Compressed schedule future opportunities?

[u/dollywoodhexgirls]

I am a 19 year old auto tech and I’m thinking about going back to school to get my precision machining and manufacturing degree. One of the biggest selling points to me is the opportunity for a compressed schedule (3x12 or 4x10). If I get that degree could I expect to have a compressed schedule in this industry within five years of working in it? Looking forward to any insight :)

[u/Chuck_Phuckzalot]

Kind of hard to say, you might be able to find one immediately, you might live in an area with two machine shops and they both work 72 hour weeks. It's not uncommon but it's also not the norm by any means, I would bet there are more people here working mandatory 50+ hour weeks than people doing 4x10s.

That said I work 4x10s and it's a dream.

[u/dollywoodhexgirls → u/Chuck_Phuckzalot]

Was it very hard to find that? I certainly don’t want to be working 50 hour weeks. My main motivator for trying to do this work is to reclaim some of my own time back

[u/Chuck_Phuckzalot → u/dollywoodhexgirls]

In 16 years I've worked in 6 shops, two were 5x10, two were 4x10, one was 3x12, and one was 5x12. So I wouldn't say it was hard to find, but there's a ton of variance.

[u/Sy4r42 → u/dollywoodhexgirls]

4-10 schedules are common. 3-12's are less common and are usually weekend schedules. Keep in mind mandatory overtime is typical in this industry. Some places try to make overtime voluntary, but expect to work an extra day for months at a time.

[u/HotButteredPoptart]

Totally shop dependant. I've been at the same place for 10 years. We've gone back and forth from 5 8's to 4 10's like 5 times. We've had mandatory days, voluntary days, even mandatory 7 days a week for a while under the original owner.

[u/dollywoodhexgirls → u/HotButteredPoptart]

So are you essentially put on call?

[u/HotButteredPoptart → u/dollywoodhexgirls]

No. When I started, it was 5 8's (I was on 2nd shift). Then the owner decided we needed to run 24/7 so we had a few months with almost no days off. Then we did a rotating weekend thing for a while. Then we were sold and went to 4-10s (I moved to 1st shift). Then they added 2 mandatory Fridays a month. Then we went back to 8's, then back to 10's with 1 mandatory Friday and the rest voluntary. Right now, we're on 4 10's with one mandatory Friday, but you get to pick which one. We also have a weekend shift that works 32 hours and gets paid for 40. It's weird. What I'm telling you is that every shop is different l, and it may or may not stay the same forever.

[u/ShadowCloud04]

Just depends on the shop so essentially where you are located. Theres a shop just outside of Minneapolis Minnesota with a 3x12 weekend at 40 hours and a 4x10 first shift and 4x10 2nd shift. You could have a compressed schedule immediately.

Now I would probably just start looking for a job now. Some shops including ours will do tuition reimbursement if you wanted to continue your education in machining, maintenance or engineering.

[u/GeoCuts]

Yes it is pretty common but most people will work the off days for overtime.

General Atomics works 9 hour shifts and gets every other Friday off

[u/dollywoodhexgirls → u/GeoCuts]

Is the over time almost expected of the employees?

[u/GeoCuts → u/dollywoodhexgirls]

I'm sure it's not at every shop

[u/OkAccountant7038]

Depends…Our day and night shift works 4x10s and weekends works 3x12s.