Is it a paradox for there to be "a high demand for X" if there are virtually no entry-level X positions available? (employees, credit)
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What I mean is, we often hear that there is a huge demand for some type of position, but then the people who are actually trying to pursue the position chime in and say that the field is over-saturated, super selective and has no entry-level positions available. Can both those claims be true at the same time?
What I mean is, we often hear that there is a huge demand for some type of position, but then the people who are actually trying to pursue the position chime in and say that the field is over-saturated, super selective and has no entry-level positions available. Can both those claims be true at the same time?
I think neither are mutually exclusive. Maybe there is a demand for a job in your area, but the main don't need it. Say underwater welding, there would be little demand for it in Arizona while a costal state or on the great lakes, you would.
Another is how high up the chain the jobs are. They might not need entry level jobs but rather higher positions.
It is partly location, but also sometimes the information is just not reliable. Some silly news or internet article about all the new positions that are - or will be - in high demand are often just misinformed. They are mostly written by out of work writers and rarely by anyone with actual knowledge of the field.
The same situation exists today in manufacturing. Companies are trying to fill plenty of advanced level positions, while failing to recruit new blood to take that worker's place. Actually, that pretty much describes what happened about a decade ago. Manufacturers today are running an even greater deficit in talent than what exists in other sectors I fear.
Right now, there is enormous demand for skilled machinists, fabricators, welders... Problem is, most of these positions require +5 or more years of experience. While some employers are opening their doors to folks with less experience (out of necessity) they are fooling themselves if they think they can squeeze advanced level productivity out of green candidates.
What inevitably happens is shops get way behind, due to the lack of capable help. Companies could have averted this mess if they had kept a steady, but manageable stream of young blood coming in all along. During the slow times, they could have been studying, or watching experienced workers performing delicate operations. That would require long term planning though, and besides, who has time for that??
Instead, they have only brought "apprentices" on during boom times. Experienced workers would set up a simple machine and park a newbie in front of it to perform the boring, mindless, menial work. The poor young folks don't learn a damn thing in this environment, but the shop gets it's work done by ambitious apprentices with something to prove. When things slow down though, these folks are the first to be given the layoff notice, while the company focuses on retaining current talent.
So the situation we are left with today is, too many skilled workers retiring with far too few skilled workers to take their place. What worries me in the trades is the long term commitment required to develop new talent. Most companies aren't willing to make that kind of an investment. If they do roll the dice, they almost always cut corners and churn an inferior product. Aside from that, entry level pay just doesn't attract the kind of characters who could really master these trades. Not everyone needs to be a master journeyman level tradesman... But we do need at least a few that are capable and willing to aspire to that level.
This has just been my observation. Plenty of shop owners are complaining about the same things though.
The same situation exists today in manufacturing. Companies are trying to fill plenty of advanced level positions, while failing to recruit new blood to take that worker's place. Actually, that pretty much describes what happened about a decade ago. Manufacturers today are running an even greater deficit in talent than what exists in other sectors I fear.
Right now, there is enormous demand for skilled machinists, fabricators, welders... Problem is, most of these positions require +5 or more years of experience. While some employers are opening their doors to folks with less experience (out of necessity) they are fooling themselves if they think they can squeeze advanced level productivity out of green candidates.
What inevitably happens is shops get way behind, due to the lack of capable help. Companies could have averted this mess if they had kept a steady, but manageable stream of young blood coming in all along. During the slow times, they could have been studying, or watching experienced workers performing delicate operations. That would require long term planning though, and besides, who has time for that??
Instead, they have only brought "apprentices" on during boom times. Experienced workers would set up a simple machine and park a newbie in front of it to perform the boring, mindless, menial work. The poor young folks don't learn a damn thing in this environment, but the shop gets it's work done by ambitious apprentices with something to prove. When things slow down though, these folks are the first to be given the layoff notice, while the company focuses on retaining current talent.
So the situation we are left with today is, too many skilled workers retiring with far too few skilled workers to take their place. What worries me in the trades is the long term commitment required to develop new talent. Most companies aren't willing to make that kind of an investment. If they do roll the dice, they almost always cut corners and churn an inferior product. Aside from that, entry level pay just doesn't attract the kind of characters who could really master these trades. Not everyone needs to be a master journeyman level tradesman... But we do need at least a few that are capable and willing to aspire to that level.
This has just been my observation. Plenty of shop owners are complaining about the same things though.
I think it is fairly common across the workforce that they bring aboard new hires during boom times but are the first thing cut during credit crunches (or now with a fear of credit crunch.) When you don't hire people to train and develop, guess what you create holes when you have a limited pool because you aren't luring people in to train and develop. The skilled workers (trades or professional) are decreasing because people aren't being developed up the pipe.
My role is like that. There is a ton of demand for people a bit more senior or a bit more junior than I am. But it still takes experience to get in the door.
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The demand is most often for experienced people, not entry level. There are almost always going to be plenty of people new to the work available, but that's not what employers want.
I think neither are mutually exclusive. Maybe there is a demand for a job in your area, but the main don't need it. Say underwater welding, there would be little demand for it in Arizona while a costal state or on the great lakes, you would.
Another is how high up the chain the jobs are. They might not need entry level jobs but rather higher positions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140
The demand is most often for experienced people, not entry level. There are almost always going to be plenty of people new to the work available, but that's not what employers want.
The demand is most often for experienced people, not entry level. There are almost always going to be plenty of people new to the work available, but that's not what employers want.
I believe you're correct that employers are most often looking for experienced workers, but I disagree that they're not looking for entry level employees.
The requirements of education and/or experience may be greater now than in the past, but the actual position (and functionality thereof) within a company, as well as the expected compensation for the position, are not in line with non-entry level work. From the employer's perspective, it's the ultimate 'get more for less' scenario, and the average Joe/Jane can do nothing about it because they have bills due like everyone else.
You have to consider that in our current environment, 3 of every 4 jobs being created are what used to be referred to as "throwaway" or "Christmas money" jobs. A full quarter of the ~120 million US households have a household income under 25k, and another quarter fall in between 25k and 50k annually. Meanwhile, the necessity of education and experience for work are clearly increasing in gross disproportion to the types of jobs that are actually being created. In addition, the cost of living continues to creep ever higher.
The process is effectively an upward redistribution of wealth and power, and exposes monetary policy and welfare for their true natures as a vehicle for such.
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