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Working in the trades is very competitive among co-workers as well. It's not uncommon to have fist fights and every kind of schoolyard bullying tactics to get an advantage on a co-worker. No one wants to be the punk on the crew that can't keep up.
You also have to deal with some pretty hard-assed foremen that will ride some guys ass just for kicks.
Lessee...I was a bricklayer's laborer out of HS in 76 and was an apprentice in 78. I made by 79. Anyone who has ever worked construction knows there is a hazing period - mostly to separate wheat from chaff. Who wants to work with dead wood which is mostly in the way? The kids who are afraid of work will wash out; the sooner the better.
It's tought out there for many folks, like you say. And the younger crowd has an advantage in rough times: Ability to learn new skills, less commitments like family/mortgages, etc. Older folks near retirement have a lesser degree of flexibility. On the plus side, they are more established in their skills and have more connections.
To conclude, everybody has a legitimate gripe about the economy, but people should learn their angle.
Too bad I am still looking for my angle. I don't think I'll ever find it.
So they are mad that they made a choice to go into debt and cannot find decent jobs, what could they do?
Oh I know maybe instead of everybody going to 4 years schools maybe some of them should go to trade schools, and learn a decent trade, then they do not have the debt and maybe some of my clients can find help so they can actually build their businesses.
There is plenty of blame to hand out. One I will start with is the federal government and it's hand in public education. When I graduated HS 38 years ago a HS education allowed one to get a job rather easily as most people were educated. Right now, a HS diploma is as a GED. Four years of college are equal to what my HS diploma was. One must get a masters to equal what a 4 yr degree was just 20 years ago.
Education has been dumbed down to this extent.
Add to the equation the fact illegal immigrants are allowed to sashay across the border, get a job, and live here as if born here.
Those illegals are working the trade jobs and they have not the grasp of technology needed to do said jobs. I know as I use to work with them. I would have to repair machinery while Jose, Hose B and Juan watched with no idea of what I was doing. If ever they attempted to repair anything, I would need to repair their failed attempts. Americans are smarter from the start and employers should look toward that rather than the cheap labor aspect.
Something to add to this is Americans need to be willing to get hot, cold, dirty and sweaty to do those jobs. Too many think themselves above such work because they have never had to do much physically ever in their lives unless for fun.
To this day, I can go see houses I helped build over 30 years ago as they are solid masonry and done correctly.
If they didn't get into debt, you'd be calling them "lazy" for not going to college.
I went to college and paid for it myself with the job I had at the time. Starbucks during my first 2 years at community college, transferred the credits, then worked at a firm and paid for the next 2 (in-state tuition in Tx). Neither lazy, nor in debt.
I wasn't in a frat, I avoided leeches, and I didn't take 2 years off to follow Phish, backpack though Europe, and any other distraction. Focus and you can succeed.
It's a tough world....always has been, in fact, life has never been easier than now. If you are struggling as I did when I was younger, I suggest you do similar to what I did. I went to a public college, worked 2 jobs while going to school, worked 80 hours/wk in the summer, didn't date much mostly because I couldn't afford it, start your own company if you don't find the job you want, move out of state to a better opportunity locale, work long hours at jobs most don't want to do, work overseas if you need to, save, don't buy crap you don't need, invest your savings. I started life with noting I my pocket except the work ethic my parents instilled in me and now I'm doing very very well....but it didn't happen overnight.
Part of the problem has been that most office jobs now require a BA for almost any job. Without it, you don't even get an interview. I loved school, but if my employer's hadn't required a degree, I wouldn't have the debt.
There is plenty of blame to hand out. One I will start with is the federal government and it's hand in public education. When I graduated HS 38 years ago a HS education allowed one to get a job rather easily as most people were educated. Right now, a HS diploma is as a GED. Four years of college are equal to what my HS diploma was. One must get a masters to equal what a 4 yr degree was just 20 years ago.
Education has been dumbed down to this extent.
Add to the equation the fact illegal immigrants are allowed to sashay across the border, get a job, and live here as if born here.
Those illegals are working the trade jobs and they have not the grasp of technology needed to do said jobs. I know as I use to work with them. I would have to repair machinery while Jose, Hose B and Juan watched with no idea of what I was doing. If ever they attempted to repair anything, I would need to repair their failed attempts. Americans are smarter from the start and employers should look toward that rather than the cheap labor aspect.
Something to add to this is Americans need to be willing to get hot, cold, dirty and sweaty to do those jobs. Too many think themselves above such work because they have never had to do much physically ever in their lives unless for fun.
To this day, I can go see houses I helped build over 30 years ago as they are solid masonry and done correctly.
You've asserted the following premises.
1) The reason it was easier to get a job straight out of high school in the 70's compared to now is because education has been 'dumbed down', like when you were being hired to work your trade job, your employer was making a calculated decision about your general education level.
2) That Mexicans are dumber than Americans because they do not 'grasp the technology' to do trade jobs?
The only reason the American economy got better after the great depression is because WW2 happened.
Which subsequently left so much of the 'productive world' in tatters that the USA were able to ride a massive wave of economic advantages for decades until the rest of the world started to catch up. There is no comparison between the economic situation faced by the boomers versus people now. Boomers grew up during a time of extreme economic privilege. They don't want to recognize that fact because then it shatters their notion of being 'self-made' while everyone else is just riding off of their success or shirking responsibility. Just like anyone of privilege. They never recognize their privileged status.
Other generations have found creative ways to finance a college education without creating overwhelming debt. My grandfather went to night school and took classes as he could afford them, all the while raising a family with three kids and working a full time job.
Other generations did not have tuition rates that were comparable to buying a house. Other generations did not have much lower (adjusted for inflation) wages. Your grandfather did not need to have three children, but chose to. Good luck having three children, going to college, and working full time now. You wouldn't afford it.
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