Mechanic Apprenticeships are rare as hens teeth down here in Victoria, I'm considering getting into Boilermaking or Fitting and Turning. I have come across two employers who would be keen to see me regarding these two jobs and am just looking for some advise as to which one is the better career path to go down. I'm leading slightly towards Fitting and Turning but the job is 45 minutes from home compared to the Boiler making/welding position which is 15 minutes away and with fuel costs it's a pretty big factor to consider.

Cheers
Cammo

Green X · 26-02-2008, 07:49 PM

I would be leaning towards the Fitting job my-self, try and track down a Apprenticeship as a Mechanical Fitter as if you were looking at heavy vehicle, Fitting work is doing simmiler sort of stuff but you just have more diversity in the arias you can work.

If you are prepared to do night school as well you can pick up heavy diesel and Mobil plaint units as well that can help you bridge into heavy Vehicle.

One of my mates who's a Mechanical Fitter moved from working on boat's to being a truck Mechanic and now workers as a Fitter and Operator up north on a ore train, switches between driving and maintenances.

JamesR · 26-02-2008, 07:54 PM

i just finished my apprenticeship as a fitter & turner.
but im more of a machinist/cnc machinist as that was what i was mostly trained as.
fitting >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>boile rmaking imo.

tapeworm · 26-02-2008, 08:06 PM

Cheers, yeah I've been looking at mechanical fitting too, but this field is thin on the ground around my corner of the world.

Fev · 26-02-2008, 09:48 PM

call up scania and see if they have any apprenticeships goin, my mate works at scania in west sydney and loves it(as much as you can love it anyways lol) he is in his 4th year, started right out of year 10. he gets paid really REALLY well (45k base)and also gets a trip once a year to melb or somthing on the company pay roll for a training week(they just get ****ed on the company tab all week :P)

Agent86 · 26-02-2008, 09:49 PM

Tapeworm.
Contact CMV, William Adams Cat, Cummins, MTU Detroit Diesel, Ad Trans, Patterson cheeny Trucks, Mack, Kenworth ETC and Push.. Not long ago there were ads on the radio for CMV looking for people in Heavy vehicle apprenticeships.

Alternativley, start walking to the people that repair heavy vehicles and talk ot the workshop manager. If you show some initiaitive, they might become interested. Otherwise goto tafe and talk to them.

tapeworm · 26-02-2008, 11:06 PM

Thanks fellas, some good ideas. I think my main drama is the bulk of the work is a massive hike from where I live (sorta in the sticks, lol). I was considering moving up north, but I would struggle to much with funds at this stage.
Aceofspades- I'll give some of those places a shot, cheers mate.

Anyone working as a boilermaker or fitter and turner? What do you think of the job?

drew`SEVNT5 · 26-02-2008, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tapeworm

Gday people, after finding out Heavy Vehicle Mechanic Apprenticeships are rare as hens teeth down here in Victoria, I'm considering getting into Boilermaking or Fitting and Turning. I have come across two employers who would be keen to see me regarding these two jobs and am just looking for some advise as to which one is the better career path to go down. I'm leading slightly towards Fitting and Turning but the job is 45 minutes from home compared to the Boiler making/welding position which is 15 minutes away and with fuel costs it's a pretty big factor to consider.

Cheers
Cammo

Have you tried CMV Volvo?

every 6 months they have a new intake of about 10-15 apprentices for clayton, dandenong and laverton....

tapeworm · 27-02-2008, 10:41 AM

Cheers guys, I spoke to some of you're suggested companies and have some interest from CMV -Volvo/Mack, William Adams and MTU Detroit Diesel. Sweeeeet!!!!, though either way, looks like it'll be a fair hike to work every day

:

Mental · 27-02-2008, 11:24 AM

Mate I drove an 1hr 45m to and from work for 8 years, don't let 1 simple thing like that make a decision on what career to take! Remember your making a LIFE for yourself, not how far you want to travel.

dallasv8 · 27-02-2008, 04:41 PM

im a boilermaker.i done my time out in Mt Isa and now live near Townsville.its a pretty good trade.in workshops its nice and cleanish but head out to mine sites and concentrators and places like that and it can get dirty.i spent most of my time at the mines doing fly in and out and things like that. most of the fly in places are 1 week on and 1 week off now so its not too bad.

moneys good and can be exceptional if you want to do the hours and hard yards.generally boilermakers and fitters work side by side on mine sites.

im now doing a cruisey 4 days on 4 days off operators job at a zinc refinery

(i drive an hour to work every day as well)
might dust the tool bag off again one day but who knows