http://www.maintenanceworld.com/Articles/mt-online/Perfect-Storm-Intensifies.html
I have worked with the author off and on over the last few years and was wondering what your thoughts are on the availability of skilled electricians.
Understand, that i work in a factory and not out in the field, so to speak. it is hard to get skilled personnel for me because of wages, up until the last year or so. so what about the next year or five?
the availability of skilled *anything* is coming into question. work ethics
are shifting dramatically, and how people approached their livelihood 60
years ago isn't how people entering the workforce today look at things.
the word "infrastructure" is used a lot today, with regards to electrical
grids, sewer, roads, etc.
our most important infrastructure is education, and for the last 25 years,
the emphasis is on training that is anything but vocational. the result
being that you have a carload of web developers for every plumber.
and that's great until you have to wash your hands.
we are about to begin paying a huge price as a nation for our decisions
about what "a good job" looks like.
it's more a question of values than anything else. what do we as a culture
find important, and value? that's what we will train our offspring to do...
and for a long time, everyone wanted a corporate, white collar job.
getting your hands dirty was looked down upon.
i started doing this line of work 30 years ago for a couple reasons...
the money was good, and the work couldn't be done offshore.
a company that will go to the ends of the earth for it's people can
hire them for 10% of the cost of americans hasn't changed.
a physical install can't be done somewhere else, and sent here from
india in a conex container.
dirty and somewhat hazardous? so what? when i'm on my way home
after work, there is no risk of me being mistaken for a stockbroker.
randy
