First, thank you to anyone who reads and attempts to advise and/or help me.
Let me start off by giving some background. I have been a Computer Tech for small businesses for most of 19 years. I have wanted to move on from that for most of that time.
Back in the day, several hundred years ago I took a vocational class for residential wiring. I later thought of changing my career from Computers to being an electrician so, I enrolled in to a local community college and took classes. I have 2 diplomas and I think 9 certificates relating to electrical and electronic courses.
During that time, I took a PLC class and loved it. Our school had the Allen Bradley 500 and 5000 set up on a contraption they built to simulate machinery. A metal box with buttons and switches and lights that we would make a program to based on the theme he gave us and test it accordingly. More details on this if requested, I don't want to bore anyone. Anyway, turns out I was VERY good at making the programs. Not trying to toot my own horn, but from what he tells me, I was the most advanced student he had up to that time and am still in the upper bracket now.
I decided I really wanted to write PLC programs as a career. I live in the middle of nowhere, but there is an industrial park here. Sadly though, the only jobs PLC related are for mechanics to make sure the program is running correctly while they fix the line. I want to create the programs from scratch for a company that puts lines in to factories and such.
Just as I was graduating in 2008, I had put my resume out and was contacted by a headhunter agency for a job close by. As they were about to hire me, the economy collapsed, and they put a hiring freeze out. I could not find a job in the country for PLC Programming and so went back to being a computer tech.
Recently, I have started looking back in to the idea and talked with my community college professor. He informed me that the same PLCs I learned on are still primarily in use with the same basic ladder logic. He doesn't think that I need any additional training considering how I picked it up in the past. However, he doesn't have any connections or contacts to assist me.
I have done numerous searches online and once again put my resume up. The issue is, I am having difficulty finding someone who is hiring for programming alone. And all the jobs I see want a lot more schooling along with years of experience. Does anyone have any suggestions of where I can look as far as companies or contacts to be a programmer? Relocation is not only not an issue, but desired. I am not happy where I live and would like the opportunity to move my family to greener pastures.
I apologize for the novel, but I believe in giving full information. Once again, any advice and/or help is appreciated. I very much want to make a career out of this.
Let me start off by giving some background. I have been a Computer Tech for small businesses for most of 19 years. I have wanted to move on from that for most of that time.
Back in the day, several hundred years ago I took a vocational class for residential wiring. I later thought of changing my career from Computers to being an electrician so, I enrolled in to a local community college and took classes. I have 2 diplomas and I think 9 certificates relating to electrical and electronic courses.
During that time, I took a PLC class and loved it. Our school had the Allen Bradley 500 and 5000 set up on a contraption they built to simulate machinery. A metal box with buttons and switches and lights that we would make a program to based on the theme he gave us and test it accordingly. More details on this if requested, I don't want to bore anyone. Anyway, turns out I was VERY good at making the programs. Not trying to toot my own horn, but from what he tells me, I was the most advanced student he had up to that time and am still in the upper bracket now.
I decided I really wanted to write PLC programs as a career. I live in the middle of nowhere, but there is an industrial park here. Sadly though, the only jobs PLC related are for mechanics to make sure the program is running correctly while they fix the line. I want to create the programs from scratch for a company that puts lines in to factories and such.
Just as I was graduating in 2008, I had put my resume out and was contacted by a headhunter agency for a job close by. As they were about to hire me, the economy collapsed, and they put a hiring freeze out. I could not find a job in the country for PLC Programming and so went back to being a computer tech.
Recently, I have started looking back in to the idea and talked with my community college professor. He informed me that the same PLCs I learned on are still primarily in use with the same basic ladder logic. He doesn't think that I need any additional training considering how I picked it up in the past. However, he doesn't have any connections or contacts to assist me.
I have done numerous searches online and once again put my resume up. The issue is, I am having difficulty finding someone who is hiring for programming alone. And all the jobs I see want a lot more schooling along with years of experience. Does anyone have any suggestions of where I can look as far as companies or contacts to be a programmer? Relocation is not only not an issue, but desired. I am not happy where I live and would like the opportunity to move my family to greener pastures.
I apologize for the novel, but I believe in giving full information. Once again, any advice and/or help is appreciated. I very much want to make a career out of this.