While in the process of still learning my job, my company decided to combine buildings and in so doing, the scope of my job changed dramatically. I work on tooling and equipment that punches parts out of steel. These machines take a long time to learn and are all kind of custom hacked together. But the presses themselves all operate very similarly.

I had just graduated from apprentice to journeyman when my supervisor stepped in to his role, and he’s from maintenance, not tool and die. To say he has a cursory understanding of what my job is is being generous.

He set some expectations on my ability to just go to any random machine and diagnose and repair it like how his maintenance guys could. In the process of attempting to explain my skill level and the differences between the two shops to him he chewed me out like I’ve never been chewed out before, and insinuated I shouldn’t have been given journeyman.

When my trainer and lead tried to explain it to him he got even more pissed off.

So, we don’t go to him for help. We’ve reached a peaceful understanding.