[StarCatcher]

CHECK THIS OUT...

This is one of those jobs that defies a job description - so here's the deal: The company is a heavy-thermoforming plastics company located near Worcester, MA. They've been in business for a long time and are hugely successful. They are a job shop and currently have the opportunity to take on a long term project which involves a large book of business. However, they need skilled CNC machinists OR a CNC machinist/programmer with supervisory experience for their 2nd shift OR a journeyman moldmaker who has CNC experience. MasterCAM knowledge is critical to the success of these positions.

They treat their employees exceedingly well, including starting medical benefits on day one (how many companies do that anymore?)!! We have placed 3 people with them over the years and they are all still there and have nothing but good things to say about the company; management & the work environment. (group)

Their plant is new (they just moved into the new facility last year) and they have state of the art equipment.

SO - if you're looking for an opportunity to work for a great company that encourages growth from within and has a stellar reputation with their own employees, and you live in the Framingham/Worcester area - or would be willing to commute or relocate there - let me know and I can fill you in on details.

Here are the basic requirements:

• You will need to be skilled in the use of the latest versions of MasterCAM
• You will need to be a CNC Technician with current, relevant experience and strong programming skills. They run 3 and 5-axis machines
• You will need to be familiar with a variety of machines & controls
• Moldmaking and thermoforming experience (aluminum molds) are a huge plus

Compensation depends entirely on experience but is in the low-mid $20/hour. If you are a top level candidate with all of the above experience and supervisory experience, the hourly salary may be higher.

[email protected]
http://www.PlasticsJOBS.com

[SeaSchell]

How about all of the above Choices plus it is too cold in MASS

[StarCatcher]

Not that I don't agree - but some people like it cold...hence, my asking for people who live in that area. Bottom line, it's a great company and it'll be a great match for someone :-).

[StarCatcher]

Just out of interest sake - what would those of you with the above skills be looking for on an hourly basis? I'm interested in what the market is asking - realistically.

I've looked at all the Dept of Labor #'s and talked to the shop owners & company owners - so I think I have a pretty good idea what the going rate is - but I'd really be interested in hearing it from you all - since the poll numbers suggest that companies aren't paying for the talent.

Thanks!

[rpmcneal1]

For the cost of living in that area of the country, I would have to have $25 plus 10 percent shift differential and no more than $170.00 copay on my health insurance(family) just to break even with what I am making in Pittsburgh.

[jjasshipley]

With the cost of living there so high, I would have to say that is a lowball offer. As far as the job market goes, the market is wide open for the machinist that is willing to relocate. That's what I did. I moved to where the work was. The problem with most people, is they want these opportunities to come to their hometowns, and that's just not practical.

[rpmcneal1]

I live in Weirton, WV about 33 miles from Pittsburgh. I bet you won't find a less expensive area in the country to live. I have been looking. I have a offer for Cinci area for 4 dollars more but the cost of living there makes it a lateral move.

[StarCatcher]

While the cost of living may be higher than some places, this is a small town SW of Boston...we're not talking big city living costs.

Sounds like they're about right with $25/hr for experienced CNC machinist. Second shift and supervisory would be higher - as would moldmaking experience. While I'm not sure of the share of cost on medical - I do know it starts immediately with no waiting period. Plus it's a new plant with all the latest...

[bucont]

How about, the big three are beating h*ll out of the tool & die, mold and machining companies and no one new wants in. They are killing the industry with the off shore out sourcing and I am telling the kids that if you want to play with an air grinder be a dentist. I think I'll buy an off shore car for the first time in over 30 years, they just don't get it!

[rpmcneal1]

I have been in the field twenty-eight years and I advise anyone who is just getting started to find something else to do. Most people do not want to pay for experience. Look at the schooling, amount you have to spend on personal tools, boxes, etc.... There is no way that you can justify the low salaries looking at the personal investment necesary.

[StarCatcher]

Seems a shame! I'm so impressed with the level of experience I see - and yes, what it takes to get there. It's just too bad that talented people can't inspire new people and make it a career worth pursuing. There is definitely a shortage of knowledgeable technicians in the workforce - which should start to drive the wages up.

Eventually, schools will start to step into the gap - but you still need people to train the apprentice folks.

What do those of you who have been in the business a long time - think the solution is for driving up wages and getting talented people in? I don't think the solution is just to pay more...

[rpmcneal1]

Most schools that offered machine shop in this area have discontinued their programs. The vo-tech in the county where I live actioned all their equipment off several years ago. Medical benefits are a important factor for people in the workforce these days. I pay $175 amonth for insurance that has a $600 dollar deductible and out of pocket expenses to the tune of $4200 a year. And should I mention that it is the largest pump company in the world?

[bucont]

I think there is a few things wrong in these trades. I speak mostly of the tool & die and mold industries.

I have been a tool maker since 1977 and back then when you told someone what you did for a living you got respect. That also was the situation in the work place. Now it's a different story, the tool maker and machinist are looked at as a glorified production worker. Allot of the people in the trades now sit on one machine and machine material continuously unlike the day when you machined ever peace of steel in a die on every machine in the shop.

We need to just stop sending work overseas and show any possible apprentices there is a future in the trade. Who wants to get into a business that the customers are sending the work else where. It's like building and selling a black and white TV now a days. No future in it!

The other problem in the industry is getting the shops paid, the big three now stretching payments out to PPAP (sometimes 2 years). 90 - 120 days is now considered a good paying customer. Who can bank roll a tier 1 for a 3 million tooling project for two years, and if there any problems they just don't pay at all or worse go out of business themselves and take you with them.

I live an area that has 9 major tool shops, out of those 9 in the last 5 years 4 have closed, 2 have got rid of most of the tool makers and machinist and just run production on their machines to get by. The last 3 have made deals with the overseas shops, they build the tools there, ship them here and turn the tool makers loose on them to make them run. Nice job, 10 - 12 hours a day stuck in a press or molding machine trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

Until the overseas workers get $25 hour instead of $25 a day or week, the short sighted corporate greed will continue to send work there. Someone has to know they are drying up the North American market. Can't make car payments on minimum wage from a call center job (we have 3 of them here now). And Walmart ... I won't go there!

Talk about nerve, we got the big three spouting buy American again, yet they are telling the tier 1 suppliers that they need to buy the tooling overseas, they should practice what they preach.

Sorry bout the rant.

[smarbaga]

i know i am going to catch hell for this ....... but where do you start ?
beer - $1 a bottle, cigarettes $2.50 a pack, bread $0.50 , all good, yes ?
but with health care at $175.00/ month , crime sky high, air quality bad,
government spending ( borrowing ) outrageous.
i think it boils down to the standard of living.
if health care was responsibly government supplied and managed, there's an additional $170.00 per month, off your wage, off product cost , off off shore production, it goes on and on and is a snowball effect.
forget national defence, us spends more on defence than all the other countries in the world combined. put that money towards health care, etc..
the only thing other countries want from the usa is the usa market.
providing the us government keeps there noses out of other countries affairs.
what is the difference between now and 25 years ago. wages go up costs go up. is it directly proportional?
i think it was better living and less stress 25 years past.

[[email protected]]

I am an employer, where do you get health insurance for 175.00 per month?
For my single employees it is about 600.00 per month and for the married employees (family) it is closer to 1400.00 per month. Of course, I am paying that for the employees but when we interview people, they don't want to consider that cost in their "income" package. They seem to want to look only at the take home pay and I owe them the befefits. Maybe I am too old school and I never did understand the "new math"..
Time to rest my eyes. Regards Walt..

[rpmcneal1]

The $175.00 per month is my cost for the insurance available(medical) at my place of employment. The employer picks up some cost but as the company I work for is self insured they can make the cost per person be whatever suits them. The insurance plan I have has not paid 1 dime toward any doctor's visits, prescriptions, tests, etc. for me or my family this year because of the $600 deductible and $4200 out of pocket cost. I would say that you must have premo insurance since I priced individual policies for my family about a month ago from Anthem BC/BS and the best plan available did not cost near the amount you are paying. Are you sure you are getting a GROUP rate?

[[email protected]]

Group rate less than 25 employees, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan.
Your deductibles seem to be high. Maybe that is part of the difference in price. It would be interesting to see what your employeer pays for their share of the premium costs.
We just went through two cancer cases as well as open heart surgery in this company. That had no effect on the premiums.
I call it just part of doing business. We have tried to get cheaper insurance but the coverage just would not be there therefore, I don't feel it would be fair to my employees.
Kinda stole their thread about employment in the NE. Sorry.
Regards Walt..

[rpmcneal1]

I did some research and they claim to pay $589 per month for family, howver they are self-insured. We have about 27000 employees worldwide. On the annual statement that nobody reads it shows a negative expense of about 350000. It seems that we pay enough premiums so that the claims do not use all the money therefore they make money on insuring us.

[epineh]

OK this is probably a stupid question to you guys, I kinda get the idea of your medical insurance setup (we don't pay anything here, it is taken care of by the Government) but what happens if you are injured reasonably seriously, lets say arm cut off in a car accident and you aren't insured ? Would you get turned away from hospital ?

Russell.

[[email protected]]

rpmc,
Lets see, 175.00 per month plus 589.00 per month equals about 764.00 per month for a large group. Sounds about right. I'm sure that is in line with the the big three. Ford, GM and Chrysler probably are about the same or less. They set the standard. When the group gets bigger, the rates go down. When the group gets smaller, the rates go up.
27,000 employees is a rather large group.

epineh,
No doubt the required auto insurance would cover the arm problem or would it be the lack of arm problem.
What we need is a volunteer to move to Mass, get the job, refuse the insurance they off, get in a wreck, lose their arm, go the emergency room and see what their hospital bill is after all is said and done. I think this volunteer whould be from out of the United States, maybe Australia, what say thee...
I was offered a good job in northern Wisconsin but, I could not talk them into a company snowmobile therefore I declined the offer.
The New England gets cold but they really know how to take care of the snow.
Regards Walt.