Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
My name is Marcus, I'm 21 years old and I work as a CNC operator.
Job: CNC Operator (Turning) [hired]
A day looks like this: I get here in the morning, if there isn't someone there to update then there's a note saying if things are ok or if something needs to be done before I start.
If everything's ok, then you start the machines, make sure everything is correct, then insert the pieces and collect the finished ones.
When you get to a new machine there's always something different. Various control systems which you need to learn. It's quite social to be an industrial worker, you don't just stand near a machine.
Whenever you have a moment you can go over and talk to a colleague. Something not so is the schedule, in my opinion.
Every other week I work the mornings, every other the afternoons. When I work mornings we start at 6 end at 13.30, afternoons we start at 13.30 and end at 22.30.
I took a program called Industry that is a 3-year education. It works great, usually it leads to a job after graduation.
I started school, and the school has a collaboration with the company I'm working for, so doing good in school helped the company notice me. And then they wanted to hire me.
I had good grades, mostly B's but A's too. Everything I learned in school has been useful in my job. I hardly knew anything when I started. My favorite subject was Workshop technologies
and CNC. It's so much fun. Before I took the Trade program, but there I was unmotivated and felt that it was completely wrong.
So the next year I re-applied, I was here and thought it seemed cool, I started and it turned out to be the perfect decision.
- You have to remember that you need to follow with the angle here. - Right, there.
Right now I'm training for WorldSkills in Calgary, there I'll be competing as a CNC turner.
I will get a blueprint of a detail that I will need to make a program for, then programming it into a CNC turner and produce the correct pieces.
What's good about the job is that it's varied, challenging and well-paid. For me a good salary is important, then you can always do fun things in your spare time.
To get away from the work environment is good, because it can get too much which work, work, work, then train, train, train. And when you're sick of it, nothing works.
I put most of my salary aside, I'm saving for a quad bike that I thought I'd have some fun with in my free time.
In cooperation with:
Recorded 2009. Music: Samson for President.