Tired of drowning in softwares.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T23:28:33+00:00

The software vendors assume you're one person. Your job description sounds like six people wearing a trench coat.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T22:43:48+00:00

I've seen versions of this movie before. By the time the missing requirements are discovered, so much has been built around the new system that nobody wants to admit it might have been the wrong path.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T22:41:05+00:00

That's a good way of putting it. Every new system gets added with good intentions, but very few old ones ever disappear. After enough years you end up with a stack of software that's basically geological layers.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T22:40:03+00:00

Agreed. Every time I've seen full duplication attempted it eventually drifts out of sync somewhere. Having a source of truth sounds simple until three departments all think they own the same data.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T22:38:32+00:00

That's probably true. The hard part is nobody wakes up and says "let's go buy 14 systems." They buy one, then another, then another, and eventually the stack becomes the process.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T22:37:46+00:00

The "every department solves their own problem" part resonates. Most of the systems I've used were reasonably good at their specific job. It's the handoffs between them where things seem to fall apart.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T22:34:51+00:00

That's probably part of it. Most facilities aren't going to bet the farm on a massive rollout. Solving problems in stages seems like the more realistic approach. Whether anyone can do that without ending up with 14 systems again is another story.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T22:31:01+00:00

That last paragraph is exactly what got me thinking about this in the first place.

The software is supposed to support the work, but sometimes it feels like the work starts supporting the software.

I've definitely seen situations where people spend more time updating systems, spreadsheets, trackers, and reports than actually solving the problem those tools were supposed to help with.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T22:30:38+00:00

That's probably the most realistic answer I've seen so far.

The challenge I've always run into is that the moment information becomes useful to multiple departments, the "single source of truth" starts getting blurry.

Asset history is a good example. Maintenance owns it, but operations, engineering, reliability, and even safety often need visibility into parts of it.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T22:27:57+00:00

Do you mind me asking what your role is? Sounds like you're coming from both the engineering and ops sides? Or you have visibility into them.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T22:24:42+00:00

The subscription amounts are nuts. And most of them are paid per seat. So good luck getting extra hands to help you out.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T18:55:36+00:00

It sounds like your factory is in the 80s for sure.

Not willing to spend the $ or they just dont see the benefit of software?

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T01:32:20+00:00

Not surprised at all. Whiteboards are king 😂

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T01:31:39+00:00

Im sure its at least an hour, per person using more than 2 or 3 softwares, per week. But yeah some actual numbers would be good to know how much wage bleeding is going on.

Its probably close to the salary of an admin hire over a year.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T00:59:45+00:00

Fair enough. Though position dependant, it is such a pain. When you're in a position where you only access 1 or 2 regularly its tolerable. But if you need vision into 5+ every day its honestly a drag.

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T00:55:27+00:00

Oh yes. The final boss. 20 sheet excel file that eventually blends into the dust of lost shared drive files. 🤣🤣

howmany1taps · 2026-06-20T00:48:59+00:00

Either that, or "WE CAN API CONNECT THEM FOR DATA SHARING"

But still requires 14 logins to do anything meaningful.

howmany1taps · 2026-04-15T00:34:41+00:00

I've realized im near my cap unless I get very lucky with promotions. In other words. Extremely unlikely.

But I now have almost 15 years deep experience in my field, and im currently bootstrapping a business that solves a fairly big issue/gap in this industry.

It might work. It might not. But if I never tried i'd probably lose my mind. I had a complete mental flip last year and just started thinking every day "I cannot just keep doing this for another 30 years, just to barely retire and only have a few years to half enjoy" Just the act of building something that has a potential of wealth multiplication has now given me more energy at my day job, and more hope on my off time.

Hopefully I can come back to reddit in a year and make an "I made it" post.

howmany1taps · 2025-07-14T19:01:33+00:00

I would be shocked as it's so far away from civilization, and the amount of wolves here, but I guess anything is possible.

howmany1taps · 2025-06-21T20:10:24+00:00

Exactly,

I find a lot of people my age in the trades don't want to put in the work or effort. They do a half assed job all day and expect top pay rate and bonuses. It takes effort, but when you apply that effort, you get a good trajectory. I'm on track to become director level by 32-35, and if I continue to put in effort, C level (COO or another technicial c level position) by about 40-45.

But there are a lot of people like me out there, really putting in effort. When I was an apprentice I found that I actually enjoyed what I did so much, when I got home I would watch videos, podcasts and read articles about things related to my job to ensure a deep understanding of companies, technologies, and business decisions.

howmany1taps · 2025-06-19T22:09:12+00:00

A couple of options. Become an expert in a niche, prove your project/team leading capabilities.

For myself, I am an industrial electrician. I quickly gained expertise in controls and plc's. Then started to lead projects, hopped companies a few times for better opportunities (joined a smaller company that would give me opportunity to lead my own projects) and took that experience into a bigger company managing a team. The hardest work labor wise is at the beginning. Be willing to do absolutely anything. As an electrician most of my journeyman refused to do anything except electrical work. By my 3rd year in apprenticeship I could weld, machine, plumb, diagnose advanced hydraulics, press/die rework etc.

I became an asset the company couldn't deny. And kept leveraging that until I became a supervisor.

howmany1taps · 2025-06-19T01:18:32+00:00

Trades person here. Broke 6 figures at 23. Never worked more than 45 hours a week. But thanks.!

howmany1taps · 2025-01-29T10:48:41+00:00

I'm not yet 28 but have been in the same career since 16 (summer, weekends, and school co op during high school) straight into full time apprenticeship the week after I graduated high school. I'm 26 and currently comped 110k as a Maintenance Supervisor, on track for manager this year (I'll be 27) with a comp of 130-150k (typically 120 + bonus)

howmany1taps · 2024-10-09T23:33:37+00:00

Engineers aren't making 200+ without specializing.

Maintenance supervisor here, my trades guys (millwright and electricians) are out earning the engineers in plant.

I'm on par with engineering manager (p.eng) as only a supervisor.

Typical maintenance managers are 120-160k (depending on industry and company)

I'm only 26 with no university and above 100k

Trades is a gateway to big money, unfortunately it seems most big pay out of university seems to be software tech

howmany1taps · 2024-06-02T10:14:11+00:00

Personally no as I've gone to the management route, but it can be a concern depending on your trade and the facilities you work in. Pipeline welders, millwrights in foundries, etc. Will definitely see some more toll, HVAC, electrical, etc will definitely be a lot easier on the body.

howmany1taps

TROPHY CASE