Careers in pyrotechics/demolition...

[Exerd]

Greetings all,

I have been interested throughout my lifetime in a career related to pyrotechnics, and possibly demolition. I have tried to change my goals as preference to income, and now find myself wanting to do what I have really, always wanted to do.

From my general assumption, pyrotechnics can't provide a good career outlook for todays youth individuals...unless of coarse one was to become an entrepreneur with a decent size company, as demands are seemingly just too small.

This has made me think about explosive demolition as well. But honestly, either way, I feel a career in the area could satisfy greatly with any decent outcome.

From what I have researched, I can find VERY little pertaining to these specific careers, and how the great ones out there got themselves going. I know that there are mining degree programs available, however I don't think a bachelors is right for me, but just maybe.

I would however be very interested in attending a tech school related directly to these careers, provided they are reknowned among the industry as being good educators.

I'm hoping some of you out there may be able to steer me in the right direction with this, as I have literally run out of places to search, and really don't know where to go from here. I realize it may not be the highest paying field to venture into as a career, but I do strongly believe in one staying true to his lifelong goals, and this is what I'm trying to do.

I really appreciate any and all input which can be provided on this topic.

[Ekilo]

Well now, first off, I am not a recruiter and have no desire to be one. I am a 21B in the Reserves. The school for the MOS was a blast, pun intended. Some of the tests were hard, needing a 100% to pass. But it paid off in the end. Setting off C4, TNT, Dynamite, 40lbs shaped charges, 40lbs cratering charges, and Bangalore torpedoes. We learned initiating methods and we also learned how to set-up and disarm mines and booby traps.

Having said that, I also would like to find a civilian job/career using my new found skills.

[Bert]

There is only one school in the US that has a course in display pyrotechnics, and it is not a degree program but rather a short course intended to familiarize first responders and others with the basics of display operation. There are also some courses that would be part of a chemical engineering, aerospace engineering or other degree, but no one I know of in US offers a degree program specificaly in pyrotechnics.

We generaly learn pyrotechnics in an apprentice type, very informal way in the US. You find someone who knows what you want to learn, and work for them. Perhaps they start to pay you after you become useful. Usualy not full time, year round work either.

If you want more info regarding display pyrotechnics, contact me. You will need to be 18 with no fellony convictions to be employed, of course.

I do not know of any tech school degrees in demolition. Your best bet is working for Uncle Sugar, and he has no real obligation to give you exactly the training you asked for once you sign on the dotted line. No matter what the recruiter said.

[Hobbit Porn]

If you are really wanting to work with explosives, and don't care about living in the middle of butt-fuck nowhere, then have a look into finding training as a shot-firer. These are the guys that are used at quarries and mining operations for controlled blasting.

I think shot-firing is normally an apprenticeship deal (In Aust. anyway, don't know about elsewhere). Recently my friend was contemplating starting as a shot-firers apprentice with Dyna Nobel that paid pretty fucking well ( for an appreticeship wage) with pretty decent living arrangments.

The jobs are out there, rather then looking at educational institutions, you might be better off actually looking at what different mining and related companies have to offer.

Also, have a look at the International Society of Explosives Engineers webpage, http://www.isee.org, and have a look at their jobs section. It might give you an idea of what sort of work is out there.

The ISEE also has a certificate program, but I'm not sure if this is meant for people trying to just start out in blasting, or if it is meant as further training for people already employed in the area.

[Ekilo]

Thank you for the link Hobbit Porn.

I browsed through the job openings and discovered that if I get a civilian certification then I can, at the least, have the potential to triple my current income.

I will have to do some more research and find just how feasible it would be for me to pursue this.

Thank you again for the information.

[Lewis]

I'm glad this topic has been brought up, because I too have developed a passion for pyrotechnics and explosives over the years.

My interests are more inclined towards the fireworks industry, and I like the idea of being independant.

How hard would it be to start a company and get contracted to do shows and stuff? Would I be better off working for an existing group?

I would apprecieate input from anyone with experience in the field.

[Bert]

You would best go to work for an existing group untill you know something about the business.

When you go to start your company, you had better have about $200,000 US and a couple of years before you need to make a profit. This is from personal experience.

[Sausagemit]

When you go to start your company, you had better have about $200,000 US and a couple of years before you need to make a profit. This is from personal experience.


Well for starters dont you have to have your own bunker to store all your equipment and explosives in, and the bunker has to be registerd and inspected by the BATF.

My brother is acctually thinking about becomeing an EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) for the Navy. And from what I hear is one of the easiest ways to jump from normal civilian to a fully licensed demolition expert. You just have to sacrifice 8 or so years of your life to do so. The nice part about it is you don't have to pay for the training or certification courses which can be very expensive. They pay you to take them instead.

http://www.eod.navy.mil/training.htm

[munas]

Hello Exerd Im also interested in the demolition career and you are right there's to little info about Explosives courses. I know I link that I hope you find it usefull.
www.iexpe.org. Institute of Explosives Engineering.

Good luck.

[Matt_Ladder]

I would say mining engineering is your best bet. The Colorado School of Mines is a great school, except difficult to get into. There are school all over the US though and in Austraila and Austria. The University of Alberta also offers a program there. I believe there are many clinics at the Colorado school of Mines too. Being a chemist will also do it. The lady who invented the bunker buster was a chemist I think and went to the university of Mich. I myself am very interested in these fields and I have decided to be a mining engineer. The pay isn't half bad either.

- Matt

[koji]

I would agree that Chemistry is a great path to undertake. While I have no experience or much knowledge in Mining engineering, I can certainly see the application.

However I am currently a student at FSU (Phyiscs) and have some very close friends who are chemists, according to them if you are able to get into the chemical engineering programs you get free reign over the chem labs when classes aren't there. They blow stuff up all the time. So I imagine that chemical engineering would be a good area to go into as well. Although I don't know how much actual blowing up you get to do on the job.

You could always try to go into some sort of special effects. There has to be a school out there that specializes in that kind of stuff. And you would be sure to do what you wanted there, even if it has to be 'safe' in a sense.