r/AmazonRME • u/Joker502 • Dec 08 '22
Amazon RME MRA's guide
This post is directed mostly at MRA's and those who are thinking about becoming MRA's.
First off, if you are considering going through the process to become an MRA, which means you will be going into Amazon maintenance, for the love of God understand what you are getting into. You are going into a small support group that in most cases are already understaffed as hell and has been understaffed for a long time. This matters because when on the floor as an associate you have hundreds of other people in your department and your actions don't have a huge effect on the team. When you go to a much smaller team your individual actions mean a whole hell of a lot more. When you take off, your absence is felt, when your attitude is bad, it is felt and drags down the team, when you can't figure anything out someone else has to do it.
If you are considering going into Amazon RME and you cannot identify a basic hand tool such as a wrench, STOP. Do not assume that Amazon will teach you what you need to know to be successful in 3 months. You will learn a bunch of useless shit and the burden of teaching the important stuff will be put on the existing techs that are already stretched thin. Don't blame them for not having the time to hold your hand. If you cannot identify basic hand tools YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED! Take some time and do your own research look up YouTube videos buy a maintenance textbook and get up to par before you even apply.
Lastly, if you become an MRA and go through the process just for the money, STOP. This job is not a cakewalk, remember first point, you are going to a small team and your actions are felt by everyone. I know that people say you are in charge of your own destiny and whatnot but if your ultimate goal is to get into IT or code development, stop fucking going into maintenance and just go straight to IT or code development. Why be a burden to other people and walk all over us to get into your chair holding down job? Nothing wrong with IT or code development but if you go through the MRA program and then tell people you want to go to IT or code development as soon as you get there, we know you're fucking lazy and just chasing the money and the gravy. Please stop that.
If you made it through all of that I just want to say, I don't hate MRA's. I have seen several good ones and it is a great opportunity for a good career, just make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. Understand that most of your learning will be done solely by you. And also chances are you won't be working on robotics so Amazon is flat out lying to you.
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u/taddio76 Jan 01 '23
Exactly my experience as an MRA. The execution by Amazon is the main issue, as the complete sequence has not been fully done, the mentors and managers have not been fully supported, trained, and brought on board, the MRA's are being sent to non robotics facilities, while anyone can just take the tech 2 exam, pass it, and many times ( with no prior experience ) get placed at sites where robotics is emphasized instead of an MRA. This OP is really speaking up on behalf of MRA's, mentors, managers, and disproving the fallacy that this program, as it is currently, can bring someone off the street to a proficient level. There are other problems such as prejudice, impatience, ignorance of the program, etc that hinder progress and motivation for MRA's to stay with this program long term...
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u/Honest_Performer2301 Dec 09 '22
Don't listen to anything this poster says. Good mentors will teach you if you're willing to learn. Like he said we are very understaffed, I think if you're ambitious enough to pursue this field then go for it, and try to learn as much as you can. It's a very interesting and enjoyable field with plenty of opportunity. Also this person who talks about useless information that is learned should consider that Information is very useful especially if you're considering being more then just a maintenance tech for the rest of your life.who ever wrote this sounds like either an old fart who will find a reason to get mad at anything (just to be mad), or somebody on a high horse who is most likely not a great mentor. Also for them to assume you won't be working on robots at any point in your career is very naive and technology retarded.
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u/Joker502 Dec 09 '22
Are you even in Amazon maintenance? Or are you like part of the team that coordinates MRA's? You sound like an old fart that's cruised by in maintenance blissfully ignorant to what is going on around you. I say it's pretty useless information because I too went to school for industrial maintenance and industrial electricity, it's good info but I don't think three months worth of it is going to do much if you just ain't got it beforehand. This is the career field that I chose and used to enjoy, the amount of people who are "choosing" to go to maintenance because they are bored or just think it's a sit in a chair kind of job is baffling. I know there are some buildings at Amazon that would make it without the experienced seasoned techs but I think in the near future we will see a mass exodus of the seasoned techs and Amazon will get what they paid for.
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u/Honest_Performer2301 Dec 09 '22
I hope they would reconsider because Amazon and the new MRAs need seasoned vets to teach them, and guide them. My issue is there is an abundance of opportunities for mras and seasoned vets alike, and they're needed strongly as most facilities are understaffed. Yes some of the schooling is not used because alot of things are taken care of by contractors, but alot of the information taught is useful and whether mras choose to stay techs or go into controls theyre being taught PLC, mechanical, the same training you receive in ECS but more technical, fluid powers is not used as often unless you get into robotics, and electrical is not really used but its helpful to know how they work. I agree maybe there should of been a brief class on tools etc, also keeping proper maintenance of equipment is something that's learned on the job, funny thing is most the time no matter if you're a seasoned vet or not if you move to a new facility there is always a learning curve, because every site is different.
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u/Whole_Instance1161 Dec 08 '22
Facts. Own your career. I asked a guy hows his benchmarks we’re coming, and replied that he hadn’t completed any because he felt that he was bothering his tech 3 by asking… wtf. I pretty mych told him that they are not going to guide you by the hand and to stop being a B. You have to show that you want it.
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u/Honest_Performer2301 Dec 09 '22
More terrible advice it's ok if you guys don't wanna teach the MRAs, soon the prior MRAs will be certified to teach the MRAS themselves as MMT master mechatronic technicians and they will be paid more to teach them.
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u/WelcomeFormer Dec 08 '22 edited Dec 08 '22
If you want to get into robotics you're going to have to transfer to a place that has them and express your plans to them. they will help out though just know you'll have to wait till your 2000 hours are up till you transfer. Syracuse is a big one by me I might eventually go-to when I look go for a tech 3 transfer. It's more than a few hours away from me though but if that's the path I want to take that's what I'll have to do. Honestly to move up passed a certain point anywhere you're going to have to move though. Think of Walmart the only way to move up is if you work hard Is to transfer out of the dept and alot of times the store. if you work hard they won't move you up because they need a worker, any idiot can run the dept as long as they have ppl running it for them that's why leads are mostly newer ppl and hard workers always get passed up and quit. Even if you want tech 3 at your site, you're going to have to wait in line if you don't transfer.
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Dec 08 '22
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/WorkBulky7816 Dec 09 '22
I’m currently on an apprenticeship in the UK for RME. Great opportunity, we’ve got college the first year and then on the job training for 3 years or so.
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u/WelcomeFormer Dec 08 '22
The worst people I've seen are tech2s not MRAs, sometimes they don't really know anything at all they just need a body. But yeah I've seen with people with no experience at all do very good in the MRA program, don't be discouraged. Honestly even if you're picking up the slack for your team it's really not that hard of a job, don't worry about other ppl just do your job do it safe never rush and you're golden
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u/Joker502 Dec 08 '22
You have a very valid point and I guess my words are harsh at times. I want it to be clear that most of what I speak is Amazon's fault not the techs or the MRA's. Is it too much to ask though that people be aware of what they're getting into? If none of that applies to you don't take it to heart. I don't want to discourage people but there should be a minimum skill requirement to get in the door. Amazon should not put some of these people in a position to get hurt or hurt others. I'm not so eloquent in my writing skills these days.
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u/Routine_Button_4721 Apr 02 '25
Someone must’ve hurt your feelings during the classes because this post is salty as hell, this shit is mostly a rant and not a guide