Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Blue-collar envy: Skilled trades appeal to underemployed Ph.D.
Computerworld ^ | APRIL 04, 2006 | Elva Angelique Van Devender

Posted on 04/04/2006 9:58:28 AM PDT by stainlessbanner

My husband jokes that I should have been an electrician. In this age of outsourcing and job insecurity, the trades seem to us to be the best professions of the future. To be sure, most aren't glamorous and are often physically demanding. But a number seem to have financial security and stability, and their job portability doesn't hurt, either. Many of us white-collar employees don't get to choose where we will live; we must go wherever our employer requires us. Many folks in the trades can command a good income, choose their own hours, and put down roots in a community and stay as long as they choose. I wish I had this luxury.

Both my husband and I are Ph.D. chemists. I'd once wanted to be an opera singer. I come from a long line of writers and musicians, but I had the (mis)fortune of being good at science. In college, the thinking was that the sciences (and an advanced degree) would guarantee me some sense of employment security. Pursuing opera would subject me to the unemployment line, I thought, at least until my career took off. I could sing on the side, but by making medicines that make people well, I could make a meaningful difference in the world.

I could never have predicted the difficulties that I'd face. I followed my husband from Virginia (where we went to graduate school) to Maine, where my husband found a job, and then to Oregon, where we live now. In Maine, I was out of work for almost a year. I went to four temp agencies before I found one that would place me. I was turned away from administrative-level positions because I didn't have "admin experience." I worked retail and part-time jobs. Eventually, I learned to leave my Ph.D. off my resume, which helped me land my first serious job. It didn't pay well, but at least it was serious.

When we moved to Oregon, where my husband had accepted another job, and I found myself interviewing again. I worked for a biotech company, handling their patents and licenses, but this company didn't care about my expensive chemistry degree. I now work at an advertising agency where I (Shhh!) barely earn above minimum wage. The agency ran an ad for the assistant position I now hold and received 60 applications the next day.

It just doesn't seem right. I was valedictorian of my high-school class of 600, summa cum laude from my university, and graduated with distinction from graduate school. And none of this seems to have made the least bit of difference in helping me to build a career. At age 30, I feel grateful to have a job at all, because there are few in my part of Oregon.

My situation is hardly unique. My husband and I know plenty of people with advanced degrees (Ph.D., MS, J.D., and MBA) who have had this problem. In many cases, it's the "two-body problem," where both spouses hold advanced degrees. For some, it's because they choose to live in smaller cities, where opportunity is limited. But often it seems as if the job market isn't able to absorb all the advanced-degree holders at the pace colleges and universities are churning them out. Where are all these people going to work?

I am planning to go back to school this fall. Another doctorate. I have decided to make use of my Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry and become a pharmacist. I still dream of being able to make my own destiny, to carve my own path. A person of some intelligence who worked hard and had the right attitude used to be able to do that. Right now, my Ph.D. and $3.65 gets me a Cinnamon Dolce Latte at Starbucks, and not much more.

My dad often used to say, "Life does not reward us for efforts expended." I have learned the hard way that there are no guarantees in life, and that you can have all the determination in the world, and sometimes the opportunities just aren't there.

In this new world order, where jobs of every stripe are outsourced, and job security or opportunity can be a scarce commodity, one could do a lot worse than to be a electrician.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: blue; boss; collar; company; education; employer; employment; job; jobmarket; jobs; labor; phd; retraining; role; skinonthebone; unemployment
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180181-194 last
To: Toddsterpatriot
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.

181 posted on 04/04/2006 9:49:24 PM PDT by neutrino (Globalization is the economic treason that dare not speak its name.(173))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 169 | View Replies]

To: wideawake
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.

182 posted on 04/04/2006 9:50:16 PM PDT by Young Scholar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: 1rudeboy
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.

183 posted on 04/04/2006 9:51:54 PM PDT by Toddsterpatriot (Why are protectionists so bad at math?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 172 | View Replies]

To: neutrino
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?

184 posted on 04/04/2006 9:54:21 PM PDT by Toddsterpatriot (Why are protectionists so bad at math?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 181 | View Replies]

To: newcthem
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.

185 posted on 04/04/2006 9:56:07 PM PDT by ran15
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: doxteve
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.

186 posted on 04/04/2006 10:23:25 PM PDT by ran15
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: Pappy Smear

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.


187 posted on 04/04/2006 10:29:26 PM PDT by napscoordinator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: SamAdams76
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.

188 posted on 04/04/2006 10:56:16 PM PDT by patton (Once you steal a firetruck, there's really not much else you can do except go for a joyride.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

Comment #189 Removed by Moderator

To: Young Scholar

You have FReepmail.


190 posted on 04/05/2006 8:01:12 AM PDT by tamu
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 180 | View Replies]

To: Toddsterpatriot; neutrino

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?


191 posted on 04/05/2006 8:08:58 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 184 | View Replies]

To: bordergal
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.
192 posted on 04/05/2006 8:12:54 AM PDT by tamu
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: sgribbley

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.


193 posted on 04/05/2006 9:57:35 AM PDT by KAUAIBOUND (Hawaii - paradise infected with left-wing cockroaches and centipedes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 189 | View Replies]

To: 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?

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

194 posted on 04/05/2006 11:41:26 AM PDT by Toddsterpatriot (Why are protectionists so bad at math?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 191 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180181-194 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson