Job opportunity.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 06-19-2013 02:26 Edited 06-19-2013 02:31

Well friends; after a ten year run in Wisconsin and ten long winters, I have decided to move back into private industry and have resigned my post at Blackhawk Technical College http://www.blackhawk.edu/

So.. My post needs to be filled... Below is a link to the job listing
https://blackhawk.simplehire.com/postings/853

I can say it has been the best job of my life.. And I strongly encourage friends who are educators or welding engineers to look into this opportunity.

The Welding program is STRONG and backed by to the hilt by Admin.   We are running the lab from 6am-9pm solid M-F and 8 hours on Sat... over 100 program students and the best welding equipment on the face of the planet... The lab, 5000 sq ft, is only 4 years old and fully equipped!

But oh there is more!

This fall ground will be broken on a new Advanced Manufacturing Center on a new campus where the industrial trades will be doing great things.. The welding space will more than double, with seperate but equal process and fabrication spaces that will be connected, about 7000 sq ft each.   The process space will have 40 workstations, each with top shelf CC and CV power supplies. The fabrication space will have a welding robots, CNC Plasma, Laser, Waterjet and several new press breaks and ironworkers...   The notion behind the center is to cross polinate with the Engineering, CNC machine, Robotics and Industrial Mantainence programs and for the welding program to expand to a second year to include advanced training in Pipe, Automation, Inspection and Fabrication diplomas (not Associates, so more time in the lab).   Right now there simply is not space or time to offer advanced courses.

So the person they are looking for will need to provide leadership in curriculum building in these advanced processes.

This is not a program that needs to be fixed... It's a program that needs to find a creative leader. Somebody heavy on programming or an Engineer or welding specialist who can demonstrate in all processes and positions.

Wisconsin Benefits are about the best in the U.S as far as educators.... Many of my peers gross over 100K when overload is included.   The Medical for a family has such a small employee pay in that it's not worth mentioning... Like less than 100 a month. Dental is just as good.

Plus... Even with all the overload I work, I have at least 9 weeks off every year.

It's a good gig.

If you would like to hear more good stuff from me about this, send me a message... I'm runnin hard getting ready to move and start my new job.. But I'll check the board from time to time.

By aevald

Date 06-19-2013 03:16

Hello Lawrence, I will say that this does come as somewhat of a suprise. All of that aside, you are the one who determines your future and I certainly wish you the utmost success in your upcoming endeavors.

It certainly sounds as if your college has definitely determined for itself to become a very special place indeed and it's good to hear that at least some educational systems are forward thinking and have the backing to bring this sort of a concept to fruition. Not that I am qualified to handle all of the things that you have described, but if I were closer I am pretty sure that I would be looking at it as an opportunity to consider or at least something to become a part of.

You mentioned that you will still be looking in on the forum, I hope that you are still a much larger part of it than just an incidental player. I have gleaned countless bits and pieces of knowledge from your participation that I wouldn't have otherwise and I am sure others share my thoughts. Best of luck to you on your future challenges and plans and best regards, Allan

By 803056

Date 06-19-2013 20:23

I don't mind a little cold weather, but Wisconsin? That's too cold!

I hope your administration knows they are going to have to look hard and long to find a replacement for you.

Best regards -Al

By aevald

Date 06-19-2013 22:13

Hello Al, I'll certainly echo your sentiments about "attempting" to have Lawrence's shoes filled or something even close. Best regards, Allan

By ctacker (****)

Date 06-19-2013 23:11

Good luck with the new gig Larry.

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 06-20-2013 06:53

Best wishes Lawrence. From the sounds of it you must be getting a good offer to move you on.

Hope they find someone with reasonable skills to take over. We need good educators in the welding trades.

Don't be a stranger around here.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 06-20-2013 11:12

Congrats on the new gig. I'll echo the others who said that it will be tough to find someone to fill your shoes.

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 06-21-2013 04:46

Does this mean that I will no longer be able to enjoy the many interesting, and intense yet rewarding discussions we had over the years Larry???

What in the heck am I supposed to do now???

Seriously Lawrence, you must keep coming back in here on a regular basis or else! I don't know specifically what "or else"entails but, it will be serious for sure! :eek:

PM me when you get a chance to fill me in on this new adventure of yours, and like everybody else mentioned, this must be a really sweet gig for you to leave the place that's been your second home for so long...

Blackhawk will certainly have a very tough time finding someone who can do anything near to what you have accomplished there in the last decade...
It's gonna be like trying to fill in an ever expanding sinkhole that just doesn't want to be filled so easily! :eek:

Man does this suck!!!I wish my health was good enough to apply for that position but, thems the breaks!!!

Well, I wish you the very best in your new adventure you old "skallywag!!!" And remember that it's not a nice, or respectful playing field out there away from academia
my friend! :lol:

You better keep in touch brother! You freakin "Airdale!"

Respectfully,
Henry

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 06-21-2013 14:02

I'll be around guys.. Just going to have to hit the ground running.

I'm the Director of Welding for a multi-national corp that produces steel buildings. They have 36 plants, eight of which focus on welding operations for the steel buildings... Everyting from churches to stadiums and everything in between.

I'll be focused on support of procedure consolidation between factories, procedure qualification support for the Engineering dept, new techlonogy, internal training to produce more welders, and outside recruiting that will include lots of contact with education institutions and local AWS chapters around the U.S. to set-up internships etc.

Moving to Houston Texas where it never snows!

I needed to get my wife out of the frozen tundra and this opportunity really is interesting work for me.

Also Henry... I do know it's a jungle out there.. Most of my professional experience is still in the real world :) I researched the job pretty thoroughly and even had the help of Mr. Dwayne Cactus Jones in vetting them... For which I am grateful.

So I'm busy putting my technical library in boxes... collecting 10 years worth of equipment and getting my house ready to sell... I'm on an airplane Monday morning to kick off the new job... It's pretty exciting.

Thanks for the nice words everybody.

By OBEWAN

Date 06-21-2013 14:55 Edited 03-19-2014 22:11

You will enjoy the winters in Houston. They are far enough south that the climate is similar to North Florida. Be ready for a little rain and occasional chill, but not much worse than 40 on some nights, and 70's in the daytime. It starts to get hot by Feb to March.

I hope you are able to locate close to work. That is the only way I would ever consider living in Houston. On my last assignment there, it once took me an hour and a half to make a 15 minute commute. You will need to learn the shortcuts and times to leave. Just 5 minutes difference on my departure time could add 1/2 hour to my 15 minute commute. I went in early at 6am, and stayed late - til 5:30 or 6pm to avoid the traffic. They let me use their Interent for personal business, and I did a lot of stuff of my own off the clock on their network....

But, my mantra now is telecommute or a 15 minute drive max....

By aevald

Date 06-21-2013 14:56

Happy for you Lawrence! I do know about the whole moving thing especially from a rooted place and particularly when you've got yourself established. Sounds as if the work will certainly be full of challenges and new experiences. Enjoy that warmer weather but just remember that there are things in and around Houston that aren't in Wisconsin, I'm referring to critters and crawly things(ha, ha). I will also be waiting to hear of rundowns on everything once you're settled. Good luck and best regards, Allan

By OBEWAN

Date 06-21-2013 15:01

Yes, the roaches are quite disgusting, and it is an ongoing war to rid them - no matter how clean you try to be.

Boric Acid powder is the best kill method. An $8 bottle from Amazon will last several years and destroy entire colonies. If you want to save money, you can buy the acid in bulk and mix it with white bread flour. But, I like the bottle from Amazon because it has a pointed snout for easy dispensing.

Your wife will for sure scream when she sees her first roach!!! And, watch out for scorpions in your shoes in the morning...

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 06-21-2013 16:02

>watch out for scorpions in your shoes in the morning

LOL, I remember my first trip to Texas in the 5th grade. Got out the truck at my cousin's house and saw a small pond(tanks in Tx), so I had to go check it out. During my quick run down to the pond, I encountered my first Huge spider, bigger than my hand that jumped 6 feet or more when I ran by it. The next morning a scorpion crawled out from under the refridgerator while I was standing there looking inside for a snack. Later that day I had caught a whole stringer of fish and they floating by the end of the dock at that pond, went back to add another fish and there was a snake in the water striking the fish that I had on the stringer. I didn't bther to see what kind of snake, I left stringer and all and headed back to the house. As a kid I thought those horny toads(horned lizard) were neat creatures, so I had to bring a couple back to Virginia with me. My brother's had caught a terrapin and put him in with my horny toads. I got them out and opened the box on a rest stop during our trip back home and found that the terrapin had eaten one of my lizards. When I got home I put the remaining lizards in my sandbox. They escaped overnight and my 10 year old neighbor had nightmares for a month when she found out they had gone missing from the sand box....LOL

By OBEWAN

Date 06-21-2013 16:47

I was at a camp on a retreat weekend in Texas, and I was running through the woods down a dark path at night.

I ran smack into a giant spider web and was hit square in the face with a huge furry black and yellow spider...I screamed out in terror... but was not bitten. If it had chomped me I might not be here today. Watch where you walk at night in Texas...

By aevald

Date 06-21-2013 16:53

So Lawrence, with all of the awesome tails of creepy crawlies and such don't you feel as if you'll be right at home? I guess that's one of the reasons the Pacific Northwest is so inviting to me! Other than all of the liquid sunshine that we enjoy. Best regards, Allan

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 06-21-2013 16:54

Bugs>Snow

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 06-21-2013 17:41

Hot & Humid. And don't forget about the Hurricanes.

Good luck, you'll need it.

But, show me a place in this country that doesn't have something we can complain about.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 06-21-2013 22:24 Edited 06-21-2013 22:29

East Brady, PA! Just Perfect as it can be! :wink:

P.S. Larry, you're in for a rude awakening and don't say I didn't warn you later. :eek:

HVC