Scranton is in Growth Mode (Wilkes-Barre, York: transplants, tenant, school)

[shoegal111]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Exactly. Some people think I come off as being elitist, but it's not that I'm "bashing blue-collars" as much as I am disgruntled that NEPA's diminutive percentage of college degree-holders keeps the area so economically depressed for white-collars. If you just want to go through high school and then go straight into the workforce, settling for a $20,000 salary, driving a beater pick-up truck, and living with your parents, then you have PLENTY of job opportunities in NEPA. If you intend to go for your Master's Degree or Ph.D. other than health care or higher education and want to earn a $50,000+ salary what fast-paced career track potential do you really have in a place like Scranton/Wilkes-Barre unless you power-commute?

Austin Burke keeps on touting us as a perfect place for large-scale low-wage employers to set up shop, so that's all we're really going to viably attract. Rob Mericle LIED THROUGH HIS TEETH to me when he promised me that Wall Street West would play a crucial role in his massive ongoing Center Point project in my hometown of Pittston Township. Instead the only tenants he is actively seeking are generally low-paying distribution center jobs to occupy his speculative "flex buildings" INSTEAD of luring in career opportunities. Now my hometown gets a mess of sprawl and rush-hour traffic congestion on 315 all for low-wage jobs. Great!

I hope people have a "Plan B" for when the inevitable influx of NYC/NJ/SEPA upper-middle-class folks drives up the cost-of-living here while those lower-than-average wages remain relatively flat (see Monroe County) or else you're going to have a LOT of natives "priced out" of the housing market as property values and property taxes spike (or is that just something people here aren't long-term enough to comprehend?) People actually lined up for those $20,000/year jobs at Sallie Mae? You have got to be kidding me! How can you support a family on $20,000/year?

As long as we college graduates continue to flood OUT of NEPA (I learn of more native friends leaving weekly), then our census statistics will continue to look bleak for prospective high-quality and high-paying employers who will be skeptical to locate in an area where the talent pool just doesn't exist in the workforce because it has been dispersed to other areas. The best they COULD hope for would be to set up shop in Scranton, advertise for the positions, and then hope that an influx of natives back to the city occurs. I must admit if my current employer opened up an office in Scranton I'd be back in a heartbeat---NoVA just isn't "all that," contrary to what people may say.

It doesn't necessarily mean that all the jobs need to be white collar. There are many blue collar jobs that require a high degree of skill but unfortunately the vocational schools in the area are not teaching these skills. Just look at the Army Depot- they need skilled blue collar workers and had to go to Johnson Tech and help the develop their programs so that the graduates get the skills they need and the Army Depot can hire them. The Depot is having a difficult time finding the skilled workers.

Believe it or not, one of the hottest blue collar jobs these days is a machinist, but there is a catch, you need to be very familiar with the new technology/computers being used which in this field and unfortunately most of our blue collar work force is 1. not skilled in this trade and 2. have not expanded thier skillset thru continuing education to include this requirement.

If the workforce here wants high paying manufacturing jobs, then they need to go back to school and gain the skills necessary to attract the companies. Until then, other areas of the country will see the benefit and not NEPA.

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by shoegal111

Believe it or not, one of the hottest blue collar jobs these days is a machinist, but there is a catch, you need to be very familiar with the new technology/computers being used which in this field and unfortunately most of our blue collar work force is 1. not skilled in this trade and 2. have not expanded thier skillset thru continuing education to include this requirement.

When was the last time you were in a Fab shop or machine shop that was using manual mills and lathes? Any shop that uses manual machines is so small that it doesn't matter. Running a CNC mill or lathe(industry standard even on small machines and shops) is as easy as loading the material and setting the tolerances. The program is already in the machine to make the part. Hit start and your off.

Learning the G codes that are needed to program the machines to make each part is either learned thru experience or you have to go to school for CNC programming.

The industry as a whole as taken a beating from overseas shops and plants. The smaller shops are having a very hard time staying open and there are more then enough people with experience out there. Lockheed just did a hire for machinists, but in this day and age you do not need to know anything about the programming to run the machines. It really could be considered skilled labor, but I bet I could train a monkey to run a supermax mill safely.

[shoegal111]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

When was the last time you were in a Fab shop or machine shop that was using manual mills and lathes? Any shop that uses manual machines is so small that it doesn't matter. Running a CNC mill or lathe(industry standard even on small machines and shops) is as easy as loading the material and setting the tolerances. The program is already in the machine to make the part. Hit start and your off.

Learning the G codes that are needed to program the machines to make each part is either learned thru experience or you have to go to school for CNC programming.

The industry as a whole as taken a beating from overseas shops and plants. The smaller shops are having a very hard time staying open and there are more then enough people with experience out there. Lockheed just did a hire for machinists, but in this day and age you do not need to know anything about the programming to run the machines. It really could be considered skilled labor, but I bet I could train a monkey to run a supermax mill safely.

If you knew what company I worked for you would eat those words. We have a difficult time finding skilled workers in this area and that is just the division I work in.

If is was as easy as you say then Boeing, GE, etc. would be looking to set up shop here instead of places like LA, Seattle, Chicago, Cincinnatti, parts of NJ that are land locked. If this was so easy as you say then why is the Toby Army Depot struggling to find the skilled labor they need and had to design the programs for Lack. Vo Tech and Johnsons College?

[weluvpa]

ummm Lockheed Martin is in Enyon, which used to be General Dynamics. Gentex is in Carbondale and they are a defense contractor if I'm mistaken as is Lockheed.

I used to work in a machine shop and was laid off due to Pride Mobility moving some of their production away from the area. I'm educated and a somewhat skilled fabricator and no longer want to work in that environment so I have not looked for work in that arena in the last 6 years. My uncle lives in NJ and is a machinist and has been for 40 years. He is self taught and a highly skilled G code programmer and has been laid off a few times in recent years due to lost contracts to overseas companies. He always is able to move to another company, but its impossible to have longevity in any one company.

I don't miss it. I went back to using my captains license, until I had to stay home to take car of my dad over the last 2 years.

One thing about this area, is that you can't equate lack of education with lack of skill and ability. I know many people that never had the chance to go to college or tech schools, but they highly skilled fabricators, pressmen, mechanics and would easily be able to handle any position in a machine or fab shop for any major company.

[shoegal111]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

ummm Lockheed Martin is in Enyon, which used to be General Dynamics. Gentex is in Carbondale and they are a defense contractor if I'm mistaken as is Lockheed.

I used to work in a machine shop and was laid off due to Pride Mobility moving some of their production away from the area. I'm educated and a somewhat skilled fabricator and no longer want to work in that environment so I have not looked for work in that arena in the last 6 years. My uncle lives in NJ and is a machinist and has been for 40 years. He is self taught and a highly skilled G code programmer and has been laid off a few times in recent years due to lost contracts to overseas companies. He always is able to move to another company, but its impossible to have longevity in any one company.

I don't miss it. I went back to using my captains license, until I had to stay home to take car of my dad over the last 2 years.

One thing about this area, is that you can't equate lack of education with lack of skill and ability. I know many people that never had the chance to go to college or tech schools, but they highly skilled fabricators, pressmen, mechanics and would easily be able to handle any position in a machine or fab shop for any major company.

You really like to argue just for the sake of arguing don't you. If you bothered to really read my posts then you would not be saying some of the things you are saying so I suggest you go back and read what I posted in this thread.

With that said I am not sure what your point is here. BTW, two companies does not make an industry. My point is that blue collar workers need a high skillset these days and that is lacking for the most part in this area. If the there was a large enough blue collar population with a high technical skillset then the area could attract more industrial companies that is why I used an "etc" after naming two.

I have also stated that there are lots of people in this area that have degrees but could never find there way out of a paper bag let alone navigate in corporate america here or anywhere else. There are others that do not have degrees that have become very successful in major metro areas/markets because they have real talent.

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by shoegal111

You really like to argue just for the sake of arguing don't you.

Sure why not.

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

Sure why not.

It's fun and it helps when you're trying to get your point across to people that just don't get it.

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by nyrangers 2008

it's fun.

:d:d:d:d

[go phillies]

Originally Posted by shoegal111

If you knew what company I worked for you would eat those words. We have a difficult time finding skilled workers in this area and that is just the division I work in.

If is was as easy as you say then Boeing, GE, etc. would be looking to set up shop here instead of places like LA, Seattle, Chicago, Cincinnatti, parts of NJ that are land locked. If this was so easy as you say then why is the Toby Army Depot struggling to find the skilled labor they need and had to design the programs for Lack. Vo Tech and Johnsons College?

Manufacturers avoid PA anymore due to the strong union influence and the corrupt politicians and chambers of commerce who demand kickbacks.

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by go phillies

Manufacturers avoid PA anymore due to the strong union influence and the corrupt politicians and chambers of commerce who demand kickbacks.

BINGO, give that man a prize.