Friend needs help/guidance

I have made a friend of a young couple. She's a dancer, but that's another story. Her guy is a felon. Twenty years in. You'd never know it by talking to him. Very intelligent, great vocabulary, if you didn't know his background, you'd never guess it. He's been out since 08. Clean all the way, except for one speeding ticket. He can't get a job, no one will even talk to him. He's a certified welder. He can do Wig welding, gig welding, and heliarc welding, whatever those things are. You guys who know me know that I am a lot of things, mechanical is not one of them. He's also a certified electronic technition. Again, I have no idea. I just know he's been honest and upfront with me. I'm not asking for a job for him. I'm only asking for 1 of 2 things: 1. An interview. Let him give his own story and resume, and let you make up your own mind. 2. Or, just a pointer in the right direction. Some place or person to talk to who will just meet him and make up their mind on him, not his background. If anyone can help, I'll be grateful, and will be discrete about it. I thank all of you for your help.
Billy
The Wildflower Group
"Running dating and personnel services for 9 years."

This is not the unemployment line....


just sayn....

why not....what the board does is an employment agency.
looking for someone with particular skill set, availability and wages.

Try some plumbing companies. I know some are hiring just not sure of they're names. Most all of them don't have a problem giving anyone a chance.

BR, I recommend checking out specialty boat shops. Probably not the huge million $ plus boat dealers, but a shop specializing in custom fabricated aluminum racks/mounts.

I don't have a specific name of a shop or anything, but I've dealt with some of these shops down in Clear Lake few years back and I just have a gut feeling that your friend just may get lucky. If he can weld aluminum...

Just a thought, tons of companies need small to medium sized welding jobs done, an hour or two or less, but its to expensive to call someone out. Get a p/u truck and a welding rig and start knocking on doors............. Cash money. With the recent slowdown and local chem/refineries not doing turnarounds there are a lot of unemployed welders.

(FYI- Its MIG, TIG, Heliarc)

^that's not a bad idea, if he can afford the truck and all the equipment to start...

I think there is a fairly good market for custom made wrought iron gates/fences and such. Houston has new homes going up all the time...maybe it would be worth it for your friend to take an afternoon off and drive around some newer neighborhoods and see how many homes feature these type of gates/fences...

I had these gates installed in my driveway at my previous house and learned afterwards that I really got overcharged (even though I checked around at the time and paid what I thought was an average market price). My old neighbor down the block had something very similar to what I had for something like way less than half price by going through a handyman he found on CL, so obviously the material cost isn't that much. It's mostly all labor, which equals to profit.

I think you're doing a great thing for your friend, BR. I wish him luck!

Dont take me serous....i have a dry sense of humor these days due to lack of PLAYN....

Good luck with your new baby and wish you a fast recovery, snow!

I was actually checking out your showcase today and was tempted to call you...

Wrought iron gate business can be real food if you give people options. Like pre fab them in a way a homeowner can instal them themselves. That way you can give them am option on the cost of labor.

Hey Billy great to see you posting and glad your feeling better. Reese

Needs a full set of window bars

I sent you a PM.

I can interview the dancer, Billy.
How have you been?

I've been in the Welding and Fabrication business for many years and have worked with several people that were were on Parole or Probation. I have never seen an issue with Management hiring these individuals and as a matter of fact there is a Fabrication shop that I used to work at that has an arrangement with a half way house to hire and train their residents. The only issue with getting work I can forsee would be getting into certain Plants that require a TWIC Card.And that would depend on the Charges because I work with people now that are on Parole and still aquired the TWIC Card. It is slow in the Welding and Fab Business but once it picks up as it should soon I don't see a problem with a Quality Welder getting a job no matter what his past was. There is a definate need for Qualified Quality Welders in the Market and keep in mind that all Companies require you to take several tests to prove you are qualified. As well as full physical and Urine and hair folicle test to make sure you stay straight.