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Worker shortage in the making? Lack of skilled employees could become serious, manufacturers fear
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | March 7, 2005 | RICK BARRETT

Posted on 07/14/2005 7:00:15 PM PDT by bayourod

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To: Moonman62
"Most young people are better off getting experience working for someone else. The really exceptional ones start their own businesses. "

I agree about getting experience first. However, there are some businesses such as Subway franchise that a high school grad can manage with a parent watching over his shoulder.

As far as starting their own business, the failure rate is so high that you can't get an SBA loan right now. Most businesses fail because they are under capitalized, but to sink too much money into a start up is more risky than a trip to Vegas.

A good start up business is a hand car wash in an area where the cars are too expensive to be run through an automated car wash. If the business catches on the profits are astronomical. If if doesn't you've just got a few buckets and towels to pay for. Buy the property and include paving, covered area, a small office/waiting area and signage in the mortgage.

41 posted on 07/14/2005 8:11:08 PM PDT by bayourod (There's nothing conservative about being Anti-business, Anti-Bush, Anti-14th, Anti-immigrant, Anti-f)
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To: afraidfortherepublic
"...got a nasty email from his girl-friend saying that our job had interfered with their "life together!"

Y'old meany. LOL!

42 posted on 07/14/2005 8:15:24 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: bayourod
I thought we were supposed to send all manufacturing to China.
43 posted on 07/14/2005 8:17:16 PM PDT by Ukiapah Heep (Shoes for Industry!)
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To: Max Flatow
So I am back in college now.

Here's wishing you good luck in your job search. Kudos to you for getting more education. You're on the right path, friend.

44 posted on 07/14/2005 8:25:25 PM PDT by Ciexyz (Let us always remember, the Lord is in control.)
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To: Max Flatow

Maybe FR needs to start a new kind of post, ala the Smoky Back Room, listing the kinds of jobs available in different parts of the USA.

It's obvious from this thread that there are jobs available in different parts of the country, while many of us are unemployed.

Let's start it!


45 posted on 07/14/2005 8:25:41 PM PDT by japaneseghost
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To: IronJack
THe greed merchants outsource all our jobs to Mexico, India, Malaysia, the Phillipines, and every other third-world squat hole, then complain that our workforce is uneducated, disloyal, and incompetent. I know if I was a high school kid, I'd be rushing into debt so I could train only to be dumped the next time an outsourcing rush struck some bean-counter's fancy. . . . . In business-labor relations, you truly reap what you sow.

I think perhaps you have confused cause and effect here. Companies are going elsewhere because our workforce is "uneducated, disloyal, and incompetent," not the other way around.

You may be right that high school kids do not want to go into debt to prepare for manufacturing jobs. But that does not explain why they do not learn math and science (or something worthwhile).

46 posted on 07/14/2005 8:30:07 PM PDT by Logophile
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To: bayourod

I think it all depends on the individual. Small businesses have really helped our economy since the Reagan era. But they are very demanding and there's a reason why so many are for sale. People like Michael Dell are rare and there's still a huge amount of luck involved. I think it's important to teach young people how our economic system works, that risk is involved, and that failure of the business isn't a failure of the person. Still, there's a good amount of people content to be government or corporate drones all their lives.


47 posted on 07/14/2005 8:31:07 PM PDT by Moonman62 (Federal creed: If it moves tax it. If it keeps moving regulate it. If it stops moving subsidize it)
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To: bayourod

Manufacturing job which is stated about 50 times in the article isn't very specific, aren't most manufacturing jobs just repetitive labor where workers are basically treated as commodities? Obviously you need to be literate in any job, but then most high school graduates are literate. Exactly what level of aptitude in math and science do you need to work that sort of job? I put together computers as a hobby, it doesn't take any aptitude in anything except reading manuals and being careful with your hands.


48 posted on 07/14/2005 8:37:07 PM PDT by grizzly84
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To: spunkets

Yeah. He put in 31 hours the first week, 16 hours the 2nd week, and 1 hour the 3rd week. He would have been gone the 2ndweek, but he kept taking off early! LOL.


49 posted on 07/14/2005 8:42:16 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: IronJack

IMO this is a runup to increase immigration. The tech industry used this same scare tactic to trick people into thinking that there weren't enough technical people to fill the jobs here. That was the excuse congress used to raise the cap on H1B visas.

But, back in India, where the majority of the h1b workers are from the story is different. They are leveraging h1b visas off of US "free trade" deals. That is, in order for the USTR to get India to sign on to their FTAs, they have to take more migrant workers from India. So they put a little story in the news about a crisis, and nobody looks any further into the dirty deal.


50 posted on 07/14/2005 8:44:38 PM PDT by hedgetrimmer
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To: somniferum

Doesn't he have a fork lift?


51 posted on 07/14/2005 8:45:53 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I hope you didn't get hit with the employment agency charge.


52 posted on 07/14/2005 8:46:47 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: BluH2o
I was one of the lucky ones. I only had some college. I started at the very bottom of the ladder at a tech company. Had to work my butt off and take whatever classes were offered at my work. After 7 years, I finally made it to an engineer level. My boss had to fight like hell to get it through HR. I am only the second person to get an engineer level without a degree. Funny thing is, I am responsible for the my sensitive process we have. My boss took it away from a PhD and gave it to me. Not getting my degree cost me 7 years.

I am currently getting my degree. If my company ever closes I am screwed. You are right. We are only hiring PhDs. We used to hire B.S. about five years ago.

53 posted on 07/14/2005 8:47:51 PM PDT by dc27
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To: dc27

my = most


54 posted on 07/14/2005 8:48:41 PM PDT by dc27
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To: hedgetrimmer

IMO this is a runup to increase immigration.

Bullseye


55 posted on 07/14/2005 9:00:37 PM PDT by mthom
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To: grizzly84
"aren't most manufacturing jobs just repetitive labor"

Machines that used to be manual are now computer controlled. GM may post their digital specs for a door handle on the Internet for companies world wide to bid on supplying it for them.

A five axis mill machine operator can download those specs directly from the Internet to his machine, insert the correct cutting tools, stick a 20 foot long bar of aluminum into the machine, push a button and the machine pops out 40 door handles in a couple hours.

But the operator has to take care of the machine, constantly lubricating the cutting tools, clearing away filings and monitoring every aspect.

He also needs to know about computers. Computers on machines have some of the same problems that computers on desks have.

56 posted on 07/14/2005 9:07:52 PM PDT by bayourod (There's nothing conservative about being Anti-business, Anti-Bush, Anti-14th, Anti-immigrant, Anti-f)
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To: bayourod

Still harping on same ol' string, eh Swampy? Whether or not a person has a decent education has absolutely nothing to do with whether anyone was aborted over the last 30 years.

Stupid argument, boy. Keep using it.


57 posted on 07/14/2005 9:15:53 PM PDT by cartman90210 ("Sorry kids, those people from the future will do the same job for 25 cents!")
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To: afraidfortherepublic
While Im sure he does, I certainly cannot claim to know how operations are managed at this warehouse, or what tasks are assigned to the workers. The only specific thing he mentioned was that floor laborers had to make several hundred 70+lb lifts per shift.
58 posted on 07/14/2005 9:31:53 PM PDT by somniferum
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To: somniferum
"The only specific thing he mentioned was that floor laborers had to make several hundred 70+lb lifts per shift."

They wouldn't last long at UPS, FEDEX, ect.

59 posted on 07/14/2005 9:47:47 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: Nachoman
"Call me a cynic, but I smell a ruse to import more cheap workers.

First thought that crossed my mind. "We'll bring in 10 million more slave laborers from Mexico that just want to do the jobs that Americans don't want."

60 posted on 07/14/2005 10:22:31 PM PDT by Desron13 (If you constantly vote between the lesser of two evils then evil is your ultimate destination.)
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