Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

[emujo]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

IT companies will not hire a copier tech who dabbles on command prompt and understands Windows sharing.

Just as our industry is competitive more so is the IT industry with tens of thousands of Computer Science majors graduating every year with not only Bachelors but Masters Degrees.

I would suggest POS systems,CCTV surveillance, ATM technician something like that

Although I do a little more than "dabble" with command prompts....I would be out of my mind to think I could step into a medium/large IT company role and expect to survive, I do not have those necessary skills. I was pushing the gent into a more lucrative field within the MFP industry. A good working knowledge of AD/LDAP, scanning and document management, Different OS and sever platforms, and maybe a network + cert would be all that is needed to very easily roll into a solutions implementer. These are software packages we install with their IT support in most cases. When you are dragging 50, it's tough to be on your knees replacing copier parts, much nicer to be in a nice shirt/tie, in that 68 degree server room. Emujo

[RollingROARANDA]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

The US Department of Labor lists our career field as a "Field of Critical Need" with existing manpower being in excess of 10% below actual need. Additionally, they also project that between now and the year 2020, the need will increase an additional 15%.
Now add in this, the recent recession caused the wholesale reduction of techs in the field to the minimum required to get the job done. Those techs who were laid off, for the most part, have gone elsewhere.
The old guys are retiring. There goes that brain trust.
Lastly, when was the last time you saw an entry level technician? On my last team, our most junior technician was 12 years into the field. Think about it, almost all of the entry level workers are going into IT and bypassing the actual repair of the machines.
What all of this is leading to is a point in the near future when guys like us who know how to work on these machines and make them work will be very popular. The IT guy may be very good at what he does but ask him to put in a feed roll and he will most likely reply, "I don't do that".
The corollary is what is currently happening in American Manufacturing. Good luck at finding a competent machinist. They are very few and far between. And when one is found, bidding wars take place to get them. Here, a good machinist will bring down 90,000 a year.
In a very real sense, the same thing is beginning to happen with our field.
Since the beginning of the year, I have been contacted by 10 headhunters. One of them led to my current position with Lexmark. During all of these interviews, the one thing that constantly came out is that I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to the IT side of the business. Oh sure, I can enter addresses and the such, but my forte' is in the repair of extremely sophisticated electro-mechanical devices. And you know what, they all did not care about my lack of IT skills. They all needed someone who knew how to work on these boxes.
For myself, I have 10 years to retire and I have no plans for leaving the field. If what I have just experienced is any indication, the future is going to be very interesting.
Doug

This is a very interesting observation; it explains for the most part why I have so much respect for the senior service technician: I can implement managed solutions all day everyday, but when the machine breaks, I'm out of luck without the 20+ years of experience each of our service techs have!

[RollingROARANDA]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

I was pushing the gent into a more lucrative field within the MFP industry. A good working knowledge of AD/LDAP, scanning and document management, Different OS and sever platforms, and maybe a network + cert would be all that is needed to very easily roll into a solutions implementer. Emujo

In my company, senior service guy with 20+ years experience is more valued than the IT kid.. But the person who has both? They're playing on a different level. That's the guy I want to be someday...

[DAG COPIERS & COMPUTERS]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

In my company, senior service guy with 20+ years experience is more valued than the IT kid.. But the person who has both? They're playing on a different level. That's the guy I want to be someday...

ROARANDA, You have the correct vision of the industry's future, Carry on!. The 'Hard paper Industry' is in kind of 'upheaval' at the moment. The move to the 'paperless office' is slowly but surely becoming a reality. Improved technology is driving the machines towards very high reliability, more user friendliness and less maintenance. Reading 'off computer screen' as opposed to hard copy seem to be the preferred trend of the current and more possibly the future generation. The constantly and rapidly changing IT field is 'extorting a heavy toll' not only on the hard copy industry but also the techs who have to constantly update their knowledge and skills to keep abreast of these changes. Upgrading your skills to become a 'HYBRID' tech is the only sure way to keep relevant in this field now and in future. Good luck.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

Even if it's not copiers, there will always be electro-mechanical devices in need of fixin'. =^..^=

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

I suppose some of us start e-commerce sites and use some of the old skills to fix the shit that breaks down until we can get big enough to hire dedicated people to do that for us.

Actually I've been trying to learn how to write programs, learn about linux and different programs...it's really overwhelming! But I think I will be better off in the long run. Someday I'd like to have our own onsite dedicated servers and write our own coding so I think even hardware like copiers, printers, along with the new stuff I'm trying to cram into my brain will benefit me in the future.

[DAG COPIERS & COMPUTERS]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

I suppose some of us start e-commerce sites and use some of the old skills to fix the shit that breaks down until we can get big enough to hire dedicated people to do that for us.

Actually I've been trying to learn how to write programs, learn about linux and different programs...it's really overwhelming! But I think I will be better off in the long run. Someday I'd like to have our own onsite dedicated servers and write our own coding so I think even hardware like copiers, printers, along with the new stuff I'm trying to cram into my brain will benefit me in the future.

''Overwhelming'', is the right word to use in this instance. It is indeed ...'really overwhelming'.

[logrady2331]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

In the last twenty five years I have worked everywhere from one tech mom and pops to mega dealers and have done it all form street tech to GM. I work at a smal company now and do all the IT stuff myself. Granted, it isn't break-fix on servers, just scan to e-mail, scan to FTP, SMB, IP printing,etc. I do install swithes, hubs and cabling when needed. I get half the IT install fee that we used to pay to our third party IT provider. In short, I learned what I had to know to be able to do the IT part of it and I am better off for it. I have been offered three different positions at some big companies here and have turned them all down.

[Hansoon]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

Granted, it isn't break-fix on servers, just scan to e-mail, scan to FTP, SMB, IP printing,etc. I do install swithes, hubs and cabling when needed.

Yep that's exactly the my scope of work too. But I'm still afraid of servers though I know I'll have to start with it one day.

Is it really that complicated?

Hans

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

It's like anything, once you start to get rid of the "unknown mystery" of something it starts to make sense and you get more comfortable and better at it.

There's a free linux based operating system called unix that I was curious about that's used to basically make a network storage device. I thought it would be complicated but once I saw a 15 minute video on youtube by a network person I realized that it was actually quite simple and not that big of a mystery.

I recommend typing questions you have in search engines or on youtube and looking for videos. For me seeing something is easier and once I start to see how something works, it ends up being easier to understand and that mystery fear factor goes away.

Yep that's exactly the my scope of work too. But I'm still afraid of servers though I know I'll have to start with it one day.

Is it really that complicated?

Hans

[Jules Winfield]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

There's a free linux based operating system called unix.

Linux is based on Unix, not the other way around...

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

haha...see the details are in my head I just haven't properly indexed them yet.

Linux is based on Unix, not the other way around...

[mattchall]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

I have been an Electronics Technician for just shy of 30 years now. Started out as an audio/video bench tech and have done pretty much everything form CATV installs to network support. Most of my years were spent working on office equipment; Olympia typewriters, Brother, HP and Lexmark printers and MFP's. After the demise of the VCR and the proliferation of disposable equipment in the early/mid 2000's, I felt my career was in an unrecoverable tailspin, so I started taking courses in, and playing around with, Linux based systems and web design. Nothing really came of it as the starting wages were even lower than what I was earning servicing printers, but the knowledge and experience gained would later serve me well. In 2010 I found a job supporting the Canadian Military at Kandahar Air Field, AFGHANISTAN, servicing everything from pagers to copiers to CCTV systems; pretty much all the types of equipment I had worked with over the years. It was by far the most interesting and challenging year of my work life, and next to raising my kids, the most important thing I have done. On my return, I figured I would have it made, however, the worldwide economic slump proved me wrong. I found work almost a year later earning less than I made before I went over. The job did provide me with another learning experience as I became involved in supporting Nortel/Avaya small business phone systems as well as CCTV surveillance systems for a chain of tire stores spread over western and northern Ontario (a very large district to cover; 12 hour drive one way on some calls). I came to the conclusion that if I was to start making a decent wage, I would have to relocate to the oilsands in northern Alberta, once again taking far from home. I managed to find work with a division of Xerox where I am embedded with the IT department of one of the oil companies; the money is very good and I have the respect and trust of the IT team, as well as all the support and backing I could wish for from Xerox. I consider myself very fortunate as I am well aware of the issues facing our trade in these times. I would have to stress, as others have stated here, that IT skills are imperative; get your A+, Net+, PDI+ and CCNA. IT tech despise working on hardware, as a rule, so if you can act as an interface between the server/application level and the MFP devices, you should be OK. I have to admit that being away from my kids (and my grand daughters!!!) is hard and can be very lonely at times, but I am glad I made the decision. I play bagpipes, and have joined the local Legion pipe band, so I am starting to meet people here, and have also started flying lessons, a lifelong dream which I can sort of afford now (it should take about a year, I hope). Keep learning, improve your skill set, look for opportunities that may not seem obvious and be prepared to sacrifice a bit, and you will find your niche! Good luck and Illegitimum non carborundum!!!

[Dixie]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

Feel for your predicament buddy, but its not much fun being a printer at the moment either. I worked as a book printer for 25 years, then the company closed... thanks to short sighted publishers going to the far east for cheap prices. Now have a konica 6500 and a 2 col litho plus some finishing kit and it sure is tough trying to make it pay. But I will make it pay and hope better times return! Good luck to you.

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Re: Where do Ex-Copier tech's go ?

True true, certifications can be the deciding factor many times in who gets the job. I recall a time or two over the years where someone got a position instead of me just because they have already taken the certification test or passed at least one part of a multi-part exam. A rare few employers were just like, here's a test problem just fix it, or if you can do a,b,c; then you get the job. Those were the cool ones and not too many of them out there. I remember two potential employers that had made up some kind of homemade "test" where something needed to be done in excel. I was excel certified at the time but if you've ever used excel you know that it's a pretty intense can do a ton of stuff program. The people there had been using it since the dawn of time and could run circles around me, and knew all the shortcuts too. I'd say now-a-days, most people should be pretty good with Microsoft Office, you never know when you'll need to do something with it; even if it's making an office document print properly on the machine.