Wage Study

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 01-09-2003 12:01

I live in a small town in NE Mississippi and I am pretty sure that the CNC Burning Machine operators at the fabricator near here makes a wage similar to the other hands in the shop. Even the programmers (Back when they needed them) were on a scale similar to the rest of the shop.

It would seem odd to pay a person that learned a skill in a one week class much more than what is paid to skilled employees. But being a welder I may be a little biased but I'm not aware of any one-two week courses where one can learn thoery, setup, and operation of manual or semi-automatic welding equipment that allows them to pass a test and function as a welder. If your speaking of some equipment that is not a CNC burning machine that requires a knowledge of the manual process such a CNC machining center than that may be different.

The US Dept of Labor has a web site at http://www.ajb.dni.us where you can compare various trades and their average wages by area and see how they compare to the rest of the country. This job description above would probably be considered a Machine Operator.

Have a nice day and I hope this helps a little.

G Austin
www.weldinginspectionsvcs.com

By tjennings Date 01-09-2003 17:17

While I greatly appreciate the time and thought of your opinion, I am looking for factual material. Granted, I may find that shops do not pay more for someone trained on the CNC...however, the investment made by the business for that weeks' training was just that, an investment in an employee, for the betterment of the business. Any type of "specialized" training, education, skill, etc. is certainly what might set an average worker apart from someone who is looking to improve their contribution to the company. In a time where typical raises to not keep up with the increase in the cost of living, where do we look to increase our value in the workplace without crossing over from blue-collar to white-collar?

I am already a certified welder with six years on the job and truly enjoy the "hands-on" aspect of my work. I'm always looking for new skills to add to increase my value to myself and my company.

Again, thank you. If you could provide an hourly wage for what one of your CNC operators is making, it would be a great help and certainly appreciated!

TJ Allen

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 01-09-2003 20:21

I'll try to get some information from the fabricator. They employ about 100 or so but if I told you what I thought the burning machine operators made I would be wrong without asking. Sometimes the facts about wages are hard to come by unless there your own.

I have to agree on the additional skill/knowledge being an asset. I wouldn't be where I am today had I not picked up some skills and knowledge not needed to weld.

G Austin

By elkendo Date 03-19-2003 02:12

I think wages are based soley on how well you do your job and your ability to sell yourself when asking for a raise. I don't think you can expect to get a massive raise for this training but you should be able to squeeze some money out of your employer for the additional skills you provide.

You just have to decide if you think you are being compensated well enough to stay in your current position. Maybe you should consider the job market and decide how hard you want to push for a raise.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 03-19-2003 11:58

Making yourself more valuable to your company will in time bring more money. I'm sure your compant is aware that it will take money to replace you if you find employment elsewhere, so be patient, the money will come.
John Wright

By cawelder (**)

Date 03-20-2003 02:21

I assume you are talking about a cutting table operator. The shop I work in has two of these tables. Everyone in the shop can run these, when someone needs something cut they just go cut it, as long as its a simple shape or something like that. We have 3 guys that can program. But they all are still welders, fitters, and machine operators. Rollers, Brakes, Shear, ect.. They are all paid average pay for this area (South GA) which is around 13.00/hr. , Some make a little more, some a little less. Depending on time with the company.