same stuff, different day & how is pay now?

[Skypuppy]

In reading some of this board, I find that nothing has changed in the rent-a-tech industry. 
1. you're still griping about the low pay,  (remember, you are just overhead to the utility and they don't budget much for that.)
2. there are still tech shortages all over, but no one (Bartlett???) has used that to advantage in getting money and bennies up.
3. Thanks to IRM (Institute for Resource Management) way back in the beginning for low-balling bids and under the table payments to RPM's and utility contract people.
4. Thanks to IRM for selling us as low rent, low maintenance, non professional technicians.  Not even classified as semi-professionals, which is what we truly are.
5. thanks to all the rent-a-tech companies for knuckling under to the IRM picture image of us and lowballing bids.

I started in 1972 as 389-0288 article 108 qualified rad/con, then went to commercial hp in '76 and spent 16 years in a field with a tech half-life of 3 years.  The job was physically demanding back then.  During that 16 years, I moved up through mgmt, HP QA, and finally Rad Engineering, all as a contractor.   ok, my bona fides are out of the way.

Just curious, what does the average rent-a-tech earn nowadays?  Not counting per diem.  How many 18 day outages are there?  Can we even make enough money to live on, in this one field alone?

[Brett LaVigne]

In reading some of this board, I find that nothing has changed in the rent-a-tech industry. 
1. you're still griping about the low pay,  (remember, you are just overhead to the utility and they don't budget much for that.)
2. there are still tech shortages all over, but no one (Bartlett???) has used that to advantage in getting money and bennies up.
3. Thanks to IRM (Institute for Resource Management) way back in the beginning for low-balling bids and under the table payments to RPM's and utility contract people.
4. Thanks to IRM for selling us as low rent, low maintenance, non professional technicians.  Not even classified as semi-professionals, which is what we truly are.
5. thanks to all the rent-a-tech companies for knuckling under to the IRM picture image of us and lowballing bids.

I started in 1972 as 389-0288 article 108 qualified rad/con, then went to commercial hp in '76 and spent 16 years in a field with a tech half-life of 3 years.  The job was physically demanding back then.  During that 16 years, I moved up through mgmt, HP QA, and finally Rad Engineering, all as a contractor.   ok, my bona fides are out of the way.

Just curious, what does the average rent-a-tech earn nowadays?  Not counting per diem.  How many 18 day outages are there?  Can we even make enough money to live on, in this one field alone?

You gotta do the search thing dude. All of these items you mentioned are beat to death on a regular basis here. As it has always been, there are some that are making a good living and thankfull for it, those who make a good living and bitch about it, those that can't find enough work for what ever reason or have unrealistic expectations. Is it good to be a rent a tech? Depends on expectations and your vantage point. Good luck.

[Old HP]

As Brett mentioned above the job is what you make it.
I too started @1976 and worked for all the companies, some with great benefits and some with nothing more than a paycheck.
The outages have gotten shorter but the games have remained the same.
It can be VERY entertaining to watch management continue to make the same mistakes. However now and then you get to work with people that understand and appreciate what HPs do.

If you do decide to get back into the game have fun but be carefull....

[MeterSwangin]

Just curious, what does the average rent-a-tech earn nowadays?  Not counting per diem.  How many 18 day outages are there?  Can we even make enough money to live on, in this one field alone?

$28/hr is a pretty common midpoint, not counting diem.

18 day outages are rare.  Plants are aging, lots of issues.  The avg is 34 days now (skewed high by some SGRs and such.)

Lots of people still make a good living here.  But few admit it.  Griping is a roadie's right.

[hotmama]

Not much and no