Where have all the skilled trades gone? 12

[weeeds]

Access to good welding and fabricating capabilities is becoming a serious problem in North America.
The number of professional trades people, the ones who really understand what they are doing, is in serious decline. My experience recently has been that once a worker learns how to melt steel they immediately consider themselves your best welder.
Am I experiencing a local problem or is the same trend developing in other parts of the world.
Where in the world are the professional trades people?

 

[TBP]

There was over a decade when almost nobody hired an apprentice - in any trade. "Too expensive - no return on the investment." That, in combination with the "low cost producer/lowest bid" mentality has put us where we are. For years all kinds of work that used to be done in-house by many operations was farmed-out to the lowest bidder. A big part of being the lowest bid is to not pay your help very much, and lay them off 3 seconds after the job's done. It's hard to find "pros" when they get treated like commodities. Industry is reaping exactly what it has sown.

 

[JStephen]

I think partly it's just the changing US economy. The nuclear construction industry is dead, a new refinery hasn't been built in ages. Last time I checked, out of the top ten steel mills in the world, zero of them were in the US.

I found long ago in engineering that companies were willing to moan about a lack of qualified workers, when at the same time, they were doing nothing whatever to get anyone qualified- everyone is supposed to get trained by the competition.

 

[metengr]

Young people today want a different life style - desk jobs!

 

[TBP]

I personally know several young people that want to be apprentices, and can't find anyone to take them on. Of the ones I know that found someplace, they looked for a long time. My middle son was one. He wanted to be a tool & die maker. He took lots of machine shop & welding classes. When he finished high school, he went to every shop in the area - nobody was interested. He finally got a job as the clean-up kid at a car dealership. After a year or two, they took him on as an apprentice mechanic. He just recently got his mechanics licence. I was talking to a friend of mine recently who was moaning about how they can't find tool & die makers - anywhere. Gee, I wonder why?

 

[deanc]

Everyone so far has posted a good reason.

1.We seem to live in a "owe me" society were if one has problems or does not do well they are a victim.

2.May have to get one's hands dirty.

3.Corporate greed---look to China.

There are still a lot of good kids out there and some of us "old f**ts" would be willing to help them. But there has to be better pay for a lure.

 

[weldtek]

Some major US fabricators have been put out of business, due in part, to the fact that some large corporations would rather save a few bucks by purchasing their fabricated products offshore, rather than supporting local industry.

 

[macmet]

I have quite a few friends who spent a long time trying to find apprenticeship and could not find one leading them to eventually give up.

I also know a lot of people who went to high schools with no tech programs and were never exposed to these jobs.

I don't know many teachers either, who encourage kids from a young age to enter trades.

 

[Ashereng]

The skilled trades (some call them craft) have gone where society has sent them, into unimportance and obsolescence. People, especially people deciding their future, tend to gravitate to those careers that they see having a future, and often, society drives this viewpoint.

Until society puts a premium on the skilled trades, craftsmen/women will continue to decline in numbers.

Here's another example. How many people in this thread own a hand crafted dining room table made by the local funiture maker vs. something store bought/imported/made in (favorite foreign country here, eg Sweden (Ikea))?

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[deanc]

There is hope for education----but the jobs????

http://www.khake.com/page35.html

Amazing site

 

[griffengm]

FWIW, Check out the career guidance program at your local high school. The measure to which they pay attention is the number of graduates going on to college. Consequently trades training options get minimal consideration when advising students on career paths. Our schools are stuck with a 1950's measure that undervalues creativity and skill. If you think manual arts have no link to arts programs, think again. If you have an elected school board, find out what the candidates have to say on these issues versus their views on sports programs.

Griffy

 

[arunmrao]

China may be the only country left out having the younger generation with traditional work skills.

A lot of damage has been done to the traditional skill groups and I think it is beyond redemption. The last of the foundry supervisor is leaving my foundry this month end and I shall not be able to find a replacement.

Training institutes imparting skills in smithy,carpentry,tannery,foundry etc have vanished. Society will continue to need the goods and the skills, but there is a void now.

Indian school and college dropouts now join call centres for fancy salaries and working conditions(Glamour). Education and work skills are no longer a premium commodity.

Also the values and priorities of the young have changed,fast money and big money are the hallmarks of success.

Is there a remedy or a correction mode?

 

[Ashereng]

arunmrao,

Yes. It's called time, and the mode is supply/demand.

Until the demand gets ahead of supply, no one will bring more supply.





"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[arunmrao]

Ashereng,
I agree time is the answer. There can be a reversal of the trend that we see now.
But a beginning can be made in US by trying to be more self reliant and thereby improving the balance of trade position too.

If BPOs are closed down,I am sure the flock will turn towards basic sciences,arts and humanities. Universities are currently languishing for want of students.

 

[Ashereng]

It's not all the US' fault. Look to EU also, and any other sufficiently advanced economy.

What are BPOs?

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[zeusfaber]

Not just in the US. We have similar problems in the UK.

Interestingly, wandering around Continental European suppliers, I seem to see a lot more young faces around the shop floor so perhaps all is not lost everywhere.

A.

 

[Ashereng]

Seeing young faces doesn't do much. Seeing skilled young faces, that would help a lot.

We have lots of young faces. They will only do things that I ask, even though they are convinced that it is a waste of their time, or I'm wrong, or whatever.

Unfortunately, there is no one to train/mentor/guide them, the ones that actually also want to learn and gain good experience.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[ajack1]

I agree with Ashereng, we as consumers play a major part in all this.

We all want to earn top dollar but pay nothing for our clothes, electrical goods, and food, in fact you name it. The fact you can now buy a television for one or two hours pay about says it all.

Companies would not go abroad for cheaper labour if the consumers wanted and would pay for locally produced items.

Is it all of us that have created this monster?

 

[Ashereng]

Yup.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[arunmrao]

BPOs are Business Process Outsourcing centres.