The job market for fab engineers is horrible right now. Anybody considering taking a year or two off to recover from burnout and maybe learn some new skills, before hitting the job market?
My skills are mostly in fab. Is this a career kiss of death if I am early 50s? Any related field I could pivot to?
15 replies (most recent on top)
@ap No, MPC at OC8.
Job market is not horrible. It is horrible for us. You need to clarify. No ONE WANTS TO HIRE FORMER INTEL EMPLOYEES!
Started in 1991, left in 2016 during BK and 10nm disaster. I had enough to retire comfortably but took a year off at 52 and volunteered as a high school science fair judge, loved it, went back to school to get a teaching degree, which Intel paid for. Been teaching HS science for the last 6 years. No stress, decent salary that pays all bills, great health insurance, extra $700/month pension at 65. I really only work 4 hours a day and feel young. Going full retirement with the occasional substitute teaching to stay socially engaged. There are lots of things to do outside of semiconductors.
That’s a good excuse, pretend to be taking a year off after losing your job at Intel so nobody could tell that nobody will hire you because nobody’s looking for a technical skill set from the 1980’s with an Intel do nothing work ethic. Brilliant!
Taking a year off from an easy cushiony Intel job, which is like corporate welfare, meaning 90 percent of every team just pretends to be busy while 10 percent does all the work of the team? Sounds about right for an Intel employee mindset. Working is hard and stuff.
50 and in the market is going to be pretty much impossible. Take two years off and you won't work again. Unfortunately, any additional schooling won't pay off at your age.
Negative yes, but you need to the truth. We are in a bad labor market which is going to get much worse. 50 is also a long way off from retirement is will hurt you severely on your SS and any retirement accounts.
If I were to give advice to someone fresh out of college, assuming that they got a decent job in their major, is to work like he-l and sock money away assuming that you will be out on the street by 50. If it doesn't happen fine, but if it does you will be at least somewhat prepared.
By any chance were you a GL at the Ocotillo site?
What do you mean the job market is horrible? TSMC is hiring. NXP is hiring. Samsung is hiring. ASM is hiring. AMAT is hiring. LAM is hiring. ASML is hiring. There are plenty of fab jobs available.
I took a package and went back to school to become a CPA. I specialize in taxation and am very busy from the end of Each January until April 15th every year. That is when I make all my money for the year. Otherwise, I just check my email every few days and maybe spend an hour a week working.
It pays the bills and my stress level is zero.
I was in my mid 50's when I was laid off from Intel after a 20-year tenure. I too was burned out, and took a few months off before accepting a year contract position at another company. It was a terrible company to work for, so I left after a year and then took another 6-months off before going back to school to finish my degree.
I graduated last September and haven't had any luck finding work since, but I still have a healthy bank account and very little motivation to work at this point.
I'll find something else to do eventually, but all that time away combined with all the layoffs going around pretty much ended my career. The tech industry is dead to me at this point, no desire to return.
@a3 Manufacturing in OH su-ks. Took CPM last year and moved outside of CLE. It is way cheaper though and don't expect anything like FAB life. Lol Good luck!
Kiss of death. You will need insurance until you reach 65 so you will end taking a job at Costco or similar. Seen it happen multiple times in the last few years.
Not in fabs, but pushing 50, laid off, and this is exactly my plan. I am done caring if taking a break is the kiss of death or not. Had a close colleague get a terminal illness at 50something, and she worked until she physically couldn't. I don't know how many days I have left on this earth, but I do know that the big 5-0 has been a wake up call to make sure whatever time I do have, I spend it better than I have been. Which was lots and lots of meetings until today.
Consider moving to Michigan or Ohio. Plenty of union paying jobs stamping out auto parts
To clarify, asking if taking a year or two off will be kiss of death. Have enough money to get by