Weak links in Pittsburgh's economy (Penn: 2014, train, business)

[Craziaskowboi]

Among them: "We're not training the right people with the right skills"

As specific examples, there's a glut of cosmetologists and auto mechanics, and a shortage of welders and other high-paying jobs. The good news is, that's an easy problem to remedy. I'd recommend that auto mechanics who are out of work train to become welders, especially since it's more productive and proactive than blaming geography.

More difficult problems to solve are the ever-present pension troubles, and infrastructure problems that "scare the heck out of [people]." The good news is, Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania seem more willing to bite the bullet and take their medicine than many other places, so correcting these problems now might hurt in the short term but put both the Commonwealth and the city in a better place in the long term.

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

Among them: "We're not training the right people with the right skills"

As specific examples, there's a glut of cosmetologists and auto mechanics, and a shortage of welders and other high-paying jobs. The good news is, that's an easy problem to remedy. I'd recommend that auto mechanics who are out of work train to become welders, especially since it's more productive and proactive than blaming geography.

More difficult problems to solve are the ever-present pension troubles, and infrastructure problems that "scare the heck out of [people]." The good news is, Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania seem more willing to bite the bullet and take their medicine than many other places, so correcting these problems now might hurt in the short term but put both the Commonwealth and the city in a better place in the long term.

Gee, maybe they need to pay their welders more, if they are leaving "...to the fracking industry to make a few dollars more...”

Oh, and, hm, a few dollars.