T
thrown-track
Guest
Hello everyone,
I am a former US Marine tanker (M60A3 & M1A1) who has spent the last 18 years in the auto and defense industries at the assembly plant level. I worked for Chrysler Newark Assembly as an MCS and as a departmental shop steward in the UAW. Then I went to United Defense (later BAE Systems) as a Bradley Fighting Vehicle mechanic in the USWA. I am pretty sick of the instability and the lay-offs. In 2006 I decided to go back to school and obtained an Associates of Business Management from HACC. Since 2011 I have been attending Embry-Riddle and I am three classes away from a Bachelor's of Technical Management-Logistics. After this I am going right into my Master's of Transportation & Logistics with a CTL track.
So, I've been a leader in both the Marines and the UAW, I am very familiar with labor relations (having sat on two contract negotiation committees), I am so NOT afraid of outdoor, dirty, nasty, sweaty, gritty work in any weather condition or time of day. So I am entertaining the notion of leaving the defense industry and seeking a career with the railroads after I graduate. Since I know next to nothing about railroading, except what little they teach here in college, I was hoping all the seasoned, salty veterans on here can advise me as whether this path is even worth going down or not. I've looked at the webpages for both CSX and NS with regards to their management trainee program and, of course, these pages paint a pretty corporate picture. I've been union to long to be chickenschitt so I know all about corporate spin. I want the truth from any of you who have been there and done that whether you be union or management. Please gimme the lowdown on life along the rails.
I am a former US Marine tanker (M60A3 & M1A1) who has spent the last 18 years in the auto and defense industries at the assembly plant level. I worked for Chrysler Newark Assembly as an MCS and as a departmental shop steward in the UAW. Then I went to United Defense (later BAE Systems) as a Bradley Fighting Vehicle mechanic in the USWA. I am pretty sick of the instability and the lay-offs. In 2006 I decided to go back to school and obtained an Associates of Business Management from HACC. Since 2011 I have been attending Embry-Riddle and I am three classes away from a Bachelor's of Technical Management-Logistics. After this I am going right into my Master's of Transportation & Logistics with a CTL track.
So, I've been a leader in both the Marines and the UAW, I am very familiar with labor relations (having sat on two contract negotiation committees), I am so NOT afraid of outdoor, dirty, nasty, sweaty, gritty work in any weather condition or time of day. So I am entertaining the notion of leaving the defense industry and seeking a career with the railroads after I graduate. Since I know next to nothing about railroading, except what little they teach here in college, I was hoping all the seasoned, salty veterans on here can advise me as whether this path is even worth going down or not. I've looked at the webpages for both CSX and NS with regards to their management trainee program and, of course, these pages paint a pretty corporate picture. I've been union to long to be chickenschitt so I know all about corporate spin. I want the truth from any of you who have been there and done that whether you be union or management. Please gimme the lowdown on life along the rails.
