New location within company?

[JeffS]

Hello all,

I currently work in San Antonio, Texas commuting 25 miles one way to my 65 hour a week job making $13.74 on straight pay and $20.61 on overtime. I am 23 and still rather inexperienced in aviation having only been in the job for about a year. To make more money in aviation, I need more experience (duh) and to get out of SA. I feel as if I am not getting the work experience that I need to advance and that there isn't much room to advance anyway. I am currently a C level mechanic, entry level; a class A mechanic here might make around $18 an hour. Leads make a little more and from there it's management. I was told by the head of HR that if I was interested in relocating to Lake Charles, LA, I would be guaranteed $17 an hour and I am assuming nearly as much OT. I could also relocate to Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, or Everett, Washington, but I only know the pay I could make in Lake Charles. They did say if I was seriously interested in relocating, they would send me to whichever location for two weeks so I do not end up stuck there if I hate it. It would be a permanent move unless relocation is something I want down the road.

Perks of SA:
Cheap rent. I pay $550 a month, bills included, for a bedroom in a 3br house, however it is far away
The facility I work at has EV quick charge spots that I get to use for free to charge my Chevrolet Volt (that I bought used, not very Mustachian but I did pay cash)
Overall spending in SA is $750 with about $250 for groceries for myself and my wife

Disadvantages of leaving SA:
Moving. Company will give a relocation package if I decide to go, but it's basically an advance since I will be paying it back. Not sure if I can match rent here.
HR lady mentioned that Lake Charles is an oil town and things are a little more expensive there. I've worked in oil towns, things tend to be much more expensive
Figuring it out with the wife, who has one year of school left.

If I maintain current OT hours at $17 an hour, I will be looking at grossing $13,000 more a year, or $68,000 a year. No OT, puts me at $35,000 but this job has always been made on the OT. Another thing that HR mentioned is that there is room to grow and grow fast at Lake Charles specifically.

Thoughts? Questions?
Thanks in advance

[JeffS]

Nothing?

[Papa bear]

Depends on your goals.  Sounds like if you want to max earnings at this company, you have to move.  Personally, I wouldn't move that far for a raise. 

Any other companies in San Antonio hiring for similar roles?  In many industries, you get your big pay bumps when leaving one company for another.  I can't speak for your industry as I have no experience working in or staffing it.

If it were me, though, I'd stay where you are and look at other places hiring. 


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[JeffS]

San Antonio isn't great for aviation pay. Bigger metro areas like Dallas and Houston would be better bets, but both of those are also pretty big moves. Boeing employees start out in the low $20s from what I've gathered but they have no stability and there are other companies but similar pay to where I am now.

Thanks for the input!

[LeRainDrop]

I was told by the head of HR that if I was interested in relocating to Lake Charles, LA, I would be guaranteed $17 an hour and I am assuming nearly as much OT. . . .If I maintain current OT hours at $17 an hour, I will be looking at grossing $13,000 more a year, or $68,000 a year. No OT, puts me at $35,000 but this job has always been made on the OT.

It sounds to me like the overtime pay is a big part of your compensation, so I certainly wouldn't make a decision to move on just "assuming" the overtime hours would be similar to what you get now.  This is definitely something you need to ask about -- preferably ask some mechanics who work at the Lake Charles location -- before you make any decision.

[MDM]

They did say if I was seriously interested in relocating, they would send me to whichever location for two weeks so I do not end up stuck there if I hate it.

Seems a good opportunity, regardless of whether you move now or not.  Why not try the two weeks - taking LeRainDrop's advice about talking with your potential peers while there - and see what you think?  Best if your wife can also come, even for only a weekend, and even if you have to pay for her plane ticket.

[JeffS]

I will probably do that and see if I can find out about the OT today. Just having experience on another aircraft goes a long way too. Thanks guys!

[ShoulderThingThatGoesUp]

Try the two weeks. Oil towns in exploration regions like Lake Charles probably aren't super expensive right now. Louisiana is pretty low-cost-of-living no matter what.

Picking a random COL calculator it does look like Lake Charles is slightly more expensive than San Antonio, but not by much. Link to the calculator I used. Equivalent salary to the $55k you're making now is shown as $59k, so if you could really make $68 it would definitely be a good move.

Room to grow is a good thing too! It sounds like corporate would really like you to move to Lake Charles, and doing what corporate wants can have downstream benefits.

[JeffS]

I've talked to a couple of guys here who have worked there for a road job and it sounds like the hours are still there. But they've slowed down a little from 100 hour weeks lol. They are pretty close in hours to where I am now. I'm waiting on HR to email me back. The wife also gave the go ahead, but she isn't thrilled. I'll fly her out while I'm out for two weeks.

When I checked the COL, SA looked more expensive, but I have cheap rent here. Another thing that's pushing me that way are rumors concerning our contract renewal here. People are uneasy. I will check in when I know more

[formerlydivorcedmom]

I grew up in a little town on the Texas side of the border.  One thing to beware of if you are planning to have kids - Louisiana public schools are, for the most part, terrible.   I knew several kids who lived in/around Orange, Texas and their parents commuted to work in Lake Charles.

For desirability, it's the Hill Country versus the swamp....both have advantages.  The swamp has mosquitoes.

Have you taken into account the fact that Louisiana has a state income tax and Texas doesn't?