I know former co-workers of mine (not PhDs) - working at Lowes. One guy went into homebuilding.
and the free traders come on and say "oh, just retrain". sure, retrain a tech PhD to be a roofer or a plumber.
Do something you enjoy, and the pay does not matter...
Trying to "keep up with the Jones" does folks in...
If my brother can get into construction work as fast as he did, surely a PhD can do it.
I hold an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and have a good job, but to have it severely limits where I can live, unless I want a long commute. And then there are downsizings out of the blue to be concerned about. There are times I wish I had been an electrician, or a pharmacist, or a CPA, something that I can do and live where I want.
I doubt that I will recommend this career to my children.
(Before I get flamed by Captain Obvious, let me stipulate that yes, these were my decisions. Nobody forced me to do them. I'm the idiot that signed up for the trip. That having been said, I might do it differently if I had it to do over again. )
What's wrong with being a roofer or a plumber? There's apparently a much greater demand for their services than there are for certain PhD's.
If nobody wants to pay you to do what you're trained for, you should probably look into doing something else.
I have a degree in Medieval History and am academically qualified for only one possible career in the United States - teaching Medieval History.
But I retrained myself on my own for the real job market and I'm doing quite well.
This woman's whining is pathetic. If you have a working brain you can get a good job in the US. Unless you're lazy.
Folks always need either a new home or a remodel job on the one they already have! Trade skills are good to have even if you also have a PhD!
and the free traders come on and say "oh, just retrain". sure, retrain a tech PhD to be a roofer or a plumber.
Employment is a market, like any other. There is supply and demand. When there's an oversupply, there isn't much money to be had. It's not some evil conspiracy, but the basic laws of economics at work.
Yes, that means that a successful career is a moving target. The best strategy seems to be a diverse education coupled with the desire and ability to learn new things.
So, in answer to your sarcasm about retraining, the answer is yes, that's what you must do. Just as the market for Beanie Babies came and went, the market for some professions comes and goes. That's just the cold hard facts of the market.