Alrighty fellow Lanys...
Please allow me to strut my stuff! Ya'll prob know this part, I am a mom of 3 boys, I worked a crappy ass job unloading trucks at Target for $8 an hour. Needless to say, we live paycheck to paycheck. My hubby picks up the slack, but it is still very tight. We make due. I use to make the money- but then he was layed off. I tried going back to college, well you just can't do it when you have 3 little ones at home and are working 50+ a week. I didn't make it threw, felt like a failure- but then realized at this point in my life, my kids were #1. Got the crappo job, but in return I think I have brought up 3 very smart, very thoughtful, very decent young men. I've been there for drop offs, pick ups, and every game inbetween. For our family, thats what we needed to do.
Ok, now 7 months ago I applied at Mittal Steel. Each month I got false hope, go for this test, then nothing. Now this test, nothing. Now this interview, nothing, a physical, nothing. A drug test, nothing, more interviews, nothing. Talk about making a person crazy!
Well, it has paid off! This past monday I started my new life as a steelworker! I work at Arcelor Mittal steel in the Hot Strip Mill! WOOOOHOOOO.
This is beyond amazing. I could never of imagine this in my entire life. I have blown any salary I use to make out of the water! PLUS this company is giving me FREE health, dental and vision for my whole family. They have a huge incentive bonus (my mill ran at 35% this week, crap thats like another paycheck). They have pensions, 401k, the union, profit sharing, life insurance, shift difference. I cannot phathom what my first check will look like. You gotta remember, my last paycheck that was for 2 weeks was under $400. Yeah, that small. This is absolutely HUGE for us!
I am not sure what I will do in the mill (still in training). I am leaning towards being a crane operator. Hell, I will shovel shit for this, so it really doesn't matter. I do know that my mill takes huge rectangular slabs of steel and runs them threw down to 1/2 inch diameter and coils them up. Ever see the trucks on the highway with the huge steel coils... we make those.
I also have been told I will be a blob of oil and grease when my shift is over. Also been told it is very dangerous work too. Saw it when we went threw the mill the other day, the steel going flying by and is bright red and the heat radiates from it. The saftey classes really enforce being safe and watching your ass.
Once I am done with training we work a 12 hour shift. 7am to 7pm for 4 days. 4 days off. 7pm to 7am then 4 days off, rotating threw the year. I get half the year off!
Sooooo, there ya have it! Took me 34 years, but finally I got the job I will have until I retire. Hot damn!! There ya have it- (can you tell I have a kool-aid smile going on?) Just wanted to share it with you all!
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