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America was built by people who barely knew the language amd came in with low skills. We trained them and they worked jobs. They took English classes or did the best they could learning it on their own. I don't understand why we don't embrace this the way we used to. Massive human resources going to waste.
Take a look around some time. We don't have much use for coal miners or gandy dancers anymore. Those are the jobs "we" trained illiterate immigrants on the job (not in trade school) to do in the 1800's. The days when peasants were interchangeable between countries are long gone, and today's crop of migrants was already automated out of a job decades ago.
The days when peasants were interchangeable between countries are long gone, and today's crop of migrants was already automated out of a job decades ago.
That's not what I see down here in Texas.
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We're getting a little off the topic of trade schools. Or are you saying there are plenty of zero-skill jobs in Texas that require neither college nor trade school?
Take a look around some time. We don't have much use for coal miners or gandy dancers anymore. Those are the jobs "we" trained illiterate immigrants on the job (not in trade school) to do in the 1800's. The days when peasants were interchangeable between countries are long gone, and today's crop of migrants was already automated out of a job decades ago.
We need workers who can read and do math.
We have an enormous shortage of service workers and all kinds of grunt work for various businesses who are crying they have no help. They could do some of that.
I thnk the trades are promoted in some areas in high school. My cousin's grandson took classes after school at the community college and got his welders certificate the same year he graduated high school. My grandson also got his welders certificate but waited until he graduated high school to go to a 9 month program. My grandson lives in Arizona and has more opportunities than my cousin's grandson, who has joined his father's business selling cars. He is more artistic and does do some art projects with his welding.
We're getting a little off the topic of trade schools. Or are you saying there are plenty of zero-skill jobs in Texas that require neither college nor trade school?
I'm saying that immigrants down here--specifically Mexican and South American immigrants--find plenty of construction jobs in Texas without college or trade school or knowing the language. I was just reminded of that this week; the city was ripping up my street and it took me some time to find an English-speaker among the workers to determine if they were going to block my driveway that day or at all.
Judging by the workers driving the machines, those are jobs with progression. A nephew of mine with years of welding experience came down from Illinois and found himself shut out. And, yes, these are jobs that some community colleges actually offer training in, such as "Mason's Assistant."
But this isn't unique. In the first couple of decades of this century, I worked for a Fortune 50 insurance company headquartered in Illinois. Most of that time, the contractor that supplied food and janitorial services to that company employed mostly white and black workers for those services.
One year the company demanded a cheaper contract. On a Monday--on a Monday--all the workers suddenly became Hispanic (I say "Hispanic" because they may not have been Mexican).
We have an enormous shortage of service workers and all kinds of grunt work for various businesses who are crying they have no help. They could do some of that.
We have an enormous shortage of service workers and all kinds of grunt work for various businesses who are crying they have no help. They could do some of that.
Who do you think cleans most of the hotel rooms in the US?
I'm saying that immigrants down here--specifically Mexican and South American immigrants--find plenty of construction jobs in Texas without college or trade school or knowing the language. I was just reminded of that this week; the city was ripping up my street and it took me some time to find an English-speaker among the workers to determine if they were going to block my driveway that day or at all.
Judging by the workers driving the machines, those are jobs with progression. A nephew of mine with years of welding experience came down from Illinois and found himself shut out. And, yes, these are jobs that some community colleges actually offer training in, such as "Mason's Assistant."
But this isn't unique. In the first couple of decades of this century, I worked for a Fortune 50 insurance company headquartered in Illinois. Most of that time, the contractor that supplied food and janitorial services to that company employed mostly white and black workers for those services.
One year the company demanded a cheaper contract. On a Monday--on a Monday--all the workers suddenly became Hispanic (I say "Hispanic" because they may not have been Mexican).
A "construction worker" is not the same as a "carpenter". Anyone can do construction work. Most of it is manual labor supervised by more experienced workers.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Annandale_Man
A "construction worker" is not the same as a "carpenter". Anyone can do construction work. Most of it is manual labor supervised by more experienced workers.
not really....
Someone who does not want to get dirty (today's employees) cannot do construction work.
I am not a carpenter, but I've built a lot of projects (homes, commercial buildings, bridges...)
My grandfather was a carpenter, FIL a stone mason, father a welder.
They worked construction, but were not deemed 'construction workers'
Working 'the trades' is a pretty broad brush. One neighbor was a longshoreman, and other a locomotive engineer, several pilots (Barge, ship, and airplane).
me... Jack-of-all-trades (a grunt). Today rebuilding a diesel engine, tomorrow installing a roof. Last month building a stone stairway in Europe
Glad I grew up as a farm kid, or I might not know how to do this stuff. My engineering degree was just fluff. It didn't teach me to do stuff, just gave me the authority to SIGN off on the stuff I did. (As if anyone cares except officials who don't know how to DO stuff). But they are important, if I chose to build a submersible and hire it out to transport the public.
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