Shop Time w/T.W. Friends

5 people have left since I’ve retired. (2 months)
And what has come through the door to work I wouldn’t let them touch my wheelbarrow.

There is no physical / applied mental / real world skill out there coming in.
It’s great to have a computer business skill however.
You have to eat, you have to get places, you need a place to live.
The trades make the world go around..
When I started in the automotive field, I already had 6 years working on stuff.
Tech college was the piece of paper.
Unless these kids get a drive for trades, we are all in trouble

 

Bingo! Stuff can't be made without machines, I know they are going to computer controlled but stuff that moves, wears out, or breaks has to be fixed. Welders in the field, mechanics, etc, etc, etc.

 

Boss just told me what happened, said his son had gone to meet some friends and was speeding and a deer (yeah right) ran out in front of him. He said his son crawled out and walked home about a mile. He was by himself. He's lucky to be alive!!!

 

Same thing goes on the industrial side. Nobody wants to get their hands dirty anymore. All the older guys are getting older and retiring. We can't replace those guys with qualified people anymore it seems. Some of the tech schools these guys come from are ok, but most have no mechanical ability at all. Like they don't even know their tools...

 

To me ,it seemed like you grew up and knew what you wanted to do at like age 10.
Or at least did things with your hands and “played adult “. Building things in the back yard with your friends etc.

 

Our son is 9 and wants to start his own construction business with equipment, last night I was listening to him talk to mom while she was brushing his teeth about college, he said "do you have to go to have your own construction business?" She said well not really

Our daughter said she wants to open a store and sell kittens She's 5

 

That's why I like to see Mike Rowe and his Mike Rowe Works foundation giving people scholarships to trade schools. ToH has even joined in for the construction trades.

 

Crap, i still dont know what i want to do when i grow up

 

That’s great he does that but still, they are already adults starting in a new field.
It takes drive and focus to start a whole new career and for those that can and do it well
I have great respect.

 

S'trewth! I know lots of unemployed/minimum-wage job Bachelor of <underwater basket-weaving> types, but I don't know a single Red Seal who doesn't have more work than he can manage, and money falling out of his pants. Even second and third year apprentices are making BIG money... Why would you NOT go into trades????

 

Tell me about it... an' I gotta figure it out soon. After almost 36 years, the navy is telling me I'm going to have stop coming to work soon!

 

Because They have to get off their ass

 

I want to keep and sell bees and sell pigs and chickens on the side.

 

And that's bad, howcomeforwhy????? I will jump at any chance to get away from my desk/computer. It's the curse of rising through the ranks, and having [allegedly] a gift for administration. I've wound up in a role, where I'm more-or-less like the vice-principal of a very large (~1000+ students) school. I spend the vast majority of my work days behind a desk and tied to a computer. I still spend a bit of time on the computer at home, for my photography business, but if there's a chance to get out and do something, break out my tools... actually get my hands dirty? I'm on it! "Car's not running right? Stop by on the weekend, we'll do a quick engine rebuild!"

 

I like this

 

Nothing wrong with owning and operating a pet store.
This made my day, thanks!

 

Not with the job per se, but similarly I've wanted to move south for a while..high cost of living plus winter here suxxxx. My parents are still here and refuse to leave, and I really am not able to leave them behind.

So much feel this. Been dealing with it in my company..I'm good enough to do things above my pay level but not good enough to get paid by being promoted. Part of it is the flagrant favoritism..and more recently I've had several colleagues suggest my leadership is making sure they don't lose my knowledge and numbers. Especially nice slap when I see people I've helped train (above my pay as well) who get promoted.

I like her style. Problem is I would never make a sale. I would bring em all home.

 

@McRib