Retiring from Air Force...

[jdwolfert]

Guys/Gals,
I am retiring from the Air Force in two months and want nothing more than to start a career with UPS. I would love to be to become a package driver someday but by reading your boards I understand I must pay my dues first. Am I correct in assuming I should try and get on as a part time package handler first? Then what? Thanks in advance SMSgt Dan Wolfert

 

[afups]

Hope you enjoy your retirement...you deserve it. I retired after 24 yrs in 75. I always admired UPS after reading a great article in Time magazine back in the 50s. Got on with UPS in 76 as a clerk in a newly formed district office. Promoted into management in 79. Retired from UPS in 1991. It was the best move I ever made in my life. Good luck to you and your family.

 

[my2cents]

First off, congratulations on your pending retirement! No doubt it is well-earned and deserved. A new career at UPS would be a smooth transition from military life. I can say that from personal experience because I'm ex-USAF myself. (Served five years active duty, with one tour in Minot, N.D. and the other at RAF Upper Heyford in the U.K. Separated as a buck SGT.) Given your high rank and experience, you should consider a management position. Chances are you may have to start out package handling and then on to driving, which would give you understanding of how the operation works. IMO, I think UPS would benefit most from your managerial skills gained as a wily NCO. If you are stationed stateside, consider visiting the UPS center closest to your base and have a chat with the Human Resources manager. Like the military, I believe UPS is always on the lookout for a "few good men." Good luck and thanks for your dedicated and distinquished service to our great country!

 

[steamheat]

How long are you willing to wait for a driving job to become open? Be advised, in some areas that can take as long as 13 years.

 

[dannyboy]

If you are not tied to comming back into the states, you might find better options over seas. I would very actively go after a career with UPS. It has its faults, but over all is a great place to work. And as has been said, you have proven management skills, use them!

d

 

[upsdude]

Be sure to obtain a UPS job in an area you are willing to live in, for a very long time. No transfers. You could move around in a management job, but hourly, forget it. Good luck to you! One of the newer outside hires in my building is ex AF, excellent worker!

 

[downtowner]

SMSgt, I worked 11 yrs as a part timer waiting for the opportunity to be a service provider (pkg car driver). In those 11 yrs I saw countless new hires (year and less) go into supervision. They are part time supervisor positions, but do lead into full time based on merit.

 

[dannyboy]

In some centers that might be a fast track, but it would be rare. At a 6 to one hire ratio, your chances are better staying hourly. And in most cases, unless you have special skills that UPS can use, you will most likely have to drive at least a year or so before you land a full time management position. In some areas it does not take that long to get full time. Some areas it might be easier to get into feeders at a younger age. Have some feeder drivers that are in their mid to late 20's that drop off here, while our building, you would have to have at least 10 years delivery before you get a chance at feeders. Jump in, keep your eyes open for opertunities, and GO FOR IT!

d

 

[jdwolfert]

Great info. Right now I am 40 and in great physical shape (just aced my PT exam) But I do wonder if I could handle working the line till I am 50.

I see if I go in has package handler it is only $8.50 an hour. Does it get better? Are there full time union package handlers?

Lastly I am moving to Carlisle, PA and I found to UPS centers close by, Harrisburg and Chambersburg does anyone have a recommendation on which I might fare better at? Thanks for the Great info -- Dan

 

[dannyboy]

In our area we have two centers that are about 30 miles appart. When they have man power shortages they sometimes call on part timers from the other building in an emergency. Might look into that if they have it. Most PT here have a crack at full time within 4-6 years, mostly as drivers, as many of our drivers seem to be opting for the inside full time work, even though it means a $8-10 cut in pay.

You could work somewhere else in addition to the part time work at UPS until you get your break.

d PS 40? ya just a young thing!

 

[upslocal480]

Wow I didn't think an hourly employee in one building could work in another. I wish they'd do that here. We are 30 minutes away from hub so it would work out great. I wish I could work on my shift here and go work the midnight shift at the hub for more hours because we don' have a midnight shift here. I worked both shifts allot when I was actually working in that hub.

 

[qcd]

Dan - You should look for a large center that is not a hub. In a hub you will be one of a thousand part-timers waiting for a full-time job. Best bet is a center that serves a metropolitan area. There they will have part-time air driver jobs many part-time insiders won't qualify for. We have had insiders win full-time bids in under a year and an air driver win a bid into feeders when no full timers drivers took it.

 

[jdwolfert]

QCD, Great advice. How do I find out if Harrisburg is a hub?

 

[ups_vette]

jdwolfert....The Harrsburg building is a major hub with 3 delivry centers and over 100 feeder drivers. So there would be a lot more jobs available. However, there are well over 700 part timers workng there, (hub, car washer, clerk, air driver, etc.)
so you would be far down the list when looking to go full time.

The Chambersburg building is a 25 driver center with part time perload and reload shifts, in addition to part time car washer. Therefore, there are not as many opportunities to go full time, but there are less people looking for the full time jobs.

 

[upslocal480]

I've also heard that the quickest way to advance at UPS is to work in a small hub. Big hubs take longer because of the huge number of employees and small extended centers such as mine only offer driving jobs. We have no combo jobs. The smaller hubs have everything a big hub has but usually have the scenarios ups vette spoke of. Allot of people that want to drive wish they had worked in a center like mine because it only takes 4-6 years but anyone else that would rather have more options prefers a small hub because of combo jobs and the possibility of getting lucky with feeders like ups vette said.

 

[jdwolfert]

UPS VETTE, Sounds like your very familiar with the area I am moving to thanks for the info on the centers. Do P/T package handlers stay at $8.50 an hour or do they move up?

What is the P/T management about? (salary?)

Thanks to all who provided me info.

 

[upslocal480]

$8.50/hr and then $9.00/hr after 90 days and then $0.50 raise after a year and so on. 2 years ago when I asked about pt/sup salary I was told by a recruiter at the college that they average 1300.00/month but I'm not sure about that. They were also puting flyers in campus mailboxes that day advertising the jobs at UPS and the flyer said if you average how many hours per week a pt/sup typically works then you come up with like $12.00+hr but I later found out differently. I guess it depends on where you work.