New Job.. Maybe?

It's been quite the road these past few weeks.  To kind of give you a quick background, the past few months Fehi has been interested in Union Pacific Railroad.  He applied everywhere, Wyoming, Portland, Las Vegas, Provo, SLC, etc.  After months of applying and not hearing anything back, he finally got an invite to attend 3 different hiring sessions at 3 different locations, one of which was Salt Lake City.  We were pretty excited about that because all we hear is good things about the Railroad, and well my husband has a goal to retire early so he can spend the rest of his time with his family.  So he accepted a hiring session in Salt Lake City.  He did great at the session.  The next day they called and extended the job offer to him.  So the first step was done.  He then had to do the New Hire Registration, call and set up appointments to do a Physical Abilities Test and Get a Medical Examination.  He passed both and was given his info for training.  Second step = done.

Monday was his first day of training.  Luckily for us, training is done at SLCC 2 minutes down the road from where we live.  It's from 8 to 5 Monday through Friday, but it's just so much information that he comes home and studies until he sleeps.  Though he's made it this far with the Railroad, he has to pass all his training.  So this is just one more step he has to do.  What we thought would be only 4 weeks of training, is now looking to be 6 months of training (so they say).  He trains 4 weeks in a class, he has to take a test and has to pass the first time with 85% or higher, if he doesn't, he gets only one retake but has to get 90% or higher.  If he doesn't pass then that's the end of the road.  After those 4 weeks, it's then out in the field for 4 more weeks, then back again into the classroom for Conductor training, etc.  I have faith he will pass.  It's definitely a challenge for him, but I know this is something he wants and something we need as a family.  Though he's dead tired each day, he pushes himself to study everything and learn it all.  I guess the way it works is before UP would hire someone specifically to be the crewman, the conductor, the engineer, etc.  But instead they will train them to be all the above.  It saves the company money, but it's demanding on the workers.  I've heard the pay will make up for it, but I guess we'll see when that happens.

It's gonna be a rough few weeks, but I pray and hope my husband can get through it all, and pass these tests with flying colors.  I've never seen him want something so bad, and being the hard worker and great person he is, he deserves it. Wish us best of luck!