Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>cshenk wrote:
>
>> It used to be easy to get full time jobs,
>> even if minimum wage. No longer. There are a huge number now of
>> people working 2-3 part time jobs, all under the level where you have
>> to pay benefits.
>
>I was watching This Old House this evening. The contractor (Silva) said
>they could not get enough good help. People just don't want to go into
>the trades. Sheldon has mentioned the lack of machinists.
>
>There are good paying jobs but you have to learn a skill and get your
>hands dirty to make a living. Not many openinigs for college grads with
>a degree in fourth century Greek sculpture.

There are very few going into the skilled trades, and there are no
incentives for manufacturing companys to sponsor apprenticeship
programs. Today about the only way to learn a skilled trade is if a
family member trains a young person... the electrician I use is
training is son and the plumber I use is training his nephew. There
was a time when the US Grubermint subsidized company sponsored
apprenticeship programs, they'd pay about half the wages. But that
was many years ago, now skilled tradesmen retire or die without
training anyone. A case in point before I retired from a large
National Laboratory there were 214 tool & diemakers employed, last I
heard some two years ago there were less than 20 remaining and all
about retirement age... work is contracted out to local private
industry with most jobs done by other countries. They try to hire
apprentices for all their skilled trades departments (there are many
from steamfitter to cabinetmaker, to heavy equipment operator, and any
others you can think of). Young people these days are deathly ascared
of dirty hands, calluses, and perspiring. The vast majority of young
people can't find employment because as Ed says they come out of
school with ridiculous degrees plus being heavily in debt... how many
music majors do yoose think are philharmonic orchestra quality or
capable of becoming a rock star... my sister graduated with a Masters
in music, the best employment she could find is entertaining toddlers
by reading story books and strumming a geetar at a local day care
center. Sometimes she fills in for the fingerpainting instructor who
has a masters in art.