The plants are begging for skilled workers (health insurance, employment)

[jtothemak]

Originally Posted by Neo45

Tell your husband that they need to advertise these jobs better or not make it where you have to know someone to get in the door. If im wrong, tell me where I need to apply because i will do it this week

This, I love how people post about plenty of jobs but when you actual want details and information about applying you don't get an answer as I asked before.

Every job I come across requires a background in the field with experience.

[Johnhw2]

These jobs pay great with benefits that help take care of you and your family like few jobs in this country. I dont think the work is strenuous for anyone in decent shape. The forces you are controlling in these plants require skills and make things of great value to our economy. Following a process is key to safety and anyone who doesn't understand that should not apply nor consider these jobs.

I can not speak to where they are advertised. I know at the ExxonMobil Refinery in Baytown they get 1000+ applicants for a class of say 50.

You start at the bottom but if intelligent and hard working and dependent there are opportunities to move up and into 6 figures.

Rotating equipment is abundant in these plants so no protruding rings or objects that might get caught up in them. Good judgment and sound mind is needed too so no drinking or drug use that might impair your reaction and mind for safety sake.

[bayoubengal1982]

Ive posted this before but for those not in the know....From now until at least the next 10 years is a HUGE boom in expansions for petrochemical complexes all the way from Corpus Christi to Florida. This is largely in part to natural gas discoveries. I work for a large EPC company and along with our competitors bidding on these multi billion dollar expansions....we are all facing a shortage of craft/skilled trade workers. Most companies are going to have to fabricate/source a lot from Mexico and other international mod yards. It is cheaper to do so and there is no shortage of labor. I encourage you to find a trade that interests you and start training and get certified. You will have your pick of jobs. Wages will be very competitive......And if you cant pass a drug test, dont bother.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

My company sends you for more education that is part of your job; they wouldn't send you to classes on Medieval Literature. That is his point. If you want a good job, get a degree or train for a vocation that helps with that good job and not one that puts you in a position that either pays less than you want or isn't in demand.

That's the point that I'm making
Education is good if it applies to the job that you are applying for
You can have a Phd in chemistry and physics, but that's not gonna be worth much if you get a job in a finance company.

Call it vocational or college, same thing, your knowledge, skills, experience have to be applicable to your job.

Originally Posted by jtothemak

Every job I come across requires a background in the field with experience.

Exactly what I'm saying

[War Beagle]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

My company sends you for more education that is part of your job; they wouldn't send you to classes on Medieval Literature. That is his point. If you want a good job, get a degree or train for a vocation that helps with that good job and not one that puts you in a position that either pays less than you want or isn't in demand.

Yes, you made my point better than I did. The issue is not that education is bad. Learning is one of my favorite things to do. The issue is when people choose to study unmarketable subjects and then complain and blame society, the government or anyone but themselves when they can't find a job.

There are plenty of ways that even "soft" degrees (such as in the liberal arts) can lead to good jobs. The difference between a vocational certification and a college degree is that some college degrees can take more effort and creativity to parlay into a well-paying job. If you get an HVAC certification, its pretty obvious where to look for a job. If you have a degree in something like history or women's studies, it is going to take more effort to demonstrate how the knowledge you gained in that field are applicable to a business environment.

My underlying point is that students should go into college or technical school with ideas about how to turn what they want to study into a future income. If you can't think of a way to earn a living from a degree in Mongolian Ferret Calling, then its probably a good idea to major in something else and study Mongolian Ferret Calling as a hobby.

[lipbalm]

When I was in college my dream job was to work in R&D designing new automobiles (Transmissions specifically), by accident I went a different route and started working in medical device manufacturing, now I manage quality systems for O & G company. My point is you never know where you will end up or where your career will take you so keep an open mind and look for opportunities that almost always pop up but sometimes are hard to recognize when they cross your path. There is no rule in my opinion as far as the "right" path.

[DejaBlue]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Sounds to me like you don't know anything about this.
I work in a factory, I went to a four year college.... I know for a fact that I make twice as much as the people in that work in the plant.

Factories don't have a hard time finding workers because "The get pushed to attend four year colleges"
The main reason is the stupid drug test that make factories fired qualified employees because of something they smoked when they weren't at work.

The other reason is how much they get paid.... people will gladly pick up s... from the streets 80 hours/week if you pay them $25/hour.

That and like Pedro said the excons. I don't know much about Houston plants and refineries but I do know my cousin's on/off boyfriend is always working at "the plant or factory" but he's also the 30 something, able bodied slacker type with a record who after work is always smoking something and all of his friends who also have some kind of ex-con record work in the same field and they're always on/off employed. They give off the impression that only those types work here.

Other than it being blue collar and somehow in society blue collar has taken a huge backseat, labor blue collar that is. Medical not doctors is blue collar, police, firefighters, etc is blue collar but these are careers that are always on lists for being high paid. But plumbers, welders, plant workers, etc are seen as the bottom of the totem pole and then when you know someone who knows someone who's like my cousin's off again right now it does make it seems like only ex-cons are left so fresh out of high school kids are pushed to college to not work around those people.

I try not to ask any questions because I don't see how one can live, do anything with someone who rarely bathes and is literally reeking weed though their pores so that combined with no bath is one truly funky body but I swear all of his ex-con friends work East Houston, plants, refineries, warehouse etc. Everyone needs a job but honestly a blind person could see this is not someone to hire because quickly their unemployed. With my cousin's dumbass supporting him.

[Oildog]

The on again/off again weed smokers are very likely NOT employed by one of the plants, but maybe by one of the construction or maintenance contractors that are often used as a labor pool (The difference between $25/hr and $15/hr). They are usually not considered skilled labor. Unfortunately, idiots like that are the reason there is testing for industrial facilities. More than once I've seen some dude cut into the wrong pipe or try to remove the wrong piece of equipment and almost cause a fire or worse.

You can have a criminal record, but you better be sober...unless your in some really remote location where they look past drug testing because its so hard to get help.

[Bad Haggis]

Don't forget breath testing.
From what I've been told is if you can't blow zero first thing in the morning then also don't bother. That gets a lot of folks, and they do this in offices and not just in petrochem.

Mark my words, they're coming after tobacco users next. Nicotine testing has already started in many businesses already.

[slingshot]

I am now retired, but I was a weldor for 40 years. I worked in refineries, power plants, construction, shops, and the oil field. If you follow safety rules and use common sense there should be no problem with later work related heath problems.