It has been almost five months since I made the jump from being a craftsman to an operations technician. I must say: I enjoy it. I still get to troubleshoot problems within my unit and work with a wide variety of maintenance personnel. I get to work with hand tools, PPE (personal protective equipment), and I get to deal with all types of inclement weather.The past few months have been a strict focus on learning my process, EHS (Environmental Health and Safety), and learning the unit in which I am working. Although every company has different training techniques, I was impressed with how much emphasis is put on safety. I have heard of companies and foremen who just talk safety, but here we practice what we preach. If a job cannot be done safely, then it is time to step back and rethink the job.
Safety is all around us, and it is not just something you practice at work. There are hazards all around us. From everyday tasks, such as plugging in your devices into the outlet, to toys or clothes on the floor. Safety should be something we practice every day. It should be a part of our culture. Cutting corners can lead to catastrophic consequences and can ruin someone’s life in an industrial or construction setting. It can also cost your company a ton of money, not to mention having your reputation tarnished. Companies have become more safety oriented with time, but there are still people out there who are willing to sacrifice safety just to gain that almighty dollar. There are some who preach safety on one end and speak a different language on the other end. With that being said, it is always good to have a refresher in some of the basic safety topics. There are training modules in place to help those coming into the industry and modules to remind those that have been in the industry for awhile.
February 05, 2016
Success.What do you define as success? Is it getting that title of management? That promotion that makes you feel like you have reached the top of the mountain? Or is it making enough money to have your family live comfortably? Not having to worry about the necessities in life such as utilities being paid or having a roof over your head? Whatever your definition of success is, the question arises, “Are you set up for success?” Have you put yourself in a position to reach your goals? Some people will tell you that you are lucky, but, in reality, one has to put in the work to be successful.So, how does this tie in to your career? Whether you are in a steady job, or in between jobs, or just trying to get your foot in the door, success is not an accident.
January 22, 2016
It wasn’t an easy choice to pursue a career in industrial construction. For some reason or another I just didn’t think I was cut out to be in the industry. Something about my fear of heights kept me away from the scene. Eventually, after being so unhappy for so long in retail, my fiancé told me one day, “Why don’t you go into the construction industry? You are capable of so much more.” Those words stuck in my head and marinated for about two years until I finally decided to do something about it. So, which construction craft was I going to go for? I knew what I didn’t want to do and that was to continue in retail.
January 04, 2016
“Congratulations, you have been selected to be a part of the team! Your starting date will be….” There are no sweeter words than these that I’ve heard in the eight months I scratched and clawed, typed, copied and pasted my instrument and electrical technician resume and work applications day after day. Of course, with some breaks in between as I focused on school, I prepped myself to get back into the workforce. After getting settled in, signing paperwork, and completing training modules, it is finally time to get moving!One word came to mind as I put on my hard hat and safety goggles after completing my training modules: Planning. If you fail to plan, plan to fail.As I start my day, I go into my emails and check to see what is lined up for the day. Whether it be PMs (preventative maintenance), specific projects, such as replacing a valve, or completing company training modules, the day starts off by planning.
December 22, 2015
My name is Alejandro Velez, and I have 10 years in retail work experience and roughly five months of industrial construction experience. I have an associate’s degree in sociology and will have an Associates of Applied Science degree in Instrumentation Technology in December of 2015.While working retail, I saw that I wasn’t getting paid what I was worth. After the ninth year, I made a decision to change my future, for myself and my family. Slowly, I did some research on various industrial careers. I wasn’t too sure what I wanted to pursue since all I was familiar with was retail. After a few months, I made the decision to go back to school for an Instrumentation Technology degree.
November 24, 2015
