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One major issue for skilled trades is obsolescence. New tools, techniques, and equipment can make skilled worked less valuable and more commoditized, hence lower wages, as the "skilled" part is less important.
A classic example is shoemakers, as almost all shoes are mass produced in asia in factories. Even shoe repairs are less common as shoes are cheaper and more disposable than they used to be.
Very true but I would like to see plumbing, vehicle mechanics, electrical work and carpentry get outsourced to Asian.
Will never happen unless cars, circuits, plumbing systems and homes become much much cheaper(throw away type).
Why are skilled trade jobs viewed as lesser or undesirable?
I believe it is because many of those in supposedly "greater" or "desirable" jobs don't understand what it is like to have "real job."
Skilled labor is the foundation on which this country was built and these jobs should be respected. I wouldn't last a week in a skilled labor job.
At the end of the day, my eyes hurt from staring at a computer. Or God forbid, I have repetitive stress injury from using the mouse. After seeing people with "real jobs" coming into work day after day while wearing their bodies down, I realize how fortunate I am.
One major issue for skilled trades is obsolescence. New tools, techniques, and equipment can make skilled worked less valuable and more commoditized, hence lower wages, as the "skilled" part is less important.
A classic example is shoemakers, as almost all shoes are mass produced in asia in factories. Even shoe repairs are less common as shoes are cheaper and more disposable than they used to be.
Very true. In many trades, it's imperative for the tradesman to keep up with the continuous progress of technology. Thankfully, technology allows us to do things faster and more efficiently today, but if we don't stay on top of it, it can very easily pass us by.
Quote:
Originally Posted by von949
Very true but I would like to see plumbing, vehicle mechanics, electrical work and carpentry get outsourced to Asian.
Will never happen unless cars, circuits, plumbing systems and homes become much much cheaper(throw away type).
The only problems is illegals have been encroaching upon that work here in the states. Anything to save a few bucks...
I believe it is because many of those in supposedly "greater" or "desirable" jobs don't understand what it is like to have "real job."
Skilled labor is the foundation on which this country was built and these jobs should be respected. I wouldn't last a week in a skilled labor job.
At the end of the day, my eyes hurt from staring at a computer. Or God forbid, I have repetitive stress injury from using the mouse. After seeing people with "real jobs" coming into work day after day while wearing their bodies down, I realize how fortunate I am.
I agree that skilled labor is indispensable (and more people should go into it instead of pursuing useless degrees in college), but a job does not have to be physical in order to be a "real job". I assume you're talking about the plumbers, electricians, mechanics etc. So accounting, teaching, etc are not real? Let's not go to extremes here.
I agree that skilled labor is indispensable (and more people should go into it instead of pursuing useless degrees in college), but a job does not have to be physical in order to be a "real job". I assume you're talking about the plumbers, electricians, mechanics etc. So accounting, teaching, etc are not real? Let's not go to extremes here.
Aside from that, I don't think all trade jobs are all that taxing on the body. Usually, the grunts or apprentices handle the most physically demanding jobs, while the experienced workers make sure everything is falling in place as it should. At least in my trade, technology does a lot to save the body extra wear. A lot of us stand all day, but so do a lot of educated professionals like nurses. Personally, I think nurses work a heck of a lot harder than a run of the mill tradesman.
I think folks unnecessarily divide and try to classify trade jobs as being something different than professional level jobs. Not really correct. Tradesman have to be educated and smart, but they don't go to college to learn what they have to know. That's the only difference really. I've never met a good tradesman who wasn't sharp and quick. Like anyone else, we sit at desks sometimes, we work on the computers, we have to know math and even some science in many trades, we have to read and write... Trade jobs are like any other job really. I think when many people imagine a trade job, they imagine some grunt laborer doing menial work. Quite different.
I agree that skilled labor is indispensable (and more people should go into it instead of pursuing useless degrees in college), but a job does not have to be physical in order to be a "real job". I assume you're talking about the plumbers, electricians, mechanics etc. So accounting, teaching, etc are not real? Let's not go to extremes here.
To say college degrees are useless is also an extreme.
Very true but I would like to see plumbing, vehicle mechanics, electrical work and carpentry get outsourced to Asian.
Little things have already happened in say plumbing. I never would have done even basic plumbing work 10 years ago, but I recently replaced a leaking toilet valve. The Flushmasters are extremely easy for do it yourselfers and they have detailed instruction how to change it on Youtube. I spent $30 instead of $150.
My local CVS now sells snakes to help unclog toilets and drains for $20. So the little things that plumbers did for larger amounts can now be done by any handy man or a person that spends a few minutes on Youtube.
Both of those things are now mass produced and sold to regular consumers, not just trade supply stores.
You still need plumbers, but a lot of basic things can be done by lower skilled folks and I'm sure that cuts into their margins.
Even carpentry, a lot more stuff is made prefab at factories and less work is done by skilled carpenters. Installation of prefab stuff doesn't require as much skill and opens more things traditional done by carpenters done by do it yourselfers, handy man, or less skilled carpenters for lower pay.
I just went to the hardware store and saw a prefab underlayment for moist basements called dry fit. Before that, you'd pay a carpenter or flooring person to make something similar from scratch. Now it is a prefab and shipped to you ready made and you just need to pay someone to install it, probably $3 to 5 per square feet.
Little things have already happened in say plumbing. I never would have done even basic plumbing work 10 years ago, but I recently replaced a leaking toilet valve. The Flushmasters are extremely easy for do it yourselfers and they have detailed instruction how to change it on Youtube. I spent $30 instead of $150.
My local CVS now sells snakes to help unclog toilets and drains for $20. So the little things that plumbers did for larger amounts can now be done by any handy man or a person that spends a few minutes on Youtube.
Both of those things are now mass produced and sold to regular consumers, not just trade supply stores.
You still need plumbers, but a lot of basic things can be done by lower skilled folks and I'm sure that cuts into their margins.
Even carpentry, a lot more stuff is made prefab at factories and less work is done by skilled carpenters. Installation of prefab stuff doesn't require as much skill and opens more things traditional done by carpenters done by do it yourselfers, handy man, or less skilled carpenters for lower pay.
That's also true.
On the other hand, people can't just waltz into CVS and find the tools to understand complicated tax laws or assure their books abide by the GAAP, find legal advice from on a potential discrimination suits and defend themselves in front of a judge or the knowledge and resources to perform heart surgery on themselves.
On the other hand, people can't just waltz into CVS and find the tools to understand complicated tax laws or assure their books abide by the GAAP, find legal advice from on a potential discrimination suits and defend themselves in front of a judge or the knowledge and resources to perform heart surgery on themselves.
But I imagine the jobs will be automated/offshored before you can get that type of stuff at your neighborhood CVS.
The reasons professions such as Accountants, Lawyers and Doctors haven't been offshore or automated to the extent a lot of blue collar jobs have is because they deal with an awful lot of legal stuff that foreigners quite frankly aren't familiar with and there isn't a computer advanced enough to not screw things up just yet.
But as we continue to adjust to our global economy and our technology continues to rapidly advance, that will change with time.
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