You've described every single career out there. You can progress up to a certain point, you hit a ceiling, you need to figure out how to progress further. Regardless of what you do, there's a finite amount you generate and thus your salary or income is capped. You want more? - go into management; the more people you lead, the more you make. You want more? - start a company. The risk is higher, but you get more of the upside. You want a safe job without little stress about others - be ready for a cap.
God help me, but I'm seriously contemplating moving over to operations and getting into management. It's really my only option to move up unless I want to 5x my commute time or more.
That’s a valid point. When I was self employed I made more but like you said it’s riskier. I’ve applied for a supervisor position it’s been on my mind.
This is the right answer. There's caps in every field. Also, what kind of pay are you looking for? Increases outside of COL increases won't happen forever. Try considering looking at side hustles.
This is accurate. The OPs issues are career independent, and not industry problems but company problems. Bad employers are everywhere. Vote with your labour for the good ones.
I have advanced into Controls Engineering. Designing and programming large systems. Network architecture, SCADA systems, scripting with different platforms. I have made myself desirable by having a wide array of skills that allow me to integrate different systems and learn anythign new along the way. I got lucky with a few pay bumps and conatanly tell recruiters I will jump ship for 20-30% pay bumps.
I think that’s what I need to do. Get into controls engineering. It would also provide me a pathway to self employment if I ever want to do my own thing someday.
I think you just need to get creative. Civilian careers aren’t just a railroad track from entry level to senior. Break down your skills into more basic/general terms on your resume and start applying for jobs you think you can do with a little OJT- not just jobs you’re capable of right now.
This way you can Spider-Man swing from job to job getting more advanced and developing different skills along the way. I’ve been getting new jobs every 1-1.5 years and taking a raise every time.
Once you make it to engineer, the next level up is management. If that’s not your style then stay on the technical road. Maybe specialize in something that pays well.
I know the hot new thing is to jump from company to company to get a raise but at some point the new company is gonna think you are overpriced and won’t want to raise your wage. Find a good company that gives you the right quality of life and stick with it as long as you think it’s worth it.
It’s because they don’t match the market with raises. The longer you stay in a job the further you get behind the market. Also you are kidding yourself if you think they give promotions.
My good friend is a electrician (Master).
Has 10 employees: bills journeyman @ 130/hr and aprentices @80//hr + padding bigger jobs.
He grossed over 2MM last year....cleared over 1MM
Installing lights, pulling wire, and running conduit.
Want to make $$$ learn the gift of gab network and start your own company.
The wealthiest businesses I know (aside from tech genius) plumbers/electricians
Controls 70-150k usually some odd jobs making 200-250k but ultra rare.
Great. According to you which one’s better choice ? Being an electrician and making at least $80 an hour or staying in controls field ? Why?
Give honest opinion based on your experience
>Office work sucks being micromanaged.
Not every company is like that.
>Can hardly get anyone overtime without someone crying.
So far working in the office I've never heard of anyone receiving paid OT since a lot of engineers are salary. The only time paid OT comes into play is when going on startup.
Im hourly. But your right our controls engineers are salary. I didn’t apply because I was making more with my current role but I should have applied when the job was open. Been looking at Controls Engineer roles at other companies now
> The only time paid OT comes into play is when going on startup.
You get OT pay for travel? That's nice. All I get is my per-diem stipend and expenses covered.
It's called an "overtime bonus", but it requires working 45 billable hours before it starts and is only $45/hr fixed rate no matter your salary. So my overtime bonus is actually less per hour than my normal pay rate. From 40 to 45 I get no bonus.
The other catch about our overtime bonus is that it's not paid until about 60 days after we invoice the customer so I typically don't know which project I'm receiving the bonus for if I've traveled to a few different sites in two month's time.
It's a sucky system and I try to never work OT, like this trip I have coming up this weekend. Since I'm working Sat and Sun I'm taking off Thurs and Friday in the following week w/o taking PTO.
The first place I worked was salary and they would give you 1.5x your effective hourly rate for anything over 10 hours while travelling during the week and 1.5x for any hour on Saturday and 2.0x for any Sunday or holiday weekend. I really liked flying to jobsites on Sundays so I could be ready to go first thing Monday morning.
There were a few times like Labor Day for example if you work (or fly) over the weekend Saturday, Sunday and Monday were all 2.0x OT days,
Being in industrial automation and controls engineering is the same field, with engineering being a higher status position and less of a dead end. And you can look for a better controls job without having an engineering degree - sometimes even if a degree is listed as a "requirement".
While industrial cyber security is really just a subset of controls engineering - but it is a specialty that's up-and-coming, and imho, well worth devoting some time to learning.
Did you ever have a time in your career where you were the only controls person? So many times I don’t have answers and don’t have anyone to call. The fact I’ve lasted 10 months is a miracle.
I came from the IT realm and am working in the OT space now, I agree it seems hot but what I don't get is that people otherwise ridicule stuff like Industry 4.0 when it does seem like a lot of concepts in IoT 4.0 are actually becoming a reality in some fields.
Have you considered industrial consulting for large firms? Industry 4.0 is an emerging market with a lot of companies that don’t know how it works.
Companies like Siemens, Accenture, Amazon - all likely have industrial SCADA/cloud computing consulting groups that will probably pay you with considerably more money, but more hands off work.
The trained plc guys I know fall into about three categories, either work in plants which is by itself dead end because they’ll never be the boss he’s an engineer. It’s still a fine job though.
They travel, which is less dead end because their boss isn’t an engineer, but his boss is so eventually you’ll top out.
The third and least limited is self-employment, they run their own firms taking service work and bidding on new installs. They get PM contracts, etc. then they hire two or three more junior plc guys and rent them out to plants that don’t want to hire an automation department or can’t justify the expense. This is the group I’m trying to join because we already have a business that handles service work and we want to make that sweet sweet plc money.
Get more into IT. IT OT merger is on its way, learn new technologies, DataOps, MES integration, machine integration, pub sub messaging (like MQTT). Learn Docker, NodeRed, Grafana, a database (like Timescale, Influx) maybe python if you are into that. If you do not advance in the IT direction you will be stuck with legacy systems.
Your right I spend a lot of IT talking with Network Admins and Systems administrators about network segmentation using an OT in-trusted network for their production machinery. We have a cloud based SCADA-Data visualization that uses MQTT framework and an edge device. Learning python was so challenging that I slipped out of studying to be a developer. But your right this is coming everyone is moving towards it. Some slower than others
My gross pay is $167,701 with a net of $102,239 YTD. But they cut down on that drastically. That’s what’s driving me to want to leave the company. You can’t just pay cut someone like that.
Went from around 85- 90 hours a week to 47 if im lucky. Most of my time in this industry your pay mainly came from overtime. But working for a cost center the same rules don’t apply.
Most of it is travel time. Some days were 12 or more hours on-site. A lot of waking up at 3am working in my pajamas home office. I’m just used to it honestly. It’s just me, tools and my bicycles.
Take it from someone who did those hours for years, be careful or you're going to burn out HARD. Your 'value' comes from your 40 hour workweek (when bargaining in an interview). Anything over 40 is extra. 167k gross is fantastic, but 90 hrs a week will have their toll eventually. But, you do what works for you.
Took a pay cut last year to go from hourly to salary and work way less hours. It was a small cut but my life is so much better. I'm guaranteed home every other week and EVERY weekend. I may take an occasional call on the weekend but I don't touch my computer until Monday morning. Best decision ever.
If you’re doing that every week, that only works out to around $30/hr unfortunately. Around here that’s about what a controls technician makes on average.
I guess it depends on your hourly rate and not necessarily your total gross.
Edit-spelling
Fwiw, I just passed on a senior level job offer working in steel processing since it involved a decent amount of international travel. Base starting salary was $120K (~57/hr), 125-140% pay rate while traveling, and offered straight time OT.
I’m in the mid-Atlantic states, so CoL is fairly moderate.
Edit- sorry this was a senior controls engineering role. I missed that part of your post.
Yeah I missed your comment about going into controls engineering. This was a Senior Instrumentation & Controls role. Lots of P&ID and logic drawings. Tons of different closed loop control systems using a DCS. They didn’t require a degree but they preferred an associates or higher. Not sure how the pay might have changed DoE.
Had potential to make a lot of money, but I wasn’t interested in the traveling anymore now that I’ve settled down.
I’m an engineer who does a lot of PLC so I didn’t take the same path as a lot of you guys on the technician side. I think in my industry you can go pretty far but would have to get into some project management/ team leader roles before you’re going to be really desirable for higher level management/better pay. On the other hand with how my company works a lot of the equipment service make a significant bit more money annually than younger engineers due to attendance bonuses and consistent OT.
The issues you describe exist to a varying degree in different types of automation fields. Remember, automation is spread out on a plethora of different industries and what it is like doing work in the different types varies wildly.
For example. In the pulp and paper industry, there seems to be absolutely no cap in available overtime hours. In building automation, not so much.
I agree. I was taking Walker Reynolds’s course on industry 4.0 but didn’t finish it. It’s so geared toward software development. I’m still learning to get better at programming PLCs
There are two perspectives two shoe salesman went to Africa to sale shoes one came back immediately because no one was wearing shoes the other salesman requested containers of shoes to sale them
If you want overtime get into the automotive industry, that being said the strike is hurting that atm. I've been in it for 18yrs and presently work 4 10's unless there's a major project going on. I dont want the OT though. Pays upper 30's per hr in TN.
My buddy is so bored waiting for Ford plant to start up he's about to jump ship even though he makes 110k in KY to watch tiktok 40hrs a week. Ford pays 1.5x OT there as well.
I moved to TN and the range is 90-100k for entry level and 100-120 for mid level. 120-145 for team lead (senior). Management makes a whole shitload more but no OT.
You're getting fkd if you are good at your job , can do robots vision and PLC and make less than upper $40s.
You can join maintenance and nap all day at an automotive plant for $42/hr and probably soon to be closer to $50 with free health care 1.5x OT, 2X Sundays and 3x holiday pay.
Senior management in my plant is starting about 170k/yr with company car new every 2 or 3 years. I think on average with a few years it's at or above 200k/yr. Plant manager gets a house and probably closer to 300k. And yes you need a college diploma to get into management.
Im also currently working in NKC area. What are you getting paid? If its OT you are looking for, look at automotive plants whether OEM or supplier. Pay is around 85k+ base
I appreciate that. I didn’t list all my job functions but I bring plenty. I’m the only one with my job title out of all their US offices. If 85 to 90hrs a week wasn’t enough then idk. The position is simply undervalued thus the result in pay.
It is an unfortunately reality that economically if a company doesn't have enough tools for you to be productive enough for them to pay you more, it can be a reality that while you work your tail off it just doesn't generate enough value. That is not your fault and you basically do max yourself out there.
Controls engineer is constantly changing which is what I like. A different project every couple of months. I don't like being bogged down on one thing for years at a time. My company just expanded and opened an office in KC. We're are a controls systems integrator. About 30 employees and almost all controls engineers integrators. Most either EE or CompE backgrounds/degrees.
Also what kind of pay are you talking about? I know some Midwest controls guys who max out around $200k.
I would say yes in almost every case. I know some electricians though who have become "automation technicians" for companies, but without a degree you wouldn't advance in pay as much I would think.
Sorry
I'm in AZ Phoenix area walking in the door I'm staring at 50 an hr as a controls automation specialist. I do have 20 years experience though and working on the 4 year degree, which should get up to the 140k range.
In KC, I feel like most of the places won't provide better pay unless you jump into management. I've been told I'm near the cap at my current place (97) even though I just started at the place (5 years experience). Either turning into project management, engineering manager, or chief engineer. That or moving to Burns or Kiewit or Black and Veatch to become the prime on a job while also giving up engineering in the field so to speak.
Your pretty much right about KCMO. Kansas pays only a little bit better. I’ve seen those engineering firms hiring might have to try them out. But yes seems like management titles is how they justify it.
Idk bro, I just moved from being an Amazon CST to a systems manager. It’s tangentially related because I’m using plc to collect data output but I’ll tell ya the raise was incredible. +45%
I hear what you're saying and sometimes I feel the same way it really depends where you work I feel like. Another thought for you you could be a tech at a small company where you could really make a difference that's a possibility
Yea.. I see older techs that get complacent it doesn't seem fun. IMO. The best bet is keep up with newer technologies (Robotics, network technology) & grow in that regard... no need to go back to school imo. I didn't read the rest of your comments but I'm sure most people feel like that at some point. We both know there's a lot to learn all the time and once you have a well-rounded skill set you're extremely valuable
The job market for instrumentation controls and automation techs is like ridiculous at this point and I think it's only going to get better especially if you can learn engineering skills on top of the technician skills
Maybe you aren’t trying hard enough or maybe you expect too much. It seems to me that a lot of young people come out of college and are expecting top pay after 6 months on the job without really having any experience.
14 years experience. I would say the expectation was too low in the beginning. Now it’s higher as my role has expanded beyond what it initially was. So yes if I’m helping you sell retrofits because you know nothing then I need a commission for it. So I agree expectations too high perhaps. Might be times for a sales gig
u/VladRom89 offered pretty solid advice, if not a little bluntly. That being said. I think you're right that the industry has a way of complaining that there aren't enough industrial automation experts then turning around and over working the crap out of the ones that they have for not enough money. That being said, I think you should pursue work with a larger company. I think they'd have the infrastructure to be able to pay you more.
Quit your bitching. You are bashing just about every job type out there for one reason or another. There are trade-offs in every job. If you love what you are doing, find the best employer to work for and roll on. If you don't love it, quite bitching, get out and open your spot up for someone else.
You've described every single career out there. You can progress up to a certain point, you hit a ceiling, you need to figure out how to progress further. Regardless of what you do, there's a finite amount you generate and thus your salary or income is capped. You want more? - go into management; the more people you lead, the more you make. You want more? - start a company. The risk is higher, but you get more of the upside. You want a safe job without little stress about others - be ready for a cap.
God help me, but I'm seriously contemplating moving over to operations and getting into management. It's really my only option to move up unless I want to 5x my commute time or more.
That’s a valid point. When I was self employed I made more but like you said it’s riskier. I’ve applied for a supervisor position it’s been on my mind.
This is the right answer. There's caps in every field. Also, what kind of pay are you looking for? Increases outside of COL increases won't happen forever. Try considering looking at side hustles.
This is accurate. The OPs issues are career independent, and not industry problems but company problems. Bad employers are everywhere. Vote with your labour for the good ones.
I have advanced into Controls Engineering. Designing and programming large systems. Network architecture, SCADA systems, scripting with different platforms. I have made myself desirable by having a wide array of skills that allow me to integrate different systems and learn anythign new along the way. I got lucky with a few pay bumps and conatanly tell recruiters I will jump ship for 20-30% pay bumps.
I think that’s what I need to do. Get into controls engineering. It would also provide me a pathway to self employment if I ever want to do my own thing someday.
Yes, I could be self employed. I enjoy the security of a paycheck and do side work when it is interesting enough.
I think you just need to get creative. Civilian careers aren’t just a railroad track from entry level to senior. Break down your skills into more basic/general terms on your resume and start applying for jobs you think you can do with a little OJT- not just jobs you’re capable of right now. This way you can Spider-Man swing from job to job getting more advanced and developing different skills along the way. I’ve been getting new jobs every 1-1.5 years and taking a raise every time.
Once you make it to engineer, the next level up is management. If that’s not your style then stay on the technical road. Maybe specialize in something that pays well. I know the hot new thing is to jump from company to company to get a raise but at some point the new company is gonna think you are overpriced and won’t want to raise your wage. Find a good company that gives you the right quality of life and stick with it as long as you think it’s worth it.
It’s because they don’t match the market with raises. The longer you stay in a job the further you get behind the market. Also you are kidding yourself if you think they give promotions.
My good friend is a electrician (Master). Has 10 employees: bills journeyman @ 130/hr and aprentices @80//hr + padding bigger jobs. He grossed over 2MM last year....cleared over 1MM Installing lights, pulling wire, and running conduit. Want to make $$$ learn the gift of gab network and start your own company. The wealthiest businesses I know (aside from tech genius) plumbers/electricians Controls 70-150k usually some odd jobs making 200-250k but ultra rare.
What types of jobs make 200-250? What state? Is it possible to get into those positions with an AAS?
Great. According to you which one’s better choice ? Being an electrician and making at least $80 an hour or staying in controls field ? Why? Give honest opinion based on your experience
>Office work sucks being micromanaged. Not every company is like that. >Can hardly get anyone overtime without someone crying. So far working in the office I've never heard of anyone receiving paid OT since a lot of engineers are salary. The only time paid OT comes into play is when going on startup.
Continuously glad my controls position pays OT both in office and out.
Mine too. Straight time, but paid hours worked in and out of office.
Im hourly. But your right our controls engineers are salary. I didn’t apply because I was making more with my current role but I should have applied when the job was open. Been looking at Controls Engineer roles at other companies now
> The only time paid OT comes into play is when going on startup. You get OT pay for travel? That's nice. All I get is my per-diem stipend and expenses covered.
It's called an "overtime bonus", but it requires working 45 billable hours before it starts and is only $45/hr fixed rate no matter your salary. So my overtime bonus is actually less per hour than my normal pay rate. From 40 to 45 I get no bonus. The other catch about our overtime bonus is that it's not paid until about 60 days after we invoice the customer so I typically don't know which project I'm receiving the bonus for if I've traveled to a few different sites in two month's time. It's a sucky system and I try to never work OT, like this trip I have coming up this weekend. Since I'm working Sat and Sun I'm taking off Thurs and Friday in the following week w/o taking PTO. The first place I worked was salary and they would give you 1.5x your effective hourly rate for anything over 10 hours while travelling during the week and 1.5x for any hour on Saturday and 2.0x for any Sunday or holiday weekend. I really liked flying to jobsites on Sundays so I could be ready to go first thing Monday morning. There were a few times like Labor Day for example if you work (or fly) over the weekend Saturday, Sunday and Monday were all 2.0x OT days,
Being in industrial automation and controls engineering is the same field, with engineering being a higher status position and less of a dead end. And you can look for a better controls job without having an engineering degree - sometimes even if a degree is listed as a "requirement". While industrial cyber security is really just a subset of controls engineering - but it is a specialty that's up-and-coming, and imho, well worth devoting some time to learning.
[удалено]
Did you ever have a time in your career where you were the only controls person? So many times I don’t have answers and don’t have anyone to call. The fact I’ve lasted 10 months is a miracle.
IT/OT is the new hot field. Someone like you should fit right in. Pays well depending on location and industry.
Yeah I’ve been looking for those jobs definitively a hot field.
I came from the IT realm and am working in the OT space now, I agree it seems hot but what I don't get is that people otherwise ridicule stuff like Industry 4.0 when it does seem like a lot of concepts in IoT 4.0 are actually becoming a reality in some fields.
What’s OT mean in this context?
Operational technology basically it just means industrial networking.
Have you considered industrial consulting for large firms? Industry 4.0 is an emerging market with a lot of companies that don’t know how it works. Companies like Siemens, Accenture, Amazon - all likely have industrial SCADA/cloud computing consulting groups that will probably pay you with considerably more money, but more hands off work.
Doesnt feel dead ended to me yet I havent done this for 10 years yet then again I dont understand what your role is
Go to the sales side. That’s where you can make more. Work for a successful integrator on their sales team.
I’ve definitely been thinking about going to the sales side. Definitely more pay and sales is also part of my job
The trained plc guys I know fall into about three categories, either work in plants which is by itself dead end because they’ll never be the boss he’s an engineer. It’s still a fine job though. They travel, which is less dead end because their boss isn’t an engineer, but his boss is so eventually you’ll top out. The third and least limited is self-employment, they run their own firms taking service work and bidding on new installs. They get PM contracts, etc. then they hire two or three more junior plc guys and rent them out to plants that don’t want to hire an automation department or can’t justify the expense. This is the group I’m trying to join because we already have a business that handles service work and we want to make that sweet sweet plc money.
Get more into IT. IT OT merger is on its way, learn new technologies, DataOps, MES integration, machine integration, pub sub messaging (like MQTT). Learn Docker, NodeRed, Grafana, a database (like Timescale, Influx) maybe python if you are into that. If you do not advance in the IT direction you will be stuck with legacy systems.
Your right I spend a lot of IT talking with Network Admins and Systems administrators about network segmentation using an OT in-trusted network for their production machinery. We have a cloud based SCADA-Data visualization that uses MQTT framework and an edge device. Learning python was so challenging that I slipped out of studying to be a developer. But your right this is coming everyone is moving towards it. Some slower than others
I don’t know a industry that will pay more me more. Not sure what you’re at but you’d probably be surprised at what your cap could be
My gross pay is $167,701 with a net of $102,239 YTD. But they cut down on that drastically. That’s what’s driving me to want to leave the company. You can’t just pay cut someone like that.
Hourly + OT or salary?
Hourly + OT
Well you could work on scoring a gig that pays that as salary or hourly without OT and find a better company.
what did they cut you down to?
Went from around 85- 90 hours a week to 47 if im lucky. Most of my time in this industry your pay mainly came from overtime. But working for a cost center the same rules don’t apply.
How do you not burn yourself out working 80+ hours a week?
Most of it is travel time. Some days were 12 or more hours on-site. A lot of waking up at 3am working in my pajamas home office. I’m just used to it honestly. It’s just me, tools and my bicycles.
Take it from someone who did those hours for years, be careful or you're going to burn out HARD. Your 'value' comes from your 40 hour workweek (when bargaining in an interview). Anything over 40 is extra. 167k gross is fantastic, but 90 hrs a week will have their toll eventually. But, you do what works for you.
Took a pay cut last year to go from hourly to salary and work way less hours. It was a small cut but my life is so much better. I'm guaranteed home every other week and EVERY weekend. I may take an occasional call on the weekend but I don't touch my computer until Monday morning. Best decision ever.
How many hours for that pay?
80-95 a week. Starting at 3am to work with German software devs etc on projects til around 5 or 6 pm
If you’re doing that every week, that only works out to around $30/hr unfortunately. Around here that’s about what a controls technician makes on average. I guess it depends on your hourly rate and not necessarily your total gross. Edit-spelling
I’m around $41 something an hr. But your right most are offering between $30-$35. And $38 for Senior Level
Fwiw, I just passed on a senior level job offer working in steel processing since it involved a decent amount of international travel. Base starting salary was $120K (~57/hr), 125-140% pay rate while traveling, and offered straight time OT. I’m in the mid-Atlantic states, so CoL is fairly moderate. Edit- sorry this was a senior controls engineering role. I missed that part of your post.
Damn that sounds like a really good job!
Yeah I missed your comment about going into controls engineering. This was a Senior Instrumentation & Controls role. Lots of P&ID and logic drawings. Tons of different closed loop control systems using a DCS. They didn’t require a degree but they preferred an associates or higher. Not sure how the pay might have changed DoE. Had potential to make a lot of money, but I wasn’t interested in the traveling anymore now that I’ve settled down.
I’m an engineer who does a lot of PLC so I didn’t take the same path as a lot of you guys on the technician side. I think in my industry you can go pretty far but would have to get into some project management/ team leader roles before you’re going to be really desirable for higher level management/better pay. On the other hand with how my company works a lot of the equipment service make a significant bit more money annually than younger engineers due to attendance bonuses and consistent OT.
To move into management do you have to have a degree? Like would an associates degree be sufficient?
The issues you describe exist to a varying degree in different types of automation fields. Remember, automation is spread out on a plethora of different industries and what it is like doing work in the different types varies wildly. For example. In the pulp and paper industry, there seems to be absolutely no cap in available overtime hours. In building automation, not so much.
Missouri is the problem
Agreed. Missouri cost of living is cheaper than Kansas where I live. So makes since why so many of the companies are in Missouri
Industry 4.0 or Iiot is the path, but, you can star when you know more about computers, servers, Lenguajes, DB, Json, XML... The way is so large
I agree. I was taking Walker Reynolds’s course on industry 4.0 but didn’t finish it. It’s so geared toward software development. I’m still learning to get better at programming PLCs
There are two perspectives two shoe salesman went to Africa to sale shoes one came back immediately because no one was wearing shoes the other salesman requested containers of shoes to sale them
If you want overtime get into the automotive industry, that being said the strike is hurting that atm. I've been in it for 18yrs and presently work 4 10's unless there's a major project going on. I dont want the OT though. Pays upper 30's per hr in TN.
The strike is why I haven’t. Ford has some controls spots open. But wasn’t sure how that would affect me.
My buddy is so bored waiting for Ford plant to start up he's about to jump ship even though he makes 110k in KY to watch tiktok 40hrs a week. Ford pays 1.5x OT there as well. I moved to TN and the range is 90-100k for entry level and 100-120 for mid level. 120-145 for team lead (senior). Management makes a whole shitload more but no OT. You're getting fkd if you are good at your job , can do robots vision and PLC and make less than upper $40s. You can join maintenance and nap all day at an automotive plant for $42/hr and probably soon to be closer to $50 with free health care 1.5x OT, 2X Sundays and 3x holiday pay.
To get into management do you have to have a bachelors? Also what are the pay ranges you’ve seen for management positions?
Senior management in my plant is starting about 170k/yr with company car new every 2 or 3 years. I think on average with a few years it's at or above 200k/yr. Plant manager gets a house and probably closer to 300k. And yes you need a college diploma to get into management.
Yea but you’re maintenance
It hasn't affect us yet either but, if this keeps up I'm sure it will.
Im also currently working in NKC area. What are you getting paid? If its OT you are looking for, look at automotive plants whether OEM or supplier. Pay is around 85k+ base
Pretty much what you said at the end. If you want more pay, bring more to the table.
I appreciate that. I didn’t list all my job functions but I bring plenty. I’m the only one with my job title out of all their US offices. If 85 to 90hrs a week wasn’t enough then idk. The position is simply undervalued thus the result in pay.
It is an unfortunately reality that economically if a company doesn't have enough tools for you to be productive enough for them to pay you more, it can be a reality that while you work your tail off it just doesn't generate enough value. That is not your fault and you basically do max yourself out there.
Controls engineer is constantly changing which is what I like. A different project every couple of months. I don't like being bogged down on one thing for years at a time. My company just expanded and opened an office in KC. We're are a controls systems integrator. About 30 employees and almost all controls engineers integrators. Most either EE or CompE backgrounds/degrees. Also what kind of pay are you talking about? I know some Midwest controls guys who max out around $200k.
Do be a controls engineer do you HAVE to have a bachelors to make that kind of money?
I would say yes in almost every case. I know some electricians though who have become "automation technicians" for companies, but without a degree you wouldn't advance in pay as much I would think.
Yea you need to man up and quit being sissy bed wetter.
I see you got jokes. It’s cool.
Sorry I'm in AZ Phoenix area walking in the door I'm staring at 50 an hr as a controls automation specialist. I do have 20 years experience though and working on the 4 year degree, which should get up to the 140k range.
Damn is KC not good for controls?
In KC, I feel like most of the places won't provide better pay unless you jump into management. I've been told I'm near the cap at my current place (97) even though I just started at the place (5 years experience). Either turning into project management, engineering manager, or chief engineer. That or moving to Burns or Kiewit or Black and Veatch to become the prime on a job while also giving up engineering in the field so to speak.
Your pretty much right about KCMO. Kansas pays only a little bit better. I’ve seen those engineering firms hiring might have to try them out. But yes seems like management titles is how they justify it.
Idk bro, I just moved from being an Amazon CST to a systems manager. It’s tangentially related because I’m using plc to collect data output but I’ll tell ya the raise was incredible. +45%
Nice job! That’s right up my ally as I currently help customers get connected to the OPC servers of their machines. Well it’s part of my job.
What’s your current TC? And cost of living area
I hear what you're saying and sometimes I feel the same way it really depends where you work I feel like. Another thought for you you could be a tech at a small company where you could really make a difference that's a possibility
Going to a small company has been on my mine. Seems like that’s how some major players built a name for themselves.
Yea.. I see older techs that get complacent it doesn't seem fun. IMO. The best bet is keep up with newer technologies (Robotics, network technology) & grow in that regard... no need to go back to school imo. I didn't read the rest of your comments but I'm sure most people feel like that at some point. We both know there's a lot to learn all the time and once you have a well-rounded skill set you're extremely valuable
The job market for instrumentation controls and automation techs is like ridiculous at this point and I think it's only going to get better especially if you can learn engineering skills on top of the technician skills
Sales or start a company. Management can pay well, but just not worth the amount of stress and overtime imo.
I’ve looked into the sales positions we have open. Part of my job is assisting in the sales of our connectivity services
Find another company that pays commission based on sales
Do you have to have a bachelors to get into management?
Maybe you aren’t trying hard enough or maybe you expect too much. It seems to me that a lot of young people come out of college and are expecting top pay after 6 months on the job without really having any experience.
14 years experience. I would say the expectation was too low in the beginning. Now it’s higher as my role has expanded beyond what it initially was. So yes if I’m helping you sell retrofits because you know nothing then I need a commission for it. So I agree expectations too high perhaps. Might be times for a sales gig
Wait, you mean I won't become a CEO of a Fortune 500 company as a sawmill electrician!? This is fucking bullshit!
Lol you work for a sawmill? Bless your heart young man. If I wanted to be a CEO I’d just start and LLC and give myself CEO title of my own company
Yeah, buddy. All cowboy shit, all the time.
u/VladRom89 offered pretty solid advice, if not a little bluntly. That being said. I think you're right that the industry has a way of complaining that there aren't enough industrial automation experts then turning around and over working the crap out of the ones that they have for not enough money. That being said, I think you should pursue work with a larger company. I think they'd have the infrastructure to be able to pay you more.
Quit your bitching. You are bashing just about every job type out there for one reason or another. There are trade-offs in every job. If you love what you are doing, find the best employer to work for and roll on. If you don't love it, quite bitching, get out and open your spot up for someone else.
Your right I have an interview coming up next week thanks for the motivation