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Maybe I'm preaching to the choir here.....I'm assuming a majority of posters on CD are college educated?
If that assumption is true, then we all know that the global workplace is competitive, and in order to create value and 'deserve' higher pay, you have to provide something to your employer that the next guy can't. The higher the skills, the higher the pay.
Flipping burgers, stocking shelves, etc is low skill, low value, and thus low pay. A monkey could be trained to do that and for less money. While these functions are 'essential', they don't provide value. Too many people can do it the exact same way.
My point being, if you have kids, regardless of age, you should be talking to them about continuing their education, striving to do more than the minimum requirements, about developing skills that will be valued when they enter the workforce.
I don't agree with the premise of your thread title.
Why? Because in this economy, those that 'add value' have little bargaining power. Said another way: 'adding value' is by no means a panacea to wealth or prosperity.
Furthermore, going to college does not create value for employers.
I've made minimum to near minimum wage my entire working career and have never complained. The key is to live within your means, don't have kids, and don't expect a lavish lifestyle as it's a bare minimum one as it's intended to be. I tried both the college and skilled trade route, neither which worked out so I have accepted my lot in life.
MW jobs are always a good fallback if your college/career plans aren't successful. Although I'm afraid with these walkouts you see by fast food workers such jobs will end up being automated.
Maybe I'm preaching to the choir here.....I'm assuming a majority of posters on CD are college educated?
If that assumption is true, then we all know that the global workplace is competitive, and in order to create value and 'deserve' higher pay, you have to provide something to your employer that the next guy can't. The higher the skills, the higher the pay.
Flipping burgers, stocking shelves, etc is low skill, low value, and thus low pay. A monkey could be trained to do that and for less money. While these functions are 'essential', they don't provide value. Too many people can do it the exact same way.
My point being, if you have kids, regardless of age, you should be talking to them about continuing their education, striving to do more than the minimum requirements, about developing skills that will be valued when they enter the workforce.
Ok, soap box is collapsing.
I was lucky to graduate high school.
I worked three minimum wage jobs at a time.
Until I could do better.........then I started my own business.
What a strange assumption. I actually presume that many of the posters herein are receiving disability benefits from the Federal government. Hence they may spend all day posting here and elsewhere.
I agree that parents 'should' do what you suggest. There are a lot of things that, in my opinion, people 'should' do.
I will point out that higher education has become very expensive (back in the 1970s into the early 80s, it was very cheap indeed. At law school, Texas Tech, I paid $5.00 per semester hour; I could afford the $60 per semester by working at K-Mart).
I have urged some of my younger relatives, who are either resistant to college or can't afford it, to check out learning a skill for work that will not go overseas, such as electrical work, plumbing, and the like. Some have opted for IT work, which I guess pays pretty well (although it seems like the market for that is somewhat saturated).
I started minimum wage at fast food and a bakery starting 3rd year high school, then worked at the bakery till the Fall when I got my first full time job. I had taken a civil service test in high school senior year and got a job with the government.
- Do they still offer those tests? if they do - TAKE IT - you will have a solid job with the government.
I did not go to college full time, because I hated high school and just decided to work my way up. That's what happened.
now zip forward 32 years later, my current job has taught me skills so that I have a career. So was I lucky or what? I don't know. But I did not go to college except a few classes because I was taking time to raise a family. But I kept on and here I am today doing well.
All thanks to God and to Jesus for whatever blessings and guidance I was given by Him. ((but I had to go out and get the work myself; it didn't magically fall from the sky
I don't agree with the premise of your thread title.
Why? Because in this economy, those that 'add value' have little bargaining power. Said another way: 'adding value' is by no means a panacea to wealth or prosperity.
Furthermore, going to college does not create value for employers.
I have never work at minim wage, my starting pay 31 years ago was three dollars higher than minimum wage. I think they ought to do away with minimum wage, let the market controll the wages
None of this would be an issue if the economy didn't suck so badly and we didn't have so many underemployed, low wage workers. Now that they appear to be large enough to exploit as a voting block, Washington is going to do everything they can to hopefully motivate them to vote in a way that benefits certain politicians. Since this is an emotional issue, politicians are going to promise the world and end up doing nothing.
The best defense against having your citizens stuck in minimum wage jobs is an economy where upward mobility can occur for blue collar workers with relative ease. That is something that has been notably absent in this country the past 6 or 7 year outside of areas with an oil boom.
We need manufacturing and construction to roar back into life. We don't need to touch minimum wage, we need more opportunity.
I see the job market as similar to a giant game of musical chairs, there simply isn't enough chairs/good jobs for everyone. If you want one of the few chairs, you'll have to be quick (have real skills to bring to the market). Of course in the game you keep removing the chairs (outsourcing, and technology), so eventually only one person has a seat.
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