When good paying jobs go unfilled (Employers looking to fill these jobs are having little success)

Hotair ^ | 11/28/2011 | Jazz Shaw

[1rudeboy]

Sorry bud, I’m clean. And I would be busting down the door to UP if I had the qualifications. What are yours, other than personal attacks and ability to whine out loud?

[Betis70]

>>I would once again suggest taking a look at Matthew B. Crawford’s wonderful book, Shop Class as Soulcraft. In it, he examines what he describes as “the value of work.”

I’ve read this book twice and frankly, it is so thick with arcane philosophical references, I don’t see what value it brings to most people. His shorter MY Times article describes the most important points without the twisted Ivory Tower discussions.

[1rudeboy]

There is something more going on here, obviously.

Right, so let's ignore the obvious answer and supplant it with one that conforms to our bias. Give me a break.

[zeugma]

A lot of those cannot be shipped overseas to India as a bonus !

Don't worry though, our ruling class will make sure there are mexicans available to fill the job at cut rate wages!

Roofers and carpenters used to think they had relatively secure jobs.

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

Do you really think Union Pacific Corp. can’t find qualified electricians with experience working on diesel engines?

[Ellendra]

My employer has been struggling to find good workers to hire. It's entry-level work with lots of opportunity for advancement, no degrees or certificates required, pays well, and they let people telecommute. All that's required is an internet connection and a willingness to talk on the phone for 8 hours a day. But, more than half the new hires quit before the end of their second month. Why? Because by then they're eligible for unemployment again. They'll even brag about it as they leave!

There's not a job shortage, there's a work ethic shortage.

[Betis70]

You are 100% right about liability being a primary concern. I’ve used a Sawstop and it is an excellent table saw as well. If it just had the safety part, it wouldn’t sell nearly as well I don’t think.

Damn, the bandsaw has to be the safest machine in most wood shops. You really have to be a stoner to slice off your finger on it. Now a router table...

[1rudeboy]

http://www.unionpacific.jobs/careers/apply/index.cfm.

[Betis70]

Should be “NY Times article”

[ex-snook]

“While hourly wages in the broad category of maintenance and repair workers rose 6.4% from 2007 to 2010, increases were 10% in the subcategory of heavy-vehicle mechanics and 15% for specialists in electrical repairs on commercial and industrial equipment.”

---

So what. Post the companies that are hiring so people can apply.

[1rudeboy]

Yeah, right after you give me a foot massage.

[grundle]

Since the article doesn’t specify how much these “high wages” actually are, I’m guessing they’re probably offering about $9 an hour. If the wages were truly “high,” the article would say how much they were.

[SatinDoll]

A railroad company in my local community has advertised for trainees, brakeman/conductor/engineer combined, to work on trains. The job is very dangerous, people do get killed, and the hours are highly irregular and all over the clock. This is not a job you do until retirement, as leaping onto, or leaping down from, a moving train is hard on the body.

My nephew always wanted to be a train engineer. He has applied for the position along with 6 other daring young men. Two have already failed the drug test!

I’ve always encouraged him to do what he loves as that is the best path to financial success. He used to be crazy about computers and it looked like he would go into IT. He has changed his mind and is looking at trains instead. OK. But I’ve encouraged him to acquire other skills, such as welding, machining, or keeping up with computer technology for that day when physically he can no long work trains.

[TexasTransplant]

Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs) has addressed this with his Project Mike Rowe Works

http://www.mikeroweworks.com/2011/11/repairing-americas-infrastructure-roads-and-bridges/

Highly recommended

TT

[JustSayNoToNannies]

Who knew? Seriously, who knew? Who knew that FR is populated by maintenance and repair workers, heavy-vehicle mechanics, and electrical repair specialists complaining that their wages are not rising quickly enough

A swing and a miss. Employers raise pay not as charity but because it achieves desired results such as filling positions; the data you posted showing rising pay for skilled labor indicates that rising pay successfully fills positions - no surprise to anyone who has even a passing familiarity with basic economics.

during the worst economic crisis since the Depression?

Looking past the sound bites, economic crises don't affect everyone equally - as you should have deduced from the data you posted showing rising pay for skilled labor even during the worst economic crisis since the Depression.

[Moonman62]

Here's the lone job opening for Denver. They basically own your life for $19 an hour, minus required union initiation fee and dues. They also expect a spotless background check, perfect health, and welding experience.

Work Conditions:

Outside work is required regardless of weather conditions.

Must wear personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, safety boots, hard hats, and hearing protection where the company requires. Extensive traveling across Union Pacific's 23 state system could be required at any time with short notice.

Are assigned to traveling system work gangs (i.e., work groups) working on track projects anywhere on the Union Pacific System.

Work site locations may require extended travel away from home.

Outside and exposed to all weather conditions.

Work takes place in many rural remote geographic areas.

Applicants must be willing to work all 3 shifts, if needed, subject to overtime, weekend, holiday, and/or night work. Work may be seasonal based on weather, business conditions, or seniority.

Schedules may consist of five 8-hour days/ 2 days off; four 10-hour days/ 3 days off; or ten 8-hour days followed by accumulated rest days.

[LevinFan]

The obvious answer is that their “good pay” may be not be all that great. All jobs claims to offer “good pay.” But it’s up to the hiree to decide if it’s good enough. Obviously it isnt.

[1rudeboy]

You appear to be arguing with a figment of your own imagination. Suffice it to say, when wages are rising in sectors of the economy when wages in other sectors are falling, it indicates that employment in the sectors where the wages are rising is in demand.

If you are arguing that wages are not rising quickly enough to your liking (or out of some metaphysical belief that UP should offer more--according to your liking), then you have little idea of the current job market.

The sense of entitlement is running strong in this thread. You are not entitled to a higher wage because an employer cannot find someone with your skillset. Nor is an employer obligated to pay an astronomical salary because someone on FR thinks they pay too little.

[1rudeboy]

Thank you for the view from Zucotti Park.

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

Thank you. http://www.unionpacific.jobs/careers/apply/descr.cfm?REQN_NBR=060690 Let's go down the list.

Accountabilities:

Perform, with use of blueprints, schematics and location circuit plans, scheduled electrical inspections of various components and inspection and test of circuitry in accordance with company and industry standards.
So they have to know how to read a ladder diagram and test continuity. Lots of people know who to do this.

Ensure that all signals, lights, and other safety appliances used by employees for protection are properly displayed and used.
Simple. They have to have some railroad experience and can be taught the rest.

Understand and follow company and industry safety rules, practices, and procedures.
Duh.

Diagnose electrical malfunctions in locomotive control circuits and components, assess the nature of problems, and identify corrective action needed.
Kind of redundant with the first qualification, don't you think? People quickly figure out how to test the control panels and then isolate bad switches and instruments. A trained monkey can't do this but many people can figure out when the brakes are engaged but the brakes don't set and the pressure gauge is low that the starting circuit on the hydraulic motor should be checked. And so on.

Perform maintenance and repair of electrical components in locomotive cabs or electrical compartments and perform maintenance for miscellaneous equipment using blueprints, schematics, and location circuit plans.
Mostly redundant with #1 but they are also asking for good mobility here.

Work with shop machines and tools. Plan and coordinate work activities, determine equipment needs, and develop sequences of steps to get work completed. Read, interpret and understand written or electronic information, maintain the information, and compile reports. Communicate with others, verbally and in writing, technical information, job procedure recommendations, and other work-related information. Assist other employees as needed.
Boiler plate.

Detect and interpret visual color signals and displays at near and far distances, identify alterations of objects (size, shape, temperature), detect unusual sounds and smells during inspections and tests (leaks in air systems), use depth perception to judge speed and distance of locomotives being moved on service area, and listen to detect warning signals.
Must be able to see lightning and hear thunder. Got it.

So again, lots of people have these skills. UPC just isn't willing to pay for them. You can apologize now.