OT: skills shortage

Lots of companies think they want "engineers", but what they really want is an apprentice or a technician. Most companies won't pay for the skills they are demanding.

Well said, George. This is particularly prevelant in the aerospace field.

I call both of those "critical thinking" skills. I like your spin on it however. I have been trying to get some engineering help for almost a year. Most of the ones I meet have some idea that engineering is all about playing bigshot. I once asked a young kid to do a tolerance analysis on a connector that was giving us fits in the field. He said "I thought they already had that all figured out!" I told him "YOU are 'they'. Do YOU have it figured out?" He said "No", so I told him "GO FIGURE IT OUT!". He was less than happy about the assignment.

Valley High School , Albuquerque NM. ...lew...

I'd like to know if Europe is experiencing this type of shortage.

I have a European-style tool and die education and am working towards my German T&D ticket. This involves about 18 months of training (32 hours on the floor, 8 hours in the classroom) and *does not* involve any sellable product. I was paid 40 hours a week to go to school.

I understand this is the way most German skilled trades are taught.

Perhaps the American "me me me!" versus the European "us us us!" mentality? If all companies train all workers, they're not really losing their investment when someone leaves as there will be someone else (with similar skills) trained by another company ready to take their position....

Regards,

Robin

That's all well and good for the ones that "can and will" but what about a large ( and it's way too large for comfort ) segment that have absolutely no desire or ability to absorb that "better academic education". Just my 2 centavos worth... ( being in NM :-) ) ...lew...

Hey Uncle George, Have you had any contact with or even second hand information about what is euphemistally titled "Special Ed" ? :-) ...lew...

That's a good line F. I am going to have to steal it from you and use it for my own benefit. Thanks.

"Kelly Jones" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

It would be different if it actually GOT to the offer point. Sadly most of the applicants bail before an offer is even put on the table. I would be fairly sure what they are offering probably isn't in the top

20% of what the skills are demanding in the marketplace though, rarely will you find that, imho.

The desire is something that could be changed. As for the ability, I'm all for teaching at a pace that a kid can handle.

My wife teaches the handicapped. You'd be amazed at what people can learn, given enough time and patience.

Teach what they can learn. Just don't underestimate how much they can learn.

I found the German T&D math cirriculem to be far more extensive than the Ontario system. Very engineering related (lots of lever/gear/pulley, tensile and shear strength, etc)

To what does "OJT" refer?

Regards,

Robin

|>|>There is a skilled worker shortage in manufacturing and engineering |>|>because American society and culture no longer value those skills. |>| |>| If they did the jobs would pay better. |>| IF there were not enough people the wages would go up too. |> |> Actually that is the case. A plumber can make $100K per year. Here |> in Chicago, the guys who drive garbage trucks make over $100K. The |> same for NYC. |> |> We have a lot of folks who have college degrees going back into the |> skilled trades because the work not only pays better but has more job |> satisfaction as well., |> | |Hmm, according to some, all service sector jobs are low paying. A good auto |mechanic working flat rate can make $85k+ per year. That's with minimal |overtime.

People forget that the service economy has lots of union jobs in the skilled trades. And that CPAs, Lawyers and Civil Engineers are part of that service economy.

On Job Training. Greg.

Cliff wrote in news:3dt9o1hundf258309ceol6nhtfcrhaoh1r@

4ax.com:

??

Did you respond to the wrong post?

Your problem is you don't have Voodoo shoes. At this company the last guy on a job leaves his shoes behind. You just step into his shoes and BAM, you know everything he knew!

Gary H. Lucas

Dan, Have you ever made a difference with a young guy though? It can be wonderfully refreshing when you pull it off. I rode a slacker really hard once. Ran into to him last year and he turned out okay. I took a guy pushing a broom and taught him how to make things. He told me how I had changed his life, both of his brothers had given up and committed suicide. He finished a five year tool maker apprentice afterwards. I fired a young guy who was working as a machine shop apprentice, then explained to his dad the kid loved to work on cars not machined parts, and there is no shame in that. The kid came back 6 months later driving his restored and upgraded 53 Corvette, to thank me.

Some of you grumpy old bastards need to give it a try.

Gary H. Lucas

"When you are bad mouthing farmers it is not polite to speak with your mouth full"

Gary H. Lucas

F. George McDuffee wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

There you go. There are none.

There is such a huge disparity in knowledge and capability from shop to shop in this country it's amazing. There are some real world class operations out there, and then there are places where you wonder how they stay in business.

It's to be expected though. There are no uniform training standards for the metalworking trades. Worse yet are the white collar jobs in manufacturing. Engineering and management skills are all over the place as well.

"Robin S." wrote in news:h49hf.28357$gK4.615000 @news20.bellglobal.com:

On the Job Training.