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Discussion:

Vacancies in America?

Number of messages: 13

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Herald
lancashire, United Kingdom

First of all i am not looking to move to America but often look at the job vacancies on this website, i have worked in Forklifts for 20+ years mainly for Linde and have noticed adverts for service engineers over the pond runs to a large percentage of the job vacancies.
Are things booming over there or are you struggling to attract skilled engineers. The only jobs advertised over here in the uk seem to be for the one man bands or lower end of the market dealers.
Just wondering

herald.

Posted 21 Dec 2011 09:29 AM

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toyzilla
Texas, United States

cant speak for the rest of the country but there's plenty of work here.

Posted 21 Dec 2011 10:44 AM

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joe_d
Texas, United States

Toyzilla's right. In Houston, TX there are dealers offering $25-30 for experienced electric techs to start and competition is sometimes fierce in that regard. But, I think alot of it is "tennis ball techs" that bounce from dealer to dealer and leaving openings in their wake. During 11 years working at my previous employer, off the top of my head, I can name atleast 6 techs that were re-hired by them atleast twice and a few that were re-hired 3 times. I know 2 guys that have worked at every dealer, from the biggies to the mom and pops, in Houston during their carreers. Now that the recession is declining it's becoming a technician's market again.

-------------------------
Ain't nothing I can't fix but a broken heart and the break of day!

Posted 21 Dec 2011 10:57 PM

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Herald
lancashire, United Kingdom

It's good that things are picking up for you over there,it seems that here it's like a cartel nobody will increase the pay to attract new engineers good luck
Herald

Posted 22 Dec 2011 03:17 AM

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Budman
Alabama, United States

In regards of Techs moving from company to company, with my company we give you one chance to come back and not everyone get's that. We're very selective. Depends on if you've burned your bridge. Screw us once, shame on you. Screw us twice, shame on us! Also, just because someone has experience from a competitor doesn't mean they are a good hire. You must do your due dilligence. I usually talk to their former customers. If the customer likes and respects them, that tells a lot. Even after all of that, they still have to pass our entry level test and I've seen many very good mechanics that could not do this.

Posted 22 Dec 2011 11:24 PM

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toyzilla
Texas, United States

i dont think that a "cap" or "ceiling" exists anymore. i am aware of a couple of tech's well over the $35.00 mark. we are so busy that unlimited overtime is available to anyone that wants to make money. 2 of my friends hit the six figure mark for the first time in their lives....forklift tech's.....how frapping cool is that. i love Texas.

Posted 7 Jan 2012 11:36 AM

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RayTech
Ontario, Canada

It will be a tough go in North America the next few years. Big customers are demanding "fixed maintenance" contracts that force tech's to change their habits. We are fixing trucks for a set rate, and have to cover extra costs like avoidable repairs up to $1000!!!! I dont know how my employer can sign these tight contracts, but if they didn't, 3 other lift truck companies would take the work and we'd be out of a job!
There is still lots of Jobs here in Ottawa Canada for qualified techs. The pay is very good at $30 plus vehicle and benefits and commision on truck sales rebuilds. We still have disgruntled tech's who dont pull their weight and want more. Some think they are good that no one can replace them. They usually quit and we find other people that DO the job better for less money! The damage these guys have done by gouging the customer has brought in tighter rules from customers. Billing 8 hrs for 3 hrs actual work has spawned these CFPM or Fixed maintenance deals to become the rule now. It's like auto mechanices getting paid flat rate. Spend all day on a customer's car but we pay you 4 hrs for the job. I think that is where Lift truck tech's will be going too.
try working at a wall mart distribution centre now....thay pay .8 hr to do complete maint on reach trucks. If the drive unit goes....get to it cause they have a fixed amount to give each month. The lift truck company eats the loss! The tech must learn to work smarter and fix instead of replace each time. What do you think this will do to our wages? Put a "parts replacer" in a Fixed maintenance warehouse and see how fast the lift Company yanks him out! If you still have paying customers then hang on to them and dont screw them! Customers with "carte blanche" are getting rare. I love this job. But I used to hate the treatment i got as an auto tech. They are treated as people who could not be paid an hourly wage. Dealerships will tell you Auto techs must be paid flat rate as they cant be trusted to work without some incentive or "carrot dangled in front of them" as Dealership Managers would always tell you.
I hope the fork lift industry doesn't go that way too.......

Modified 9 Jan 2012 01:43 AM
by poster.

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toyzilla
Texas, United States

Ford the company: Not broke......
Ford the vehicle: Always broke!

i'd rather own a broke ford than a government owned welfare chevrolet.

-------------------------
easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.

Posted 9 Jan 2012 10:37 AM

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scottyj222
Birmingham, United Kingdom

nice work

Posted 21 Jan 2012 10:37 PM

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Herald
lancashire, United Kingdom

Hi scotty
Noticed from an earlier post you where looking to move to the U.S. Are you going or did it not come off?

Posted 10 Mar 2012 00:30 AM

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TheBirdman
Oklahoma, United States

Yes, a well qualified lift truck mechanic would have no trouble landing a job in my area. Some has to do with the economy but alot has to do with a lack of "younger" folks wanting to get into this profession. Good luck!

Posted 10 Mar 2012 04:01 AM

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Jplayer
North Carolina, United States

billing 8hrs for 3hrs work?????!!!!?????
anyone does that is an idiot and deserves to get canned imo
;o)

ehhhh a forklift tech that makes 6 figures? ehhhhh............ never in my life have i heard that EVER ... not even for an independent
whats he charge an hour? 300? doh! lolz

-------------------------
John Player Jr
_________________
LiftOne, LLC
Charlotte, NC
Email: jplayer@liftone.net

Posted 10 Mar 2012 09:01 AM

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meliftman
Alabama, United States

A couple of the techs in the Goodyear shop here made close to six figures witrh the way they do double time and triple time. Don't know of any one else even coming close. Who absorbs the overtime chargres, the customer? The ones around here would run you off for charging overtime rates.
While working a lot and making money is ok, there is a lot more to life than money. I'd rather have the time off to ride my scoot and enjoy my family.
If I caught someone billing 8 hrs for 3 hrs work, I'd probably skin them myself.

-------------------------
Liftman
Equipment, Inc.
Mobile, Al.

Posted 10 Mar 2012 10:37 AM

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