There is a genuine shortage of qualified workers in some sectors who are willing and able. But most reasonably intelligent people can get qualified with a minimum amount of OTJ exposure.
Anyone who expects the product of government schools to come out with those skills is probably an idiot. Of course they have to be learned somewhere, what have these companies been doing before now?
What I have seen was the cost spent on training was considered wasted when the training was finished, employees left to another company who could pay more, since they didn't spend money on training.
Apprenticeship programs are an age-old solution which companies have been reluctant to try as long as the Chamber of Commies keeps the pipeline of illegals flowing.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if these companies started whining and crying about not having enough H1b’s to fill these “apprenticeships.”
Not so sure they've been reluctant to try it. From what I've seen the model has just been modified to a revolving door of Illegal labor. New arrival get's training and low pay until he knows the job and expects actual wages. The axe drops and the process starts again. Works great because there will always be a constant flow.