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slang · 02-20-2020, 12:56 PM

I finished up my contract at Newport news shipbuilding Friday, February 14.

As it turned out the job was not a very good fit with my skill set. My expertise is using the UGNX software to create designs. Most of the contracts that I work 80 or 90% of my energy is spent creating mechanical designs.

Design work at the shipyard entails about 10% of your effort creating designs and about 90% of your effort preparing, planning and scheduling your particular parts. The great majority of one’s time is spent on manufacturing, installation and compliance concerns in a an end product with millions of parts and specific instructions.

The work as experienced from outsiders like me is tedious and requires endless research on softwares that are old and proprietary. There are often no key word search options so that raw data must be sifted through one’s own inexperienced eyes. 100 page long reference documents are not uncommon.

The module of UGNX is a specific version, the shipbuilding module. The very basics of this module and it’s functioning are completely different from the standard design, assembly, drafting and manufacturing modules.

We all know what the standard positions and controls are for all cars. The steering wheel, pedals, doors, engine etc. Most people are very good at driving a car in a standard configuration.

Now let’s imagine a “shipyard” configured car. One can’t even start it because thing are configured differently. Imagine a start process that begins with inserting the ignition key not in the standard ignition but your left ear. And then flipping open the glove box and pushing that little light as if it’s a button. ONLY THEN does the car start.

If you are acclimated to the shipyard system and that’s all you have ever known, it’s fine. It’s normal. Here at the shipyard anyway.

If you are an outsider you need to ask how to do those things you have been doing on the outside for decades. The workflow has so many steps and variables that one could “guess” how to do something for weeks before discovering “how it’s done at the shipyard”.

The documentation and instructions are long and detailed but updates in software and policies have changed very specific explanation steps and menus into a maze of more confusion. The docs say click “this” but there is now a menu where “this” is not shown but there is a drop down with 15 options that you are completely unfamiliar with.

There are approximately 60 steps that you are responsible for in the process from start to finish. Policy could easily change every few weeks making your last project that was successfully released then, completely irrelevant now.

The slightest error requires intervention from someone guiding you over your shoulder and another someone in another building taking over your computer remotely. And a phone call to some other group, all at the same time.

Getting all these people together at one time to assist you is difficult. No one will participate unless the others are at the ready now too.

On top of ALL that, I’m a contractor so I only get the really tough work because I’m so much more expensive than the other “designers”.

My exit there was graceful and I did what I could to set the new people taking over my work, the best chance for success. Flowcharts, explanations, where everything could be found and such.

My boss gave me a big hug on the way out and told me I did a great job with the chaos but the direct hires were so much better for the company long term.

They gave me regular opportunities to go direct but that’s just not for me.

So now? Just waiting for my next assignment.

Oh, I did want to say also that the people there at NNS were always patient and helpful. They all are committed to a great working environment of teamwork and optimism. In the offices and the yard, all great and helpful to me and I’m grateful.

The work, on the other hand, is the worst I’ve ever dealt with. Shitty and unabating.

02-20-2020, 12:56 PM	#17
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	My Diatribe - NNS I finished up my contract at Newport news shipbuilding Friday, February 14. As it turned out the job was not a very good fit with my skill set. My expertise is using the UGNX software to create designs. Most of the contracts that I work 80 or 90% of my energy is spent creating mechanical designs. Design work at the shipyard entails about 10% of your effort creating designs and about 90% of your effort preparing, planning and scheduling your particular parts. The great majority of one’s time is spent on manufacturing, installation and compliance concerns in a an end product with millions of parts and specific instructions. The work as experienced from outsiders like me is tedious and requires endless research on softwares that are old and proprietary. There are often no key word search options so that raw data must be sifted through one’s own inexperienced eyes. 100 page long reference documents are not uncommon. The module of UGNX is a specific version, the shipbuilding module. The very basics of this module and it’s functioning are completely different from the standard design, assembly, drafting and manufacturing modules. We all know what the standard positions and controls are for all cars. The steering wheel, pedals, doors, engine etc. Most people are very good at driving a car in a standard configuration. Now let’s imagine a “shipyard” configured car. One can’t even start it because thing are configured differently. Imagine a start process that begins with inserting the ignition key not in the standard ignition but your left ear. And then flipping open the glove box and pushing that little light as if it’s a button. ONLY THEN does the car start. If you are acclimated to the shipyard system and that’s all you have ever known, it’s fine. It’s normal. Here at the shipyard anyway. If you are an outsider you need to ask how to do those things you have been doing on the outside for decades. The workflow has so many steps and variables that one could “guess” how to do something for weeks before discovering “how it’s done at the shipyard”. The documentation and instructions are long and detailed but updates in software and policies have changed very specific explanation steps and menus into a maze of more confusion. The docs say click “this” but there is now a menu where “this” is not shown but there is a drop down with 15 options that you are completely unfamiliar with. There are approximately 60 steps that you are responsible for in the process from start to finish. Policy could easily change every few weeks making your last project that was successfully released then, completely irrelevant now. The slightest error requires intervention from someone guiding you over your shoulder and another someone in another building taking over your computer remotely. And a phone call to some other group, all at the same time. Getting all these people together at one time to assist you is difficult. No one will participate unless the others are at the ready now too. On top of ALL that, I’m a contractor so I only get the really tough work because I’m so much more expensive than the other “designers”. My exit there was graceful and I did what I could to set the new people taking over my work, the best chance for success. Flowcharts, explanations, where everything could be found and such. My boss gave me a big hug on the way out and told me I did a great job with the chaos but the direct hires were so much better for the company long term. They gave me regular opportunities to go direct but that’s just not for me. So now? Just waiting for my next assignment. Oh, I did want to say also that the people there at NNS were always patient and helpful. They all are committed to a great working environment of teamwork and optimism. In the offices and the yard, all great and helpful to me and I’m grateful. The work, on the other hand, is the worst I’ve ever dealt with. Shitty and unabating.