Blue-collar envy: Skilled trades appeal to underemployed Ph.D.

Computerworld ^ | APRIL 04, 2006 | Elva Angelique Van Devender

[neutrino]

Of course we pay a lot more in property taxes to pay for that school.

You also pay those taxes to support illegal immigrants. You do realize, of course, that those illegal aliens are part of the free traitor paradigm, don't you? It's all part of their one true God, lower prices to consumers.

[Young Scholar]

There you go. A liberal arts degree (in your case, Medieval History), isn't meant to qualify you for a lot of jobs, it's meant to teach you how to learn and think, so that you can teach yourself whatever you need to know. People who can do this well will always be able to position themselves well in the market.

Obviously, this only works for people who have the ability and initiative to actually do this. Thus, most liberal arts degrees are probably worthless to the people receiving them, since these people not only don't have this level of intelligence and initiative, they haven't learned any practical skills.

[Toddsterpatriot]

but I have observed that a lot of these flippers don't have the financial cushion to take a hit.

Doesn't make them immoral, just stupid.

[Toddsterpatriot]

You also pay those taxes to support illegal immigrants.

Yes.

You do realize, of course, that those illegal aliens are part of the free traitor paradigm, don't you?

Sorry to ruin your rant, but I'm against illegals. Round them up, ship them back. Build a nice big wall.

You never answered, does my "duty" to pay higher prices come before my duty to my kids?

[ran15]

Her sole job is to try and convince high school guidance councilors that kids really can make a heck of a lot more money in the skilled trades with a one or two year degree than with the dime-a-dozen bachelor's degree.

That is an impossible task. You can never convince an educator that people don't need more education. A heck of a lot of American young would be better to finish school at grade 8, and take an apprentiship in a skilled trade. While saving the taxpayers a boatload.

[ran15]

I try and tell parents how much demand there is for patternmakers--even with Computer Assisted Manufacturing--and they usually don't want their sons to learn a trade. They believe a college degree should be the goal. And it is for the parents.

It seems a lot of parents don't want to think of their son as a tradesman. Even though the tradesmen I know make more then the college grads I know. Also people who graduate your future school and know some commerce can start their own business. Which trades are a perfect gateway into. My uncle got his electrician's certificate a long time ago. Then got some experience and started a construction business with some friends. Hes a multi-millionaire today.

[napscoordinator]

I did well in HS, finished 3rd in my class. When I told my teachers I was going to tech school, they had a fit.


Wow that took some guts to stand up to the administration. I know the same thing happened to a guy in my class who went into the military but was pretty high on the food chain. They were all about being upset. Of course, when I said I was going to the military, they said, "Oh that will be so good for you." LOL. I was not at the top of the class, but mid part at best.

[patton]

I had a different experience with VEAP. They left me starving, waiting for the VA to process the paperwork for more than a year.

I hate government. Never took the a year to take that money out of my paycheck.

Anyay, degrees in Math and Engineering. Never looked back, well employed.

[tamu]

You have FReepmail.

[1rudeboy]

I have yet to see anyone answer this question: why am I, in my desire to see Heineken imported with a minimum amount of fuss, and my desire to pay less for it over Budweiser (for example), also in favor of Mexicans illegally crossing the Rio Grande?

[tamu]

The numbers are hard to understand because they're not often broken down by domestic/international status of the student, but here are the rough numbers:
Each year in the US, there are about 1000 new math PhDs, 1000 new physics PhDs, and about 3000 engineering PhDs (all fields).

Again, round figures, and there's no telling how many go back to Peking or Buenos Aires or who knows where. The point is that demand in academia (including low paying post docs, etc) is about 1/10th of the above numbers. Given that 1/2 or more might go home, you still have a huge glut of geeks out there that the finance industry slowly absorbs.

Folks in other less marketable fields are in much worse shape. So there may be a problem with undergrad degree numbers, but the technical fields are bulging at the top end.

[KAUAIBOUND]

If you are making the point that illegals do not significantly affect the labor market in Hawaii, you are absolutely correct. Hawaii has the lowest unemployment in the U.S. - my island, Kauai, has 2% unemployment. I have observed that the construction fields like concrete/masonry, tilers, drywall and roofing where Mexicans predominate in the Southwest, are among the most expensive subcontractor trades here in Hawaii, precisely because there are no illegals to bring down the labor costs. Roofers are making $60 per hour as contract labor, tilesetters can make $2000 per week and drywaller costs are double what they are in California or Arizona.

[Toddsterpatriot]

I have yet to see anyone answer this question: why am I, in my desire to see Heineken imported with a minimum amount of fuss, and my desire to pay less for it over Budweiser (for example), also in favor of Mexicans illegally crossing the Rio Grande?

It's because they're losing the argument. Lower prices really are better for consumers, so they feel the need to change the subject.