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bassboy
10-28-2004, 06:18 AM
I am looking for some information and tips please. I am interested in going into marine mechanics and I'm not sure how to get my foot in the door. I am currently employed by a large corporation that you all would know of and after 16+ years I have been surplused (laid off). I have an impressive resume for a prospective employer but it is in the IT field. I have decided that I would like to try marine mechanics instead of fighting for a very few IT jobs available. I really enjoy working on boats and I've always been mechanical minded. I do have some experience working on outboards, thanks to a lot of you, but my resume does not show that. Is there anything that I can offer that would make me more attractive as a mechanic? I have several things available from my union that might help: tuition assistance, relocation money, tool funds, and etc. I have spoke with Mercury Marine and with Mercury University about certifications but you need to be a current employee as a mechanic. My wife and I plan to relocate to the lakes area of Missouri so I would think I can find something there. Thanks for your help as always and ask anything you want if it could help.

joey jamz
10-28-2004, 08:25 PM
i know d.s.a. publishing is looking for IT guys here on long island, and also Penn state university.

triple dude
12-15-2004, 03:57 PM
I wouldn't think you'd have a hard time getting another IT job?? in the Chicago area, there seems to be a constant demand. Check out the Chicago Tribune job listings on Sundays. If you're bound and determined to be a boat mechanic, I would think there are schools in the St. Louis area. There 's a school west of Chicago that teached MANY trades courses. Auto mechanics, airplane mechanics, etc. They might have boat mechanics also. Use to be called Davea but I think the name is changed. If you're on unemployment, ask those people. Make those beaurocrats earn their pay.

joey jamz
12-23-2004, 11:28 PM
d.s.a is owned by tribune

rock
12-24-2004, 11:28 AM
If you really like wrenching on your boat, don't screw it up by becoming a pro mechanic. I used to love woodworking as a hobby. Turned it into my profession ( 30 years self employed cabinet maker ) and I would rather eat worms than woodwork. Then I decided since I didn't like cabinet work I would hire a couple guys to do the woodworking and I would take up metal work. Now besides the cabinet shop we have a metal shop. I have 5 or 6 welding machines, 2 verticle mills, 60 ton brake press, shear, lathe, saws, etc. etc. The only time I like being in that room is when I'm porting on one of the mills. 25 years ago I was offered the opportunity to own half of a Mariner dealership and I declined. Best move ( poorest financially ) I ever made because I still love messing with boats since I work on the ones I want to and when I want to do it. A lot of jobs are fun unless you have to do them 5 days a week and more importantly most, if not all, have facets you just don't know about that aren't too attractive. I don't want to discourage you and I wish you the best of luck in whatever venture you choose. I still remember when woodworking was fun.
Rock

SUPAJAY
01-11-2005, 05:49 PM
MMI - Marine Mechanics Institute... if you really want to go into the field go onto the website. They always have advertizement on speedvision.

triple dude
01-11-2005, 05:53 PM
Sounds like you'd better never open a porno shop or liquor store. ;)

VectorPat
01-11-2005, 06:09 PM
I would talk with some of the mechs. in your area. You probably wont like the money for not having experience and even if you did get training the pay isnt great and chances are you wont be getting any benefits either. The training schools spit out alot of students and very few actually stay with it and for what it costs to go there I dont see it being worth the risk. Experienced Techs are at a premium everywhere. But where they are going to come from, who knows?? Thats just my opinion from I see at the dealers around here.

sosmerc
01-11-2005, 06:10 PM
Find a marine dealership that looks like the kind of facility you'd be happy to work for and offer to work a few weeks for free doing whatever kind of mechanical work they want. If after two weeks you and the shop decide to continue together, your starting wage should be retroactive to when you started. A good shop will reward you with training opportunities once you prove yourself. Insist that your wage increases whenever you complete any training programs. Be willing to pay 1/2 of your training expenses up front.
You will learn far more (and alot faster) in the field, than by attending schools that claim to prepare you for work in the industry. I'm not knocking the schools, but there is no substitute for hands on experience and being able to gain knowledge from more experienced co-workers. The marine industry is wide-open for new technicians. You won't get rich, but if you love the work that's worth alot more than just money.

10.5' Tunnel
01-11-2005, 09:23 PM
My 2 cents on this is from a perspective as a co-op student, and part time employee at an auto shop. There are two types of mechanics there, ones that love what they do, and ones that hate it. Right now we have one apprentice who works 4 days a week, and goes to school every Friday. He likes this because he always has cash coming in, and like sos said he gets more out of school because he gets a chance to immediatly use his newly developed skills. I'm one of those people Rock mentioned, I thought I would love to go into mechanics, so took the opportunity. Now, I have decided that MAYBE I'll do it for a bit, go to a community college, but I don't think I could ever do it forever. Also, you ain't gonna get rich, unless you open up your own successful shop. Also if you can get in somewhere like a Benz or BMW dealership you have it made, but usually you have to be a master mechanic (depending on your area). A lot of mechanics move around a lot, because of varies reasons (we've had like 3 mechanics leave for different reasons).

rock
01-12-2005, 02:27 PM
Bingo!!! If you love it, keep it as a hooby.
Rock

BUSHWACKER
01-22-2005, 01:14 AM
What ROCK said is true, BUT, I started with BMW in 2/79 ground floor of the beginning of what is now. There was only 2 of us, (16 Caddy mechs) in what became & still is the largest BMW dealer in Philly PA. In the hayday (late 80's) we were making $30,000 - $50,000+ working Flate Rate GONE Today you will start as an apprentice, a horse with a carrot in your face for Quite awhile & you will be on a first name bassis with the SNAP-ON man( throw your Craftsman tools in your boat, nevermind you wont be able to afford one) & you will give him money every week out of your small paycheck. And when you get older, 50-60's that shi* ain't fun no mo. on a 5-6 day aweek basis, yeah the people that have them will be out in their boats on Sat while you work on their cars. Go to a dealership & talk to the older mech's see what they tell you. IMHO :rolleyes:

Trippin
02-15-2005, 09:00 PM
My opinion in the matter is, stay in I.T.

I am an MMI Graduate, an accredited technician, coupled with a decent collection of specialty tools which just keeps growing out of necessity. Snap On ? I can't afford Snap-On stuff, I wish I could have a nice rolling box with every Snap-On tool I needed. Probably never happen.

So far I don't think I got my $20,000 worth of tuition expense at MMI. You have to have a serious aptitude for mechanical work to begin with, what a previous poster stated is true, most of the graduates from MMI and other schools like it never continue the trade. Good help is hard to find and it's even harder to find right out of a technical school, I know I graduated with a bunch of kids and clowns. I would say that out of a typical graduating lot of 50 students from MMI, 3 are really serious about the work, assume the risks of the job because they know them completely, and have the ultimate understanding that you will not make a decent living working for someone else. Which leaves us with the understanding that we must in order to succeed start out working for someone else and eventually start our own shop.

The work is fun, until you have to do the dirty work. It's not all working on or in clean engines or compartments, new boats or luxury yachts with walk around engine compartments.

Do yourself a favor and stay in I.T. it's where your were trained, it's where your strengths are. Remember, go with what you know, it may seem boring and trivial, but starting a new career like working on boats, would be like me going to I.T. school. Think about it, how much actual real world experience am I going to get from an I.T. training center, and how quickly can I advance in a corporate infrastructure like I.S.S. (Internet Security Systems) with no real documented evidence that I at least can kindof say I know what I'm doing ? The same applies to you in the Marine Industry.

There are no bad mascerators in the I.T. world.

Good Luck

150aintenuff
02-18-2005, 11:19 PM
having just gotten done fixing a string filled macerator..... and went to IT training(work got in way of school hours), and WYOtech(got booted because proved teacher incorrect)... i can tell ya if you got the training and papers to go with it in IT STAY in IT because even flunky IT employees get more money than most employed mechanics... average wage here is around 17.50-22.50 per hr for mechanic with own tools. where as most IT people make 60K+ a year... do your family a favor.. stay with your career and keep boats and mechanics as a hobby.. there are several older rundown boats just looking to be restored...

Rickracer
02-19-2005, 08:39 AM
The main reason I'm still in it is because I love it. If I had it to do over, I would still be turning wrenchs, but not on cars or boats. They don't pay enough to make a decent living for the average technician, benefits like heath insurance and retirement plans are hard to find. Yes, there are places a good tech can make 50 ~ 70Gs a year, but good techs will also spend upwards of 5 Gs a year for tools. I spend an average of $150 each week to maintain my tools and equipment. I have the equivalent of a fairly nice house tied up in tools and equipment. Aircraft technicians have a better chance of making a good living, along with insurance, retirement benefits and all that. If you really want to make money in the automotive field, go to business school, and then hire a good technician when you start your business. :cool:

Trippin
02-19-2005, 05:02 PM
If you really want to make money in the automotive field, go to business school, and then hire a good technician when you start your business. :cool:

I concur with Rickracer.

Maureen M
02-25-2005, 11:00 PM
Maybe continue to work in IT, but for a (large) marine-related company :confused:



Maureen

150aintenuff
02-25-2005, 11:19 PM
Maybe continue to work in IT, but for a (large) marine-related company



there is your answer... IT for boats... and then as a hobby you could train all the old timers how to run and operate all the fancy new graphs, GPS's, radars and ECT that come in new boats....

Merc-Cruiser
02-28-2005, 09:59 AM
Educate yourself, open up your own repair shop, hire the mechanics that make you more money than you could ever make by yourself. Merc-cruiser :)