dude i am 35 with the fortune of good genes so i look 28 at times. i've been pumping for 10 years and still get talked to like i'm some wet behind the ears greenhorn. i talked to a contractor the other day and said to him most people don't take me seriously because i have no grey in my beard, and he completely concurred with my assessment. the point is; do your job, do it right, do it safe and be efficient. after that, the respect will come your way. but also stand up for yourself when a contractor tells you to do something you know is un-safe because joe blow operator from company X did it before. the job will get done, and if they act like cunts and have you thrown off the job, good. you don't want to work for someone who puts lives and livlyhoods at risk.

nice pump by the way, that's what i operate too. love the 52m five section.

Thats a good way to look at it! Thanks for the reply. Ya thats all I do now...I just hold back the tongue and do my job and safe. I just run into issues bc if everyone left me alone to set up the way I prefer is best and just let me do my job, everything goes really smooth. When I do get those customers, I explain why their set up may not be safe, or I cant reach the pour or whatever reason maybe, and if they insist; I do it their way anyway. That way when I proved myself right... I tell them see, this is way I had my reasons. Thats one way I get that respect. But other times its the boss ago trip.

So why not get this all out there and see what everyone says  mmm,ok

What problems are you young guys faced with everyday regarding,experience? experience is something learned over time,given the chance and what one does with it. age,that is also not a fair assumption.I have a 12 year old grandson that is a whip on a skidsteer or mini X and would trust him more than some 40 year olds.So it is more based on the individual and how they carry themselves.discrimination,in what text? I personally know operators of all and they do a great job.If I showed up in a skirt and heels would that be discrimination? Underpaid? Employer taking advantage of you? Welcome to the real world,It would be nice to make the same as lawyers but not to be.So the west coast operators may make more than a midwest operator (cost of living) most managers want a days work for a days pay.Gosh,I wished I could remember but $9.00 an hour comes to mind long ago.Does your boss talk to you like a punk kid? That's a personal presumption,I had an operations manager half my age (KJ) and had deep respect for the man.do you have the skills to run a 60 meter but have the age counting against you??? mmm,if you say so.I pumped for 17 years before I got my first new pump,and know many others like that.

All the questions you have asked is a matter of patience and displaying good judgement over time.If one spends more time consitrating on a good job thing will happen,but not in a certain time frame.The one thing that used to get under my skin was an operator always running around "patting themselves on the back" learn humility.

I have been thru what your going thru,I started at 18 years old and at 30 was still by some older superintendents being treated as a dumbass but as I did my job didnt take any shit did it safely respect slowly but surely came my way now that I am losing hair and getting grayer I get all I want plus some so hang in there its coming

I am 19 years old. I started running a 38m concord when I turned 18. I found that the first company that I was at I didn't get the respect I deserved from the crews that I was pumping for. It was clear that it was due to age discrimination. Now that I have left that company I have seen no age discrimination what so ever from my employer, co-workers, or placing crews. I now run the telebelt, line pump, and boom pumps from a 28m to a 52m without any age discrimination issues. I often get the little kid jokes like  "Looks like its recess" when the gut wagon pulls up, or "we will send your boss your report card". I think that is expected being such a young operator. Since I have left that first company I have never felt belittled in anyway. Maybe I am lucky to be where I am. Maybe I just havent been around long enough to see alot of this discrimination.

Well... I´m 38 but look younger... And I´m a BLOND WOMAN....  And a woman is not supposed to have a clue about pumps, truck´si or repairs...But I have proved myself so our regular client´s and fellow opperators respect my opinion and trust me ...  If I get a new client who gives me (sexist)attitude the first time I come I WILL play the stupid blond for the first minute´s and tell them it´s my first day (love seeing them runing around like crasy)... but they are convinced pretty soon that I know what I´m doing.... 

It isn't age discrimination, it is caution.

Just do the best that you can do. That usually separates the pretenders from the real deal.

After you show them they will understand. If not, send a different operator; customers are too hard to come by.

Their loss ;~)

I get this a lot myself. I am 38 been pumping 22yrs look like I am 23 and contractors that dont know me look at me funny when I pull up in my 60m. Like everyone is saying do a good job and youll get respect.

I'm 31 but I look BAD ASS!

Children-

Time walking the Lord's green earth is the only thing that will get you respect.  ...and then it's only if YOU earn it.  I already have a respect issue with someone that claims to have started at the age of 18 running a 38m and is now 19.  Inside his first year pumping, switched companies and now boasts about operating everything from a belt to a 52m.  Yearlings are so cute....and dangerous.  You have a false sense of your capability because of the lack of shit-storms you've been through.  It's an easy job when nothing goes wrong. 

...and claiming that you're 21 and been pumping since you were 9 is just stupid.  My pa taught me to run the boom at an early age too.  That was it, I learned how to push the buttons.  His experience and knowledge keeps the machine running - I just learned the easiest part of the job...pushing the buttons to make the boom move.  It wasn't until my first solo trip that a became an operator in training.  

Earn your place in the industry - don't expect it.  Keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open.  Learn something.  More than just pushing buttons.  then, over time, people will notice - nothing goes wrong when this guys around - problems are resovled quickly and he's got a good attitude.

Until then, your a pussy for thinking you're disrespected because you're young.

hey jedidiah i would like to commend you on the great points that you made experience comes with time and you dont get it overnight. on the other hand please tell me you dont kiss your mother with that foul mouth. you dont have to belittle someone to get your point across.

jedidiah you said it all thank you

Hey Jed,...  WERD!

Hey Jedidiah. I am sorry if I came off sounding like I am gods gift to concrete pumping. That was not my intention. The last thing I want is a respect issue between a fellow operator. My earlier remarks about the equipment I run are 100% true. You can choose to believe it or not that is up to you. The reason I chose to include the equipment that I run was stricktly to get my point accross that I am not discriminated against due to my age. The fact that I have the privilege to run such a wide variety of machines is just some evidence that I am not held back because of my age.

However I do see that there is a little bit of age discrimination on this site. "Yearlings are so cute...and DANGEROUS". You assuming that all new pump operators are dangerous is evidence that you do discriminate against the younger guys. I am aware that I have not been through as many problems as you have. But I have had my fair share of rough days and know how fast things can go wrong. And believe me I do not have a false sence of my capability. So far I think I am doing a pretty good job at earning my place in the industry.

Since civilians train like civilians they learn like civilians.

The reason the military trains hard and steady after first removing your identity with a buzz cut and lookalike clothing is to let you know that there is only one way to do it. The drill instructors used to say that there are three ways to do anything; the right way, the wrong way and the Marine Corps way. If you were going to be a Marine, you did it the Marine Corps way. All day – every day – day after day.

There was a method to their madness. When it came time to act you didn’t need to stop and think about the right action; it was automatic, and it worked.

I wish that there was a ‘boot camp’ for pump operators. There is not.

So, since civilians train like civilians it takes more time to get the message.

That is what they call experience. Some need more than others.

You young guys hang in there. In the future you will be operating machines we never even saw. Meanwhile……………

Experience some experience. You will do just fine, ;~)

Bob , You and I can start a "bootcamp" ! I have some time ower between the pumping and "airmarshalling" ! ;-)