Looming Talent Crisis Faces U.S. Companies

Rismedia ^ | 2/16/05 | Editorial Staff

[schu]

I am not sure I understand the question, the market determines the price.

The actual $$ spent is irrelevant, what matters is what you get for those $$, standard of living. We have, by far, the highest standard of living in our history. Our labor productivity is still very high, not sure of the actual numbers, but I believe it is the highest in the world.

I know of a paper mill in Indonesia, they have 15,000 people working there, they pay them $2/day. Equivalent US companies have 400 people but pay them $20/hour. The US paper company is more profitable, however. A reason is that the Indonesian paper company has 6 months in inventory, so they are clueless about how to run a business, but have cheap labor. That's the way it works. If we are smarter and more efficient than they are, we win.

[joe_broadway]

But we produce many 'great', skilled people.

Lots of actors, singers, dancers, power forwards (men who can jam), ecstasy heads, pregnant teenagers, gang-bangers, hip hoppers.

What more do we need?

[Goodgirlinred]

I see. I am just trying to figure out why everything is being outsourced. They have cheap labor. Do they do everything as well as our workers for less? Their standard of living is so poor. Ours is so high. Is it too high? What is wrong with this picture? Are we living beyond our means? Are we demanding too much in wages? Are unions running up the wages and taking some of the money? I just don't understand. Even my doctor is sending his dictation to Manila to be transcribed and he gets it back within 24 hours. He is a very conservative Republican, but he said it is business. He has to be able to make a living. He is not a rich man, either.

[bigeasy_70118]

Good for you. Bad for the rest of your generation.

[schu]

First, "everything" is not being outsourced. But if you are a company, much like yourself, you are going to do things as cheaply as possible, just like you shop on-line or at Wall-mart for the best price.

This idea that searching for the best bargain is traitorous or immoral just does not make sense. Everyone does it, so what?

So the people in the US need to grow up, there are people, and lots of them, in the world who are willing to work for less. The response to that is make yourself more valuable, to do a better job, to improve your skills, to fix our countries problems (tort, taxes, education, etc). Everyone is a "free agent" an "entrepreneur" as a previous poster said. Buy a business, go to school, reeducate yourself, be more diligent at work, and, for those slackers, make them accountable.

What else would you propose?

[Goodgirlinred]

Well, thanks, I guess. However, I am not that old. I am 55. Guess you have not worked with many of us, huh? There are legions of us who work hard and have excellent work ethics. Also, we were not spending all your money. We put you through college and made sure you had everything you needed to have a good future. (At least I did for my children as did my friends and the people I worked with.) It just all depends on how one was brought up. We weren't all hippies, you know.

[Goodgirlinred]

Nothing. Oh, happy day. I said the same thing once on another thread, not as eloquently as you, and got slammed big time. So, I thought I was wrong. I am new and I doubted myself. I believe education is the way to go. People should look at the job market and see what is in demand. Nursing is way up there for one. If you have what it takes to be a good nurse, go after it. Be informed as to what is in demand, don't just go to college with no idea what career path you are going to follow.

[schu]

You are in the right, do not back down from this idea, it is core.

More important than picking a field is understanding that things change, that your job today is very likely to be totally different even 5 years from now. If you let yourself get complacent or stagnant, then you have a big problem.

[!1776!]

I am taking machinist classes.

Machinist trades have taken a hit salary wise over the last 10 years

Why train to enter a field with a 10 year track record of declining wages?

I'm getting sick of the people that say you need to update your job skills/go back to school etc. That is exactly what I'm doing. But I'm faced with making $8 an hour to start(which is way less than I'm making now)

You appear to be obviously dedicated and willing to put forth the work necessary to enhance your skills. Why pick a skill that you know is trending downward, and you realize will be a step down instead of up (or over)?

[!1776!]

More important than picking a field is understanding that things change, that your job today is very likely to be totally different even 5 years from now. If you let yourself get complacent or stagnant, then you have a big problem.

I'd even take it a step further, if your job today is the same as it was 5 years ago, big problems are on your doorstep right now. Change is the only constant in life, and that applies to work as much as anywhere else.

Always push to learn something new, take (smart) chances, and either set, or be at the top of the learning curve. That approach will make you be make mistakes more often than if you stay stagnant, but the payoffs are always better.

[schu]

At the same time, if you want to have a technical skill and enjoy working with your hands, which is great, go somewhere that cannot be outsourced. How about auto repair, these guys can command top dollar, and you cannot send your car to china to be fixed. I read the other day where top flight mechanics can make over $100K.

[!1776!]

At the same time, if you want to have a technical skill and enjoy working with your hands, which is great, go somewhere that cannot be outsourced. How about auto repair, these guys can command top dollar, and you cannot send your car to china to be fixed. I read the other day where top flight mechanics can make over $100K.

~$100/hr fee at auto repair joints around here. Sure the guy doing the work doesn't get all of that, but he's not paying overhead etc...

Then there's plumbers, electricians, whatever. Very skilled labor that can't be shipped to my house from oversees when I need them, and my last look at their rates encouraged me to learn more DIY skills.

I guess that is a long way of saying I totally agree with you.

[sarasota]

My sentiments exactly. What a promotion piece. And to think that the corporations are paying big bucks to be part of the show. Can you imagine the nature of the show after this season when Trump disappears? Ratings have to be headed in the toilet.