TheMachinist27
Plastic
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2021
Hey all. Posting this from an alt account for obvious reasons. I’d like some guidance from the seasoned minds of this forum.
TL;DR upfront: How do I, the now-only programmer, and manager of a machine shop, take the right steps to leave a company that I used to love?
Some background:
Starting as an operator, I have worked for my current employer for nearly 10 years, and have been serving as the main programmer for the last five. In the last year I’ve taken up about half of the shop manager’s role, as well. Another guy is technically the real shop manager and handles hiring/firing, talks with customers and just sees that work is being done.
In that same five years, five other programmers have come and gone, for different reasons. Some didn’t cut it, some were great but the company couldn’t hold on to them, for reasons of the usual such as pay, insurance etc., but our most recent loss really gets me.
Today the guy we hired several months ago, with 30 years of the right experience, put his notice in. Why is he leaving already? He can’t see a future for the place. We’re working with old equipment that’s worn out and will never be replaced, trying to move to high production work despite being a job shop. There’s no real investment in the machine shop and absolutely no long-term planning or goal. He’s moving to a job where he’s learning, running and programming two brand new machines, one of which being 5axis - on too of several dollars/hour raise and going from exorbitant to free health insurance. I’m absolutely thrilled for him, but it’s definitely made me do some thinking.
I guess where I’m at is I’m feeling like the idiot, for being the one out of six programmers that has stayed with the place. But seeing as how I’m now back to being the only programmer/half-manager, do all the work scheduling, helping operators set up jobs, assist job quotes… etc…. How does someone in my position go about leaving a company properly? I don’t know when or where but, I made my mind up that my time is coming soon. Where two years ago there was some hope that we would get probes on the mills, get into 5axis work, so on, that’s all gone now. I’m supposed to tell everyone that bemoans the state of things that it’s gonna get better… but I don’t believe it myself.
I love what this place used to be and it did a lot for me to get me started in the trade. The GM is my best friend and we’d do anything for each other as friends. But I feel like I just can’t live in this limbo of “it will get better” that we’ve been in for over a year.
So what should I do? Being in a vital role, how do I motion to leave the company?
TL;DR upfront: How do I, the now-only programmer, and manager of a machine shop, take the right steps to leave a company that I used to love?
Some background:
Starting as an operator, I have worked for my current employer for nearly 10 years, and have been serving as the main programmer for the last five. In the last year I’ve taken up about half of the shop manager’s role, as well. Another guy is technically the real shop manager and handles hiring/firing, talks with customers and just sees that work is being done.
In that same five years, five other programmers have come and gone, for different reasons. Some didn’t cut it, some were great but the company couldn’t hold on to them, for reasons of the usual such as pay, insurance etc., but our most recent loss really gets me.
Today the guy we hired several months ago, with 30 years of the right experience, put his notice in. Why is he leaving already? He can’t see a future for the place. We’re working with old equipment that’s worn out and will never be replaced, trying to move to high production work despite being a job shop. There’s no real investment in the machine shop and absolutely no long-term planning or goal. He’s moving to a job where he’s learning, running and programming two brand new machines, one of which being 5axis - on too of several dollars/hour raise and going from exorbitant to free health insurance. I’m absolutely thrilled for him, but it’s definitely made me do some thinking.
I guess where I’m at is I’m feeling like the idiot, for being the one out of six programmers that has stayed with the place. But seeing as how I’m now back to being the only programmer/half-manager, do all the work scheduling, helping operators set up jobs, assist job quotes… etc…. How does someone in my position go about leaving a company properly? I don’t know when or where but, I made my mind up that my time is coming soon. Where two years ago there was some hope that we would get probes on the mills, get into 5axis work, so on, that’s all gone now. I’m supposed to tell everyone that bemoans the state of things that it’s gonna get better… but I don’t believe it myself.
I love what this place used to be and it did a lot for me to get me started in the trade. The GM is my best friend and we’d do anything for each other as friends. But I feel like I just can’t live in this limbo of “it will get better” that we’ve been in for over a year.
So what should I do? Being in a vital role, how do I motion to leave the company?