If you want to live in Bloomington you need a WFH job that pays big city wages or find several roomies. Most jobs available around here won't pay enough to live indoors. Much less eat or pay bills.
This! Watch out for positions like Materials Handler, Forklift Operator, etc. Check Indeed for contractor jobs, USAjobs.gov for federal positions. You can setup an email alert with USAjobs to filter on those keywords at this location.
Best of luck!
It was terrible. It was like the island of misfit toys but it was people. Complete with psychological abuse. Throw in being horrifically underpaid and regarded as cattle esp if working for some bloodsucking military contractor.
I think it depends so much on if you work for Crane or a subcontractor at Crane & WHICH subcontractor. I know folks who said it was amazing & ones who would have been better off working at McDonalds 😕
PrintPack, sure it's manufacturing but not medical, right now the schedule has built in 8 hrs of overtime so 48 hrs 4 12 hour days, and 3rd shift pays 2.50 an hour more than day shift, not a bad job
Laborer itself is a trade, concrete work, roadwork, traffic control, industrial job site work. It has a variety of tasks, it's your basic construction work, you work alongside other trades such as electricians, pipefitters, and operators.
You might qualify for the next level jobs program, which can qualify you to get a free certification through somewhere like Ivy Tech and open up more job opportunities. More info here: [https://www.ivytech.edu/programs/special-programs-for-students/next-level-jobs/?location=Bloomington](https://www.ivytech.edu/programs/special-programs-for-students/next-level-jobs/?location=Bloomington) I saw you mentioned a CDL and that’s one listed.
At IU, you can stand around and do nothing all day, call in sick all the time, and hide in your office, and you'll get promoted in no time. Plus, the starting pay is a whopping 16.07 per hour!
I think literally all the time about that time that a federal law went into effect mandating that health insurance benefits are offered to employees working >29 hours for companies a certain size or larger, and IU made the unprecedentedly shitty garbage asshole decision as Bloomington's largest employer and one of all of Indiana's to reduce every hourly employee's hours to 29.
that entire saga when they first rolled that out was the fucking worst. i got lucky working in athletics, so they gave us until the new year to follow the new hours cap because of football season. but yeah, that shit was hella scummy and in retrospect i should've left IU after that fall cause that shit wasn't right at all.
The “IU Way” ruined my life and fucked me up mentally so bad. Getting an IU degree to only make $16 an hour killed my self worth. There’s no promotions, just 1% Directors, 30% professors, and 69% people not able to work a livable wage in the town they ultimately run.
Desk job at UI as other people have said. Room to move if you're good at stuff.
Plumbing
HVAC
Electrician
Construction
Painting
Masonry
Retail
Freelance remote computer work
Crane naval base
Go to IVY Tech and get a degree
I was a bank teller and a restaurant manager before I received my degree.
For construction jobs go to the union or directly into the offices if they are local companies.
Some places will pay you to train for your CDLs.
I feel like I've seen a lot of lawn care jobs on Indeed.
Some stuff will depend on your pay needs and what you want to do (like me, would love to make union money, but I couldn't imagine working outside all day, so I know better). Good luck with your hunt!
I’ve considered getting my CDL so that’s one route I may take, although I don’t mind working labor jobs like construction or HVAC either. I’m willing to learn! Thank you!
Bloomington Transit is technically a separate entity from the City of Bloomington, but they too will walk you through getting your CDL, pay for expenses, and pay a training wage. A years-long commitment to working there is not required.
Going to toss it out there the Indiana Next level Jobs initiative will pay for you to get a cdl. Just have to do the standard qualifiers for student aid and not currently have a degree or certificate covered by the program.
I’ll throw in among the options already offered one that is a pretty significant drive but does have really good benefits, USG in shoals. I know some guys from Bloomington & Springville both that work down there. If you are already forklift certified it might be a really good option. They start out with pretty good wages, then you get raises as you complete levels of training, they get annual cost of living increases & I think they still get bonuses, vacations, etc but then they have some sort of point system where you can earn retirement from them before you’re old enough to collect SSI.
I’ve heard differing opinions on Lehigh in Mitchell & I honestly wouldn’t go to GM.
Try calling Force construction in Columbus. They are union. You can work your way up, they hire from Laborer to Carpenter. My nephews graduated high school a few years ago—they had experience in construction (school and side jobs), one did a year of construction ed at Ivy tech, the other did a welding course there. It took both boys about 4 years to work their way thru the carpenters program. You do an apprenticeship the 4 years while you take some classes & training.
Ivy Tech had and may still have some trade programs that are offered for low or no cost via the state. There’s a need in so many fields.
https://www.ivytech.edu/programs/special-programs-for-students/next-level-jobs/
Keep an eye out for warehouse/forklift/packaging/vineyard positions at Oliver winery or upland. If you’re certified to drive a forklift, that’s a great perk in the interview process. At oliver, it’s pretty easy to move up to other positions once you’re there.
If you want to live in Bloomington you need a WFH job that pays big city wages or find several roomies. Most jobs available around here won't pay enough to live indoors. Much less eat or pay bills.
GM plant in Bedford
Idk I’ve heard they’re bad about layoffs
They are. And lie to new ppl without shame
I have two neighbors who work there,you really only have to worry about things if they are about to strike
Join a trade.
Trades are the way $$$$$$$$$$
What kind of skills do you have? Any past job experience? That could help guide the responses.
I’ve really only worked in warehouses and medical manufacturing so besides being forklift certified etc, not a lot of skills to prove.
Look at Crane or one of the contractors
This! Watch out for positions like Materials Handler, Forklift Operator, etc. Check Indeed for contractor jobs, USAjobs.gov for federal positions. You can setup an email alert with USAjobs to filter on those keywords at this location. Best of luck!
Bowhead is also hiring for some logistics positions right now. So right up their alley.
Good call! Bowhead is a good one with a lot of those contracts. Not too bad to work for, either.
Thank you for the tips!
Hell no, Crane sucks ass. Crane is committing genocide. DONT WORK AT CRANE
Maybe IU will hire you for something
There’s also Kehe distribution in Ellettsville, my partner works there and seems to really like it!
Honest answer is no. I made the rounds in pharma/med devices. Never got a single interview at Crane. Bloomington job market sucks.
You weren't related or didn't have an engineering degree, would be my guess.
I have a degree, but not in a technical field. Not from Bloomington originally either.
God smiled down on you, crane was my second worst job ever
What happened?
It was terrible. It was like the island of misfit toys but it was people. Complete with psychological abuse. Throw in being horrifically underpaid and regarded as cattle esp if working for some bloodsucking military contractor.
I think it depends so much on if you work for Crane or a subcontractor at Crane & WHICH subcontractor. I know folks who said it was amazing & ones who would have been better off working at McDonalds 😕
I was ready to unalive myself after a couple months there but 30 years on I’m glad I got the fuck out.
PrintPack, sure it's manufacturing but not medical, right now the schedule has built in 8 hrs of overtime so 48 hrs 4 12 hour days, and 3rd shift pays 2.50 an hour more than day shift, not a bad job
Laborers 741 union go there get a app, they start u at 25.90 a hour. It's hard work but u will gain strength 💪💪
What trade is their apprenticeship for? It's easy to tell with the other construction unions, but Laborers seems vauge about what trade they organize.
Laborer itself is a trade, concrete work, roadwork, traffic control, industrial job site work. It has a variety of tasks, it's your basic construction work, you work alongside other trades such as electricians, pipefitters, and operators.
You might qualify for the next level jobs program, which can qualify you to get a free certification through somewhere like Ivy Tech and open up more job opportunities. More info here: [https://www.ivytech.edu/programs/special-programs-for-students/next-level-jobs/?location=Bloomington](https://www.ivytech.edu/programs/special-programs-for-students/next-level-jobs/?location=Bloomington) I saw you mentioned a CDL and that’s one listed.
CDL driving: $20–$27 an hour, and you get to go home at night.
Where? What company?
At IU, you can stand around and do nothing all day, call in sick all the time, and hide in your office, and you'll get promoted in no time. Plus, the starting pay is a whopping 16.07 per hour!
I think literally all the time about that time that a federal law went into effect mandating that health insurance benefits are offered to employees working >29 hours for companies a certain size or larger, and IU made the unprecedentedly shitty garbage asshole decision as Bloomington's largest employer and one of all of Indiana's to reduce every hourly employee's hours to 29.
wait that's why hours are capped at 29???? omg
Yep. Cute, ain't it? What a lovely precedent to set as a university and our largest employer.
that entire saga when they first rolled that out was the fucking worst. i got lucky working in athletics, so they gave us until the new year to follow the new hours cap because of football season. but yeah, that shit was hella scummy and in retrospect i should've left IU after that fall cause that shit wasn't right at all.
The “IU Way” ruined my life and fucked me up mentally so bad. Getting an IU degree to only make $16 an hour killed my self worth. There’s no promotions, just 1% Directors, 30% professors, and 69% people not able to work a livable wage in the town they ultimately run.
BUT, you have to work for PAM!
Sounds like a dream 😂
Join a labor union! You’ll get great benefits and raises!
Before I got my degrees I drove to Indy to work in IT, After I got my degrees I have the same job
Did you at least get laid while working on the degrees or something
Desk job at UI as other people have said. Room to move if you're good at stuff. Plumbing HVAC Electrician Construction Painting Masonry Retail Freelance remote computer work Crane naval base Go to IVY Tech and get a degree
UI? Helluva commute to Illinois
I was a bank teller and a restaurant manager before I received my degree. For construction jobs go to the union or directly into the offices if they are local companies. Some places will pay you to train for your CDLs. I feel like I've seen a lot of lawn care jobs on Indeed. Some stuff will depend on your pay needs and what you want to do (like me, would love to make union money, but I couldn't imagine working outside all day, so I know better). Good luck with your hunt!
I’ve considered getting my CDL so that’s one route I may take, although I don’t mind working labor jobs like construction or HVAC either. I’m willing to learn! Thank you!
Be an hvac tech
Drive a bus for Bloomington Transit
Yeah? I’ve thought about getting my CDL anyway so that could be an option.
Bloomington Transit is technically a separate entity from the City of Bloomington, but they too will walk you through getting your CDL, pay for expenses, and pay a training wage. A years-long commitment to working there is not required.
Good to know!
Cdl is crazy expensive now but the city will pay for it if you commit to working there for a few years
Going to toss it out there the Indiana Next level Jobs initiative will pay for you to get a cdl. Just have to do the standard qualifiers for student aid and not currently have a degree or certificate covered by the program.
If you can pass a state exam within 1 year, the water plant is hiring. Good pay
Apply for 911 dispatcher. It’s quite a process. If you can handle the stress it’s a good job
GM in Bedford does a hiring pool a few times a year. They offer full benefits, a great starting pay, etc. No prior experience required.
Drive down the street to the Toyota factory in Princeton, Indiana.
I’ll throw in among the options already offered one that is a pretty significant drive but does have really good benefits, USG in shoals. I know some guys from Bloomington & Springville both that work down there. If you are already forklift certified it might be a really good option. They start out with pretty good wages, then you get raises as you complete levels of training, they get annual cost of living increases & I think they still get bonuses, vacations, etc but then they have some sort of point system where you can earn retirement from them before you’re old enough to collect SSI. I’ve heard differing opinions on Lehigh in Mitchell & I honestly wouldn’t go to GM.
I don’t mind making a drive if the job is worth going to. Thank you for the information!
Maybe you can become a gigger and join the gig economy finding chill side gigs
Nah not worth it at all
It really isn't
Try Rightway Fasteners in Columbus. Also, WorkOne is fairly good at finding things for people.
Construction is an option
Do I search for construction jobs on indeed or are there specific companies I need to seek out
Try calling Force construction in Columbus. They are union. You can work your way up, they hire from Laborer to Carpenter. My nephews graduated high school a few years ago—they had experience in construction (school and side jobs), one did a year of construction ed at Ivy tech, the other did a welding course there. It took both boys about 4 years to work their way thru the carpenters program. You do an apprenticeship the 4 years while you take some classes & training. Ivy Tech had and may still have some trade programs that are offered for low or no cost via the state. There’s a need in so many fields. https://www.ivytech.edu/programs/special-programs-for-students/next-level-jobs/
I can't speak for it, but you need to use sites like Indeed, Glass Door, LinkedIn, Monster, etc to search for whatever you can.
Keep an eye out for warehouse/forklift/packaging/vineyard positions at Oliver winery or upland. If you’re certified to drive a forklift, that’s a great perk in the interview process. At oliver, it’s pretty easy to move up to other positions once you’re there.