Out of a job as of this summer.

[Killjoy]

Sorry folks. Just need a place to rant.

I have been with Intel for over 13 years now. My 14th anniversary will be on July 18th. They announced a short time ago that they would be closing our FAB (Fabrication plant) here in Santa Clara soon. Then they brought that date in to October 1st.

That worked fine for me. I would work until then, and since my 14th anniversary would have passed, I would be eligible for my sabbatical. Two months off, paid, thus offsetting my unemployment for a while.

Then they pulled that in. The new shutdown date is June 28th.
And in true corporate world fashion, they have yet to roll out all of the details to the people it is effecting.:icon_smile_wall:

There are options. I can go into a redeployment pool for up to two months to try to find another position within Intel. But there aren't any to find. Or if there are, they are very few and far between, as well as not in my field (such as the legal department). However, this would then bring me again into my sabbatical eligibility:w00t: But then where?

There is a shutdown team that they are trying to form. That will be a day shift thing, regular hours Monday to Friday. Nice, but that would mean having to drive down here 54 miles each way, five days a week with a roughly 25% pay cut (we work a compressed shift, 12 hours a day, and get OT every day currently). Not to mention the cost of gasoline adding 1 to 2 days of driving every week for six or more months. Yes, I would have the redeployment/sabbatical options after the shutdown. But at what cost?

Decisions decisions. I need more information, and they are asking for a commitment for the shutdown team. I told them I can't give them a decision until they answer my questions.
In writing.

Oh, and it's my wife's birthday today. And no, I hadn't forgotten to get her a gift and a couple of cards.

[Silverstangs]

Just exactly what do you do at the FAB shop?

[Killjoy]

I keep tools running, and when they are running, I process wafers.

Currently, I work on Hitachi Etchers. They take material off the wafers using high vacuum, RF and Microwave energy with a combination of gasses to create a plasma in the chamber, which is what etches the wafers.

I also work on the Applied Material 5000 CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) tools. These tools also run under vacuum, at 400 degrees Celcius.
They too use gasses and RF energy to create a plasma. However, in this case, these tools actually put a thin layer ON the wafers. This layer is used as an insulating layer between the layers of metal, used as the connections for the transistors.

I make microchips. If you have an older computer that says Intel Inside, there is a possibility that I had my hands on it at some point in time. I started with Intel just as the Pentium chips were hitting the market. In our little FAB, we ran several important lots to create new and faster chips.
Every time you heard about Intel coming out with a faster microprocessor, between 1994 and 2006, I definately had my hands on that box.

I could go on, but you would be bored. In my avatar, that is me getting ready to clean one of the tools. We use some toxic gasses, and Intel has always been on the forefront of employee safety. That is an airline respirator, plumbed to a system to deliver clean breathing air to techs who use it.

It is a facility where there are a lot of top secrets about how the processes are ran. No cameras are allowed, without a camera pass. It almost takes an act of God to get one. And I have one. So I guess in a few months, they will probably make me sign some sort of document regarding not sharing secrets etc. But we shall see which pics we can share.

[Silverstangs]

Tech stuff does not bore me:)

I always wondered what happens to people who do not sign the agreements...I've never heard of anyone not signing those things.

[Killjoy]

Everyone had to sign a non disclosure clause when they were hired, or they didn't get the job.

I asked what I can share, since people in the industry already know what the tools look like, and I was told as long as I don't blare it out to the whole world (just the CPF web site, right? :w00t: ) then I should be fine. That and as long as I don't disclose any secret info. After all, this is a development factory, and we have our hands in all the newest stuff.

The engineers here dream up these crazy things, and it's our job to make them work, and make it a manufacturable process so that we can transfer it to one of the other factories and they can crank them out.

So, I have been meaning to get myself a Smugmug account anyway, and this seems like as good a time as any.

[Abel]

Wow Alan... tough break indeed...

I am sure everything will work out in the long run even though there will be a few bumps in the road along the way...

ps. techno babble doesn't bore me either. :w00t:

[Snarfy]

Alan, good luck with getting this all sorted out!

I didn't find myself bored with the technical jargon and whatnot, but my head hurts a little.

[Killjoy]

Originally Posted by Snarfy

Alan, good luck with getting this all sorted out!

I didn't find myself bored with the technical jargon and whatnot, but my head hurts a little.

Sorry Snarfy. Take two asprin and call me in the morning.
Actually, that's kind of funny. I'm now going to try to focus more along the medical equipment end of manufacturing and maintenance.

We shall see where this takes me. ;)

[isaiahbrink]

Wow, that sucks big time!!! Don't worry, since I don't work in the industry, I'm not too sure what the tech stuff means, but I guess that's why you can say it, lol. But anyways, have you looked for work with another company? It sounds like that being relocated would be a financial strain on you and your family with such a big pay cut and driving all that distance. I hope things come out good for you.

Isaiah

[Killjoy]

Thanks Isaiah. But I'm sure it will all work out for the best.

Oh and Abel, trust me, I could probably bore you.

[Killjoy]

Still no updates, only speculation. And the speculation doesn't look good.

Anyway, Thanks to Markham and his very generous offer to all CPF members, I set up a Smugmug account. You can find that info here
http://www.californiaphotoforum.com/...f-members.html
I have a few photos on there now, and will be adding over time. Quite possibly over the summer as it seems I may have a bit of time to go shooting and arranging my web page.

So, if you would like to see what life looks like inside of a Class 1 Cleanroom, you can see them at http://killjoy.smugmug.com

Thanks,
Alan

[00silvergt]

Dude that blows! I hope you find something soon. I figured with you guys "killing" AMD lately, Intel would be booming. I guess not. I remember seeing Intel in Sac, what's up, up there?

[Killjoy]

Haha, aren't you the guy I am bantering with about the 1000 reasons Texas is great on that "other" board? ;)

Yeah, Intel is killing AMD, and almost always has. Intel has never "laid off" people. And they are calling this a "redeployment". But like I said, no jobs to deploy into.
As for Intel in Folsom, they are still going strong. Some of their people actually support D2 in Santa Clara, so they too will be out of a job. But not too many of them.
In fact, Intel had a record quarter for the first quarter of this year. That will play into my Employee Cash Bonus Payout for the first half of the year.

As for my options, I'm getting used to the thought of having the summer off, paid, and spending some time with my family on the lake with our boat, and taking a LOT of photographs. I am also going to take some photoshop classes. If you looked at my photos, you'll see that I need that.

[00silvergt]

Originally Posted by Killjoy

Haha, aren't you the guy I am bantering with about the 1000 reasons Texas is great on that "other" board? ;)

Yeah, Intel is killing AMD, and almost always has. Intel has never "laid off" people. And they are calling this a "redeployment". But like I said, no jobs to deploy into.
As for Intel in Folsom, they are still going strong. Some of their people actually support D2 in Santa Clara, so they too will be out of a job. But not too many of them.
In fact, Intel had a record quarter for the first quarter of this year. That will play into my Employee Cash Bonus Payout for the first half of the year.

As for my options, I'm getting used to the thought of having the summer off, paid, and spending some time with my family on the lake with our boat, and taking a LOT of photographs. I am also going to take some photoshop classes. If you looked at my photos, you'll see that I need that.

Yep it's me you got me in here, now what shall we do with it...LO> As for your pictures, aside from that "scary" looking person in your avatar, they seem fine to me! LOL:w00t:

[Killjoy]

Well, if I took the mask off, I would break the lens. I'm too ugly for the camera. :w00t:

Welcome to the group, by the way.