Posted on 05/12/2012 6:28:23 AM PDT by Kaslin
Walter Russell Mead writes on the disappearance of jobs for non-Baby Boomers:
An analysis of recent jobs figures at Investor.com reveals a disturbing development: the biggest beneficiaries from the economic recovery are Boomers, while everyone else is getting the shaft.
Since the Obama administration took office, there has been an epochal shift. Young workers have continued to lose jobs and incomes, while older workers have actually gained ground.
In fact, the Obama administration has seen a boom in the prospects of the 55+ crowd; their (I should say ‘our’) employment stands at a 42 year high. Net, there are 3.9 new jobs for people over 55 since the recession began in December 2007, but there are 8.1 million fewer jobs for the young folks since that time.
Jed Graham's IBD article features a chart that shows the employment-to-population ratio that applies for the following age groupings: Age 16-24, Age 25-55 and Age 55 and up:
In the chart, we see that those Age 55 and older would appear to have a near constant share of their population group having jobs.
Meanwhile, we see significant decreases in the employment share of the populations for both the Age 25-54 group and especially for the Age 16-24 group since December 2007, which marks the beginning of the so-called "Great Recession".
We thought that outcome was interesting enough to dig deeper into the data to see how the age distribution of the U.S. workforce has changed over this period of time.
And to make it really interesting, we've decided to go back to November 2006 to do it. Here's why:
The downside to our more detailed approach is that we're not going to be able to use the BLS' seasonally-adjusted data for these older five-year age groupings, because the BLS only reports the non-seasonally adjusted data it collects for them, which means that the data we'll be using won't match these more commonly reported values.
Still, because we'll be comparing the data for the same month (November) five years apart, our analysis should only differ in very minor respects from what might be achieved using seasonally-adjusted data, if it had been available.
We're going to do this in a three-part series of posts, with this post being the first. Our next stop: the change in the age distribution of the American workforce from November 2006 to November 2011!
[Apparently I’m the enemy of the boomers for wanting to fix the system outright]
Because those evile old farts won’t “give” you a job. Uhuh. How’s that excuse workin’ for ya Mr./Ms. Vanguard Edumacational Ladder Climber?
Furthermore, “Teachers” {at least those for whom “teaching” is a “job”} don’t fix the system, Junior - PRODUCERS do.
Some of the most successful teachers I’ve ever observed also were involved in one or more family businesses. So let us ask the good Lutheran question - What does this mean?
“Can you not comprehend what is being written and shared with you? Or are you being purposely obtuse?”
So your advice is what - go back to school and become an engineer? And just how am I supposed to pay for that sort of thing?
“No offense, but a forklift certification isn’t going to advance you teaching career now is it. And be aware I was an EHS manager...I certified forklift drivers! It’s not a big deal to get certified, it is only an OSHA requirement. Not impressed unless you are going to be working in my warehouse.”
So, rather then simply wait around and work odd jobs, I can work in a warehouse and make more money at present - and there is demand for this at present.
That doesn’t prevent me from continuing to apply for teaching positions, or from taking said positions, or even from continuing to work at my present job where I am accruing relevant work experience.
“Maybe I missed it, but what do you do?”
I teach. I am looking for a fulltime position - I work part time for a Catholic private school.
“Some of the most successful teachers I’ve ever observed also were involved in one or more family businesses. So let us ask the good Lutheran question - What does this mean?”
Well, seeing as my family are teachers. ;)
I am in the family business more or less.
I know it is very frustrating right now especially when you see people so blind to the danger that is before them. I have always taught my children and grandchildren the following. If someone asked you how you feel whether than what you think about any topic, then take this person with a grain of salt. Always question what they say and never accept their views as fact.
Please hang in there and do not give up. At my age, I still have not given up because for every one person that you instill they are capable of beyond mediocrity and can rise above any obstacle set before them, will in turn teach those behind them.
Please know that in the circle you are in, boomers like me are rare but in the entire country, we are the majority. Thank you for taking the time to have an open discussion and allowing me the opportunity to know a great person. Never give up and if I may, call you my friend.
[Unlike the tie-dyed, fringed, dope smoking, zoned out, self-satisfied boomers?]
Tsk Tsk Mr/Ms Breckenridge. Wobbling that hemp straw-man in a 1968 flower jackwagon down the hill from your Ivory Tower is not a substitute for an answer.
I'll repeat/rephrase the questions:
1. Tell the class why the Soviet collective had to build a wall to contain its bipedal property in order to maintain the “soundness” of its monetary system?
2. In your own words, what is your proposal for rendering “sound money” in a quantifiable medium that is conducive to commerce in this multinational post-modern technocracy?
3. What is the purpose of government articulated in the American Declaration of Independence?
Surely, given the vast warehouse of experience at your disposal, rendering an actual answer shouldn't be so difficult... especially for someone who presumes to be a "teacher".
No, you are talking about one specific industry, education. There is no "they" in your comments, only "other teachers who are in competition with me." This whole thing, starting with your wrong assumption about boomers voting for Obama, is nothing more than a gripe about the educational retirement system, not the fact that Boomers may or may not be employed at a higher rate than non-boomers.
As they say on Shark Tank--"I'm out."
vs.
...teacher who evaluates historical documents in the public domain San Antonio, TX
...Create and provide accurate and compelling Living History presentations that meet the standards of the National Park Service
...Act as costumed Museum teacher to communicate historical information to the public and schools
Which would you want to interview first JCBreckenridge to be a teacher? You see JCBreckenridge you don't want to grow and you have a narrow view of what you think you need to do. Instead you continue to choose to work another odd job (forklift operator), instead of looking into a field of teaching that would expand your horizons and teaching skills. Like being able to talk to the public and parents...
JCBreckenridge, based on this Internet conversation you do not demonstrate the needed aptitude to succeed. I appreciate your willingness to work hard, but you need to learn to work smarter.
Good luck with your chosen endeavors.
>>Well, seeing as my family are teachers. ;)
Multiple generations of failure are observably symptomatic in the condition that constitutes America’s decline.
Were they “given” a “teaching” job - or did they earn the responsibility of being a teacher?
Oh, I forgot the Gen-x/y/x mantra: Like dude, math is too hard man............How do you think your employment prospects would be with a science degree?
OTOH, have not seen such a good whine fest from a noob in a long time.
I’m 62, currently unemployed. Waiting on two possible job offers. I’m with you. I will work til i can’t work anymore.
It all depends onage. Like all good Ponzi schemes Social Security has stretched so long many of the early ‘investors’ have been handsomely cashed out and are now no longer with us.
If you are at the end of the boomers, you would be fifty or so. That is almost as bad of a position as being in your mid thirties to forties.
I understand cpompletely what you are sayin. Social Security should be entirely ended as we kno it, but it is too late for most of us.
I have paid in well over a hundred thousand dollars and that doesn’t incl;ude my employers. I have topped out many years botha s an employee and as self employed. Self employed hurts more, even though the money is the same regardless.
The point to the graph is that the older generations loose their jobs less frequewntly. Many are recipoients of both private and public sector union benefits as well as EEOC rules pertaining to age discrimination.
I have grown to be quite callous about the older generation, particularly ‘the Greatest Generation’ after all they brought us FDR, LBJ, and Carter. They did alot of dammage to the future, as wel;las many great things.
Of course we are all victims of our own time.
Boomers are mostly white and well educated. They came up at a time when the elite respected them enough to educate them and employers had ethics and high expectations. Now they import foreigners for college slots and neglect the public school children with dumbed down teachers and liberalism’s social retardation.
In addition, we have filled up the country with a replacement generation from the third world. Many don’t enter the nation legally and many don’t even finish high school. While doing this, we exported semi-skilled jobs to China and India. Welfare looks fine. When boomers are not around to pull the cart anymore, look out. They should be counting their lucky stars that boomers are still working.
[That doesn’t prevent me from continuing to apply for teaching positions,]
There is a plethora of positions from which one can Teach, Mr./Ms. Breckenridge - and very few of them are paid “Teaching Positions”.
Seems to me your angst is rooted in an inability to extract monetary gain from “teaching” - like the other members of your family in “the business” evidently did.
Did they own the warehouse and tree business where you claim to have worked? No? Then I conclude you’re just a disingenuous arrogant twit who hasn’t earned the right of comparison to the teachers I’ve observed. They taught by example because they loved doing so - and sometimes in situations where it was dangerous to do so. They did so for little or no monetary gain.
And they didn't waste bandwidth whining because they're not going to get a retirement handed to them like the LIFER teat sucklers who came before you.
>>My aim is to teach them what the Church teaches,
Which "Church"? The proper purview for that is within PARENT's scope of authority, not yours as a public school employee.
>>That to secure these rights,
To secure them from what?
>>I’ve actually taught them about Natural rights,
I asked what you PRODUCED not what you allegedly think you "taught".
Those who can DO, those who can't "teach".
What have you DONE, what have you PRODUCED, other than regurgitating your political/religious opinions upon a captive audience?
Sorry, but "how to pursue happiness as a warehouse forklift driver" isn't high on the list of skills I'd like my children to learn from my public employees in their classroom.
When you've demonstrated a self-funding ability to "pursue happiness" without suckling from a government teat, you're free to apply again.
Next applicant please?
I think this is ridiculous. I’m a boomer and I was laid off at 51. Most of the people in my “class” had grey hair. And these people were the cream of their workforce, not clock watchers. There were no “young people.” When companies lay-off, they pick the old ones because they cost more...higher salaries, high healthcare costs. And yeah, some companies don’t want to pay them the pension they promised, so they let them go before they reach eligibility age. We all have to face competition for jobs, and the competition is fierce right now. Nobody is stealing anything.
As a Texas teacher, I can tell you that it’s true. They make life difficult for the older, more experienced teachers (who can run a classroom and handle discipline most effectively [usually]). That leaves them with the young teachers of 0-3 years experience who can’t dress professionally, get to work on time (or even at all), make it to duty, complete professional tasks, etc. And they can’t handle student discipline so that the students take over the classroom. The students don’t learn and the young teacher winds up in tears.
Then, to top it all off, administrators cry because they have no experienced teachers to mentor new teachers.
Education is a joke that I lay at the feet of the people who do not work directly in the classroom— and that goes all the way to the state capital and D.C.
More likely, boomers WILL work and are grateful to have jobs. They are also less likely to bitch, file lawsuits, make harassment complaints or take unscheduled days off.
If I was a personal officer, the only people I would consider would be boomers and honorably discharged veterans. The rest could take a flying leaps at rolling donuts.
That's a feeling. The fact is they are not stealing anything. They just are not retiring as early. This is how it was for most of history. Older folks died in their work clothes. The concept of 'retirement' for the general population is relatively new.
Take consolation in knowing that there is a limited supply of boomers and we are dying off. While we are alive, we are more and more supporting our adult children. And a lot of us had less children so there be jobs.
My most applicable skill as a recent graduate (graduated today in fact with a B.S. in Economics) would be my econometric skills.
I can model near anything using different regression techniques and I also have experience with forecasting.
I have the qualifications for any entry level data analysis/forecasting position. Unfortunately those positions are being taken by those with either A) Higher Education (PhD, Masters) or B) 3-5 years of experience.
Problem A I can address through obtaining a Masters in Economics, problem B not so much.
My whole point in this thread is that the older generation, while having some brilliant reasons to dislike the younger generation, should be encouraging and mentoring us. They will be gone eventually and the world will be left to us, we could use some FRiendly advice and mentoring.
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