On 3/9/2017 4:40 PM, Keyser Soze wrote:
On 3/9/17 4:12 PM, Ryan P. wrote:
On 3/9/2017 6:44 AM, Poco Deplorevole wrote:
https://www.facebook.com/attn/videos/1305416199493836/

Hollywood's version of the middle class worker.


Mike Rowe is a fantastic advocate for skilled labor.

In my own state, there's a huge shortage of skilled labor like welders,
plumbers, electricians, etc.

The problem is that the East and West Coast Elite's have made succeeded
in getting people to think that no going to a 4-year college is an awful
thing, and instruction in the Trades is de-emphasized (if it even
exists) at the high school/middle school level in most districts.

The consequence is that, as Mike Rowe stated, kids think of these jobs
as unworthy or beneath them. The fact that many people in the trades
make far more money than many college graduates is never disclosed to
these kids. If you're a good welder, you going to make 6 figures easy,
for example.


One of the serious and known problems in the skilled building trades is
the fact that for many workers in all parts of the country the work
isn't constant. Jobs come and jobs go, and while you might land a job on
a site that provides a few months worth of work, you might well go a few
months with no work in your field, and you might not be able to find any
work that pays enough to support you and your family until another good
job pops up.

Another problem, also known, is the high incidence of serious injury
that accompanies work in many of the construction trades.

The idea that construction workers in the skilled trades are stupid
is...just stupid. Many of the trades require workers who have advanced
skills in math and chemistry, for example.

It's a tough way to make a living. There are easier ways.

I think that circles back to the comment that many of the skilled
trade folks aren't the best at managing their finances.

I have cousin who spent many years working for a landscaping company.
He would make great money during the summer, and then only got paid in
the winter when it snowed and he could plow. He always spent the winter
crying poor and could never afford anything. I helped him with his
taxes one year, and found he was making more than I was at his age by
about $10K. His problem was not being able to budget properly...

That's something that also isn't being taught in High School any
longer unless you take accounting electives.