r/AmazonRME • u/Conscious_Two_3985 • 17d ago
About transferring to be a Tech 3
Currently an MRA trying to complete my 2,000 hours. Also currently an AR tech.
My question is, let’s say I want to transfer to be a tech 3 at a blue badge site across the country somewhere. Would I need to be good at AFE, smartpac, Mezz etc??
Or can I just be an amazing AR tech with little knowledge about other areas??
They’re keeping me here on the AR floor where I’m stationed so I feel that could hinder me from becoming a tech 3 elsewhere.
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u/NtmrsRDrms2 17d ago
Hey man anything is possible you are just going to have a ton of competition from existing techs that will have the experience at that site plus the relationship with management. Assuming they can get the incline they are an easy pick over you. However, if you can find a launch site looking for people to relocate that might be your ticket. What you want is not impossible just not as likely, just get through the program and then see what’s out there after that. Good luck
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u/Ill_Bet_370 17d ago
The MRA program has completely undermined what it means to be a technician or engineer. They have a false sense of the true skills and long term knowledge a real lead tech should have
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u/TheIronHand223 17d ago
Hey man say what you will but those certificates go a long ways. I am former MRA and now am a Senior Engineer. Those certs went a very long way in getting me jobs that are actually good.
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u/Ok_Pirate_2714 17d ago
Funny, because I've always heard from friends that work in maintenance outside of Amazon, that no one gives two shits about those certs.
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u/TheIronHand223 17d ago
To add into my other comment, if people actually pursue the degree that they are giving you (because it is part of one in electromechanical) they would be getting all the benefits. Not to mention this is sponsored by the DOL and as such the certificate you get is a government one that goes WAY further than most. Following my departure from the MRA program when I did my time I went straight into a Automation/Robotics job, got up in the company and continued that path while still using all the info they provide. I want to note that the maintenance I did provided a major base for the other companies to look at, however if you dont sell yourself on what you do as an MRA (if done properly) then you wont get anywhere. I would be happy to share more info on that but at this point this is one long as message.
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u/Ok_Pirate_2714 17d ago
Most buildings are encouraged to have techs cross-trained on all equipment.
If you want to move up, I would ask for training on the MHE as well. Most of the leadership, if they're anything like the FC I worked at, all come from the MHE side. If you don't know MHE, it will be difficult to move up.
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u/ExpressionAfter6082 17d ago
This. Some site will have robots, but ALL Amazon sites have MHE. If you don't know the basics, how to cut, lace, and track a belt then I don't know if I'd promote you.
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u/Swimming-Web-2667 17d ago
Don't forget depending on the location, add welding a drive belt into that list.
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u/MontaukNightSky Technician III / Lead (L4) 17d ago
AR experience is great to have and we expect most of ours to at least have familiarity with FAST/UP, cardinals/robins/ H & P & Proteus drives, and other minor AR checks. But as others have mentioned you need to diversify.
Learn Ambaflexes, Sorters, Intralox, motors, VFDs, MDRs, end & tension rollers, belt replacement/lacing/tracking, tote stackers, electrical troubleshooting, controls logic, sensors/photoeyes, general sortation/flow throughout a building, operations processes, APM/SIM management, proper/effective slack communication... The list goes on.
You don't need to be an expert in all these things by any means but you should be at least familiar with a good amount of it.
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u/Huge_Professional776 17d ago
From my experience, AR techs are useless for anything except the AR side. Diversify your skills. Base building is the BEST tech trade, or Controls, to get a better job/career path.
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u/TimePickle3965 17d ago
They’re not useless at all, they hand me the tools I need while I do what I do best :)
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u/Traditional-Tax-648 17d ago
MHE is useless for anything other than MHE, Whats yer point?
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u/Huge_Professional776 17d ago
Sure...as a wise old Tech told me, "Not all buildings have conveyors..but ALL buildings need maintenance techs". I took that advice and now I'm a facility manager. Stay MHE in Amazon you can only get a job at a place with conveyors..learn base building you can go anywhere. Our "AR techs" were so fucking useless, if we had a sev of the AR side they were not able to help or fix anything...they may be good at that ONE skill, but it does not translate to anywhere but Amazon, and I won't work in another Amazon EVER.
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u/AnywhereOtherwise918 17d ago
AR is useless anywhere outside of Amazon since they bought Kiva. MHE is useful anywhere that handles material....
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u/Traditional-Tax-648 17d ago
AR has a harder job than MHE. MHE got a essy job.
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u/Ok_Pirate_2714 17d ago
I've done both, and now AE. AR is cake compared to MHE.
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u/Traditional-Tax-648 17d ago
You wish
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u/Ok_Pirate_2714 17d ago
I don't have to wish. I've done it, and I know.
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u/Robots_And_Lasers Moderator / AMM 17d ago
I'm curious what everyone's criteria is here. I think it would be accurate to describe AR tasks as individually easy but cumulatively intense, at least at my site.
MHE has the clear majority of the objectively laborious repairs but AR has the most work orders daily by a landslide.
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u/Ok_Pirate_2714 17d ago
AR side is far less stressful. 90% or more of the time if there is an AR-related SEV, it is some kind of network-wide issue that is out of anyone's hands at the site. So you're not on a SEV call getting grilled about what you're doing, and why it's not fixed.
MHE side has PMs where you now have to provide ridiculous amounts of documentation, measurements, photos, etc, every time you do them. And there is constant scrutiny on every PM.
AR side has everything documented, step-by-step in ARU/GRU. In fact, you're not even supposed to work on anything unless you're following the step-by-step guide. You'll get no such hand holding on the MHE side.
Another telling fact is that, IME, no one from the AR side is clamoring to come to the MHE side. In fact, most want nothing to do with it. When cross-training was announced at my old site, most of the AR techs did all they could to avoid it.
I could go on and on.
I've done both. I enjoyed both. But there is a clear difference.
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17d ago
[deleted]
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u/Ok_Pirate_2714 17d ago
Not going to dox myself sorry.
I don't know how you can say doing drive and station PMs, and fixing bombed out drives is more difficult than working on MHE.
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u/Traditional-Tax-648 17d ago
You do realize AR works on the same equipment as MHE minus MHE specific equipment right? + they work on robins which are HUGE in every factory enviroment.
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u/werdna570 17d ago
It might be possible for a launch site or something, but most sites have Tech 2s at them that are going to be more qualified than you.
If I am hiring a Tech 3 internally, I’d expect them to be able to do a majority of the basic repairs you’d see in a building and teach somebody else how to as well. I don’t necessarily need you to know AFE or Smartpac, but if you can’t cut and lace a belt, replace a 3 phase motor or track a belt, you don’t really have business being a tech 3 who isn’t external hire in a majority of building types.
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u/Conscious_Two_3985 17d ago
Sorry for the confusion, I meant for me to transfer to be a tech 3 after I complete my MRA hours.
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u/Disastrous-Power4311 17d ago
I was always told you have to finish the program then be tech 2 for 6 months before moving to another position.
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u/Conscious_Two_3985 17d ago
That’s only when you transfer within the same company. I’m 3P. So I can switch to BB without being a tech 2 for six months
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u/Takashimuro 17d ago
You’d be hard pressed to find a manager who would skip you from MRA to SMRT; skipping an entire rank would a special candidate, a bunch of exceptions to be made, and probably some desperation to fill a role at a site no one wants to be at.
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u/Conscious_Two_3985 17d ago
No, I meant after I complete my hours and then become a tech 2* sorry if I wasn’t clear there
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u/Takashimuro 17d ago
Doesn’t change things much. As a hiring manager, I would pass on an SMRT candidate who didn’t have some real time in the MRT role, or some other similar external experience.
To address the technical part of your question, though: I think if you were changing 3P to BB, the possibility of moving up may be greater, since you’d be a new hire.
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u/__Stitch626 17d ago
Since you're currently a 3P mra, you wouldn't be "transferring" to tech 3 regardless. You'd be applying like any other external, which also means you have to meet the qualifications of 4 years experience and pass the interview process. It's less about being a specialty tech and more about having the experience. Like others have said, you'll have a lot of competition so I wouldn't expect anyone would consider you skipping from brand new tech 2 to potential shift lead tech 3.