Quote:
Originally Posted by Control tech11
Is there anything like this out there for electrical? I am a motor controls specialist.
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All areas of certification are covered in
NICET's website here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kansoku
What's the entrance pay with 2 years of technical school? Why is this job so unpopular and hence have so much job openings?
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From the press release of the 2010 salary survey.
2010 Salary Survey
The report above is accurate. A new graduate can expect between $30 and $35k and since many of these companies are union companies you can expect equal in benefits.
One area that continues to amaze me is
Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems
Not a glamorous job, probably a career you didn't know existed, but there are plenty of jobs right now.
Google
nicet sprinkler inspection jobs
There's hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs available like this
fire sprinkler inspectors job in Sacramento.
Quote:
Job title:Field Fire Sprinkler/Alarm Inspector
Job location: Sacramento, CA 99999 United States
Date posted: 08/01/12
Job type: Full-Time
Compensation: Telgian offers a full benefit package which includes:
• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive medical, dental, life and disability benefits
• 401(k) / profit sharing plan
• Flexible spending account
• Supplemental insurance
• Bonus opportunities
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I am going to guess between $50 and $65k in Sacramento and since nearly all these companies offer commissions I think adding another $10 to $20k would be relatively easy for someone willing to work hard.
But under Job Requirements we run into this:
Quote:
Qualified candidates must have:
A minimum of 2 years of field fire inspection experience
The ability to travel Monday-Friday
NICET II certification in Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems and/or Fire Alarm preferred
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I know the company, excellent reputation and good employer. Excellent benefit package.
This has already been talked about in another thread but there is that word "preferred".
They say it is "preferred" but being in the industry for over 35 years I can assure you it is a requirement. They say preferred because if someone has a Level I they will hire him on with the understanding he will obtain the Level II in a few months.
Who requires a minimum Level II to inspect? Most state fire marshals, like
Florida,
Texas,
Georgia (Georgia requires a Level III) and
Washington State for examples but there are dozens of others as well.
And then there are the insurance companies that really drive this. I've inspected facilities with insured values exceeding $500 million which isn't really that much money if you walk through refinery in Houston, Texas. The fact is a facility that is insured for less than $20 million is pretty small.
There are thousands of sprinkler systems protecting these facilities and insurance underwriters need to know they have been regularly inspected by someone who is qualified and, if not, they will either cancel the insurance or raise the rates through the roof. By raising I have seen threats of raising the rate from $0.20/$100 valuation to $1.60/$100 valuation which if the facility is insured for $40 million is enough of an increase to get anyone's attention really fast. Imagine your insurance bill going from $80,000 to $640,000 overnight. This makes our inspections look pretty cheap.
So the job in Sacramento is looking for a Level II or III but what might surprise you as of February 23, 2012 there were a total of 21 Level II's and 8 Level III's for a total of 29 qualified people in the entire state.
As of February 23, 2012 there were 2,249 Level II's and 840 Level III's in the United States. If you were to call that company with the job in Sacramento, tell them you had either a Level II or III I can guarantee they would talk to you right then and there. Someone would get on the telephone, a real live person, because they know with only 29 qualified people in the state the chances of talking to another one are slim and non.
The state with the highest level of certified inspectors? It's Texas which stands to reason when you consider refineries. Some refineries are so large they can keep a couple inspectors employed full time for the rest of their lives.
Of all the community colleges in the country there is only one I am aware of,
Bates Community College in Olympia, Washington,that offers a two year course. At the end you graduate with Level I and all the written tests required for Level II. All you need to do is find a job for six months (that is where the "preferred" comes in, and the Level II is automatically issued. Companies will hire a Level I just so they don't end up somewhere else.
Some companies still offer training. Most people might pass
this trainee job in Houston but the company is an excellent company to work for, a little low on the pay side but they do have world class benefits for a family man or woman, and once you obtain Level II certification you'd never have to worry about being unemployed again. I am very serious about that, I meant never be worried again about being out of a job. With a total of five years experience (Level III) finding a job paying $25 to $40/hr is easy. Lots of em given the low numbers of qualified people.
If you look for a school you need to see NICET on the course somewhere. Lots of courses offered in "fire service" but it is important you recognize we are not fire service related. Fire service jobs won't help you in this field.
We are so small schools won't even look at us for training so we end up in a state of perpetual severe shortage of qualified people which is fine with me.
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