Engineer/Technician
(Male, Age 46) from ALLSTON, MA
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Male aged 46 who works as a Engineer/Technician in ALLSTON, MA. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Engineer/Technician |
|---|---|
| Salary | $90,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 40 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | ALLSTON, MA |
| Years Experience | 8 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work for a public transit authority in a major us city. It has over 10,000 employees.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I install, and service all hvac equipment, all fire protection system piping, and valves and controls , and all pneumatic piping,valves,and controls on all air compressors and air dryers, located in all of the subway stations,communication/computer rooms,and other various sites in the tunnels to many to name. also all train yards,train garages, bus barns, bus garages, and all employee offices, locker rooms, bathrooms, lunchrooms etc….
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
health& dental,ins./ 3 weeks vac. / 12 sick days a year, and 401
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
well
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
yes, and it’s nice to have a helping hand,and for safety purposes too.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
the underground tunnels are very dangerous,dark,dirty,damp,and deceiving. the 5 f’s all in one.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 1
Benefits: 2
Hours: 3
Co-Workers: 5
Supervisors: 7
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 6
The Actual Work: 4
A day in the life of…
Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:
| 5am to 6am | |
| 6am to 7am | |
| 7am to 8am | start work at 7am, all co-workers and I receive job orders for that morning from foreman, detailing job location, and problems with that particular call or calls. begin the process of gathering work trucks, and proper tools, and parts needed for job |
| 8am to 9am | start heading to job site with partner, or by yourself which could vary from a couple of minutes to over an hour, depending on traffic, and location of job. |
| 9am to 10am | usually arrive and scope out the location, and equipment site for that job,unload tools and parts from truck to job site. will also stop for a 15 minute coffee break. |
| 10am to 11am | this is usually the busiest part of the day, when your applying your expertise on fixing, or installing such equipment. also might be making stock list if needed. |
| 11am to 12pm | continue on operation and support with the equipment and or getting parts for such project. checking operation |
| 12pm to 1pm | this is the wash up and lunch break period any were from 30 to 60 minutes depending on severity of previous or next job, in contact with foreperson to give update on morning, and or receive additional job orders |
| 1pm to 2pm | continue with the completion, and field testing of service call job’s equipment, and clean up of site and re loading the truck with tools from previous jobsite. |
| 2pm to 3pm | start heading back to the office/yard to unload the truck of tools and parts, also this is clean-up, and re-fueling trucks and a 15 afternoon coffee break is taken here. |
| 3pm to 4pm | this is the personal clean-up time for yourself,also conversing with foreman on days results, and your paperwork must be completed detailing the days job or jobs. we are done at 3:30 we punch out and head home. |
| 4pm to 5pm | your day is done! |
| 5pm to 6pm | |
| 6pm to 7pm | |
| 7pm to 8pm | |
| 8pm to 9pm | |
| 9pm to 10pm | |
| 10pm to 11pm | |
| 11pm to 12am |
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
placed by my union business agent, LUCKY,LUCKY!!
What was the application process?
see above answer
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
all refers to above answers
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
n/a
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
on the safety part, yes and they continue constantly with training, on the technical side i already was prepared from experience.
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
only safety courses for the job, but you must hold state trade licences for your field.
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
you need the proper trade school hours, and hours in the field just to be able to qualify to take the state exams for the various trade licences i currently hold
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
yes,with out a doubt
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
first must be in the union for my trade, second to be placed at work at my job you must have either family, political, or wait till your name comes up after signing the list at your union, some wait over 20 years.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
first to get in the union, you must apply at union hall, and to get in is very,very,very hard,you must usually have an older family member that is already in the union, or wait about 5-10 years, and get lucky. then you must have 5 years of going to night union trade school, while working 5 years apprenticeship in the day for a union company. and to have one of the 25 or so coveted positions that i have been placed in by my union,(you don’t apply to the company, and to get the position, you are placed by one of the union elected officials,it is rotated after your choice is placed) and you pretty much have to be the son/daughter of the business manager,or business agent, or organizer of your union, or if you have direct contact with JESUS CHRIST himself, I am very, very, VERY!! fortunate to have one of these 25 jobs out of the over 5,000 union members in my local.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
you must be mechanically inclined, hard working, healthy, and willing to grasp new knowledge every day
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
start in the residential hvac or pipefitting field, and keep progressing by taking advantage of free schooling, and entry level apprenticeship jobs most local small oil/gas hvac companies offer, at a smaller pay scale. you can expect 1 to 2 dollar raises each year for your first 5-7 years working.
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
yes, been at it for over 28 years and have about 16 or so left
What are your current career goals?
i am experiencing it, very happy were i am
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
it is a very good paying job both union and non-union, is in constant demand, is needed year round for heat/ac, and your always moving forward, learning and helping others
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | technician | 5 years | 80000 | all hvac service and installations |
| Prior Job 2 | union hvac | 5 years | 50000 | same as above |
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