Re: How to make it as a Gunsmith
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ledzep</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That is a very real possibility. My grandparents live in Blackhawk and I really like the area. I'm pretty sure you're the shop my grandpa has told me about.
Hypothetically as the man in charge of such a shop, are you looking for competency or is schooling in the subject area a requirement? Is there room for otj training?
I'm wondering if its appropriate to go to a gunsmithing school directly after my EAS, or to get a degree in something like mechanical engineering. </div></div>
Since you asked, I'll reply. My answers may offend some. Just know its based on personal experiences. It's nothing personal and obviously it doesn't apply to everyone.
First: I have a very, very, very cynical, jaded opinion of trade schools. -er, I mean skewelz.
As the manager of Anschutz I was given a top level, 1st year graduate from the Trinidad course. All the guy wanted to do was argue about everything. "Well, my instructors didn't teach it to us that way. . ."
-Nevermind that the owner of the business was Neal Johnson who was one of the GODS of all things smallbore/Olympic shooting and he's who taught me. Translate that into 40+ years of experience. His son David Johnson is the US National Team Rifle Coach at the Olympic Training Center in COS.
As the old saying goes: "Those who can, DO. Those who can't, TEACH."
Move forward several years:
As the manager of Nesika I was given 6 top level graduates from the CO School of Trades. Within 2 years 3 had been either fired or run off. Three stuck with it and have flourished.
So there's my experience on the matter. I can tell you this much. Trade schools exist to provide you a basic education on a profession. It gets you the vocabulary and some basic skills to build off of. The selling point they use is to promise job placement upon graduation. They tout salaries as starting in the $40K range.
That's utter bullshit. I promise you. This trade has pitiful wages when your starting out. Mine were around $240/week. As a manager I made between $30-$50K/year.
That's it.
As many have eluded to, ownership is where many try to go. I can tell you this much. It's very, very tough. Margins are razor thin. Employees are very expensive to retain. My guys take home way more than I do. All I seem to do is exchange bigger sums of money.
When I'm recruiting someone, I look for a student minded individual who's willing to work hard because he/she "gets it." They need to be passionate about what they do. They need to recognize when someone with more experience is trying to show them something instead of constantly trying to reinvent the wheel. -It's a bolt action rifle. Treat it as such. Don't lay in bed at night trying to dream up a flux capacitor recoil lug design.
Focus instead on the processes/procedures at hand and when the opportunity arises to improve, seize it and capitalize. It'll get you much further in life than dreaming up wigits.
Multiple brain cells are always better. I learn stuff from other people all the time.
Just like in the Corps, being dependable is #1 for any employer. I dont' expect 15 minutes prior, but that doesn't mean come in 2 hours late either. Keep the damn cell phone in the car. Texting while chambering a barrel aggrevates the shit out of me. It's just unprofessional and if you %uck up a barrel it gives me a big ol silver bullet to shoot at you. -regardless of whether or not its really your fault. . .
Know this and save yourself some big headaches. Regardless of what you do understand the civilian work force is a polar opposite of the Marine Corps.
One is that the world owes you something. It doesn't. Ever wonder why there's a plethora of SGT Majors and Gunny's that can't get a good job? They are untrainable. How does a guy go from being a Company Gunny to "just an employee" at a business? It's very, very tough.
My Dad is a retired Chief Master Sgt. There's more Colonels in the AF than there are Chiefs. 30+ years. He struggles holding basic jobs yet he has degrees in electrical engineering fields. Very smart guy, but after running entire nuclear missile wings, its tough having to listen to someone half your age who doesn't give two shits what you did in the former life.
I struggled with it for a good 3 years after leaving the Marines. The sooner you come to terms that you don't know much in the eyes of an employer the sooner you'll start learning and being successful. The skills you have are largely the intangible ones. Being on time, professional, honest, etc.
Stick to those and just learn a skill at the pace provided to you. Be aggressive on the learning curve and within 5 years you'll be sorting things out on your own.
SF and good luck.
C.
