Too Snobby for Shop

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0803/jjacobs.html ^ | July 21, 2003 / 21 Tamuz, 5763 | Joanne Jacobs

[paltz]

With a few years of experience, an auto mechanic at a dealership can earn $80,000 a year. But high schools are eliminating auto shop classes, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The equipment is costly, industrial tech (shop) teachers are hard to find and students' schedules are filled with college-prep classes. Students assume the only way to make a living is to go to college, but many don't have the motivation or the academic skills to earn a college degree. Only about half of students who enroll in college ever earn a degree; most of those who graduate won't be earning $80,000 a year.

[redhead]

"Community colleges are picking up the slack. But students often enter with no hands-on skills: They don't know how to change the oil, or how big a 13 mm wrench is. And many can't read well enough to understand the manual or use the diagnostic data on the computer screen. Qualifying for a skilled trade is more demanding than qualifying for most colleges."

Son #3 is under 30, and is an ASE Certified Master Auto Technician. He just moved here to MN to be with me since the death of his father, and immediately began an online search for a job. He submitted his resume repeatedly, registered with numerous "headhunters," and was offered a job which was too good to pass up within 36 hours.

All his life, he has had a desire to be a mechanic, and has studied everything he could on the subject, took auto shop in high school, and read every technical manual and parts catalog he could get his hands on, and virtually committed them to memory. By the time he was offered the job with General Electric here, he had a resume that was so impressive that he is still getting offers from the submissions he made online.

Blue-collar jobs will always be with us, as long as people need homes and cars, and they need these things to be maintained.

Construction trades (carpentry, heavy-equipment operation, electricians, plumbers, etc.) and auto maintenance will probably be among the most stable places for work, from what I can see. I live in a rural area, and don't see a lot of city life, but after watching my two sons look for work during the same period of time, I am inclined to believe that the son who is in IT and communications might do well to brush up on his motorcycle mechanic's skills and apply for work in any blue-collar area besides IT.

[openotherend]

Where's the sentence the writer ended with a preposition at?

[openotherend]

Is, am, are, was, were, be, being, and been.

Now how did I remember that!

[Junior]

"Is" is a verb, not a preposition.

[freedumb2003]

"Is" is a form of the verb "be." I may be mistaken, but I don't believe "is" is a preposition, "Is is a verb" etc.

I stated re-reaserching this and I think I pulled the trigger too soon. In some contexts, "is" can be a preposition, but in most it is merely a (linking) verb. It is an oddity to end a sentence that way, since it gives the appearance of not being complete, but I do, indeed, stand corrected.

Also, my research shows there is a big movement to eliminiate the reliance on this rule, since propositions so frequently accompany linking verbs that reconstructing the sentence usually brings the preposition along. Except for the dreaded "where it is at" redunandcy (it is probably where it is) I think the whole dangling participle and preposition-ending thing needs a good shake out and the result thereof a public airing.

I bet my auto mechanic can't parse a sentence and I know he has the handwriting of a doctor. But my car runs great, even thought I have to take out a second mortgage to pay for the repair.

When I was in HS I could strip and rebuild am 8-cylinder Engine wth my eyes closed. Nowadays, the engines are so computerized (and jammed into the car) that you need special tools and diagnostic equipment just to change the doggone spark plugs!

[Bob]

They don't know how to change the oil, or how big a 13 mm wrench is.

Ummm, 13mm?

Also interesting to note that the author, presumably a professional writer, is ending a sentence with a preposition.

Before you correct someone else's writing, you might want to review the differences between verbs (e.g. "is") and prepositions (e.g. "with").

A preposition is generally considered a bad thing to end a sentence with. On the other hand, I have been known to sometimes split an infinitive. :=)

[Redcloak]

That would be a verb of being.

[Bob]

Note to self:

Read all the way through a thread before posting to avoid making redundant posts.

[ladylib]

An electrician in my town had his daugher's wedding pictures featured in TOWN AND COUNTRY magazine.

[ladylib]

They just have to get a better caliber of kids into Georgia's classrooms.

[Libertina]

Thank you, Amelia. I'll go check out your link. The way the word was used in the Seattle papers about the protestors gave me the impression that it referred to the people who created giant "craft art." hmmmm

[spodefly]

Also interesting to note that the author, presumably a professional writer, is ending a sentence with a preposition.

That reminds me of a joke:

A freshman Harvard student approached an upper-classman and asked, "Do you know where the Library is at?"

The upper-classman replied, "We at Harvard do not end our sentences with prepositions."

The freshman replied, "OK ... do you know where the library is at, asshole?"

[freedumb2003]

See my post #45 where I cleverly perform a mea culpa while dancing my little heart out.

[Bob]

See my post #48 where I realized that you had. :=)

[freedumb2003]

See my post #56 where I chastise myself for the same mistake you made.

LOL

[freedumb2003]

Note to self:

Read all the way through a thread before posting to avoid making redundant posts.

[chaosagent]

There are a number of little-known, unappreciated occupations that pay very well, i.e., more than $50,000 a year.

Piano Tuner
Dog Groomer
Farrier (someone who shoes horses, but not a blacksmith.)

We have some retired friends who for six months a year make the craft show circuit with one of those funnel cake trailers. They pull it with their huge motorhome.

They work 3 days a week, (Fri, Sat. Sun.) and they normally sell between 500 and 1000 funnel cakes a day. At $3.50 ea.!!!! And this is an all cash business!!