Wichita Dreaming? (layoffs, roofing, living)

[KevK]

If Wichita is where you want to go and where you dream of living and growing old, you might want to dream a bit longer before you make that move. Why do I say this? Because there is a possibility of a recession and what is often a recession to most of the country is often a full flung depression in Wichita. Wichita, for all its wonderful qualities- and there are many- is a company town. And the company is aircraft. And any economic downturn is felt severely in Wichita. On the other hand, economic good times are also magnified in Wichita too. Lots of OT at the plants and lots and lots of cash around town. So I would wait for better times.

[Predaking]

Wow I did not know that we only had 3 major companies in Wichita. I thought we made Ferris wheels, Invented and sell the waterproofing systems used all around the country, make the ovens used to cook the pizzas you eat, make the pans those pizzas are cooked on, um i must be losing my mind. Sorry But aircraft is not the only field in Wichita, and to say don't move here because of that is just ignorance. IMO.

[Sco]

It is crazy to suggest that the OP is incorrect. If the aviation industry suffers a downturn or begins to outsource jobs, Wichita will be severely affected. Wichita is as vulnerable to a complete economic meltdown as Detroit or countless other Rust Belt blue collar cities and towns. The other jobs and industries that you mentioned are small time and not sufficient to drive the local economy. Wichita has to eventually diversify and attract more white collar, knowledge worker based employers in order to survive. It is a city built on a dying way of life, the union factory town is a thing of the past.

[williambeach]

Wichita will see a down turn, the air industry is going to take a dive with the world economic out look. Then there will be nothing to do in wichita, but you can still drive south and go gaming or up to kansas city.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by Predaking

Wow I did not know that we only had 3 major companies in Wichita. I thought we made Ferris wheels, Invented and sell the waterproofing systems used all around the country, make the ovens used to cook the pizzas you eat, make the pans those pizzas are cooked on, um i must be losing my mind. Sorry But aircraft is not the only field in Wichita, and to say don't move here because of that is just ignorance. IMO.

I did not say they do not have other companies there. But the big cash cow is the airplane factories and when the economy goes south it always affects Wichita severely. There are not enough other good paying jobs elsewhere in the Wichita economy to absorb thousands of laid off plant workers. Chance is not going to hire them all or even 5% of them and neither is Coleman. So you are right- it is not the only field in Wichita but it is by far the largest and most important. And Wichita has always been in economic cycles. When it booms, it booms big and when it bust, it bust big too.

[Nameless]

Originally Posted by williambeach

Wichita will see a down turn, the air industry is going to take a dive with the world economic out look. Then there will be nothing to do in wichita, but you can still drive south and go gaming or up to kansas city.

I'm glad to hear that's Oklahoma's most valuable asset You southern Kansans outta come down for a visit sometime

[drjones96]

That's funny because the market right now in wichita for aero jobs is great!

And certainly much better than it was about 6 years ago when I graduated with my fancy Aerospace Engineering degree that was seemingly worthless because there were absolutely no positions available to be had anywhere in that area and rumors of big layoffs.

When are we predicting this recession/depression exactly? If it's coming then the companies are certainly not appearing to be bracing for it. Quite the contrary. They are actually opening new positions almost daily.

[wsushocker]

Wichita is exponencially more solid than detroit, GM just lost 74 billion in 2007. The airplane industry keeps growing. It's because other countries need the planes made in Wichita but they can get their cars from just about any country.