Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
When I retired in 2011, I spent a month in NC and nearby areas. I was shocked at rural NC. The economy had died when first cotton vanished and then the tobacco industry all but vanished. Many areas are beyond recovery in my lifetime or the foreseeable future. To make it even worse the old Southern bigotry was alive and well with lots of Rebel flags and fake canons pointing to the street. I will never forget that short trip, nor do I ever want to visit those areas again.
What parts of NC did you visit? I've only been to coastal NC which didn't seem that different from most places.
Have you guys seen Mike Rowe's website called profoundly disconnected? I was amazed to see all the trades jobs that are out there. And they pay better than entry level engineering jobs! I think some kids need to learn a trade instead of getting a degree.
Have you guys seen Mike Rowe's website called profoundly disconnected? I was amazed to see all the trades jobs that are out there. And they pay better than entry level engineering jobs! I think some kids need to learn a trade instead of getting a degree.
That is so true.
I have a neighbor with 2 sons with new engineering degrees living in his basement.
For a job in engineering, a degree is necessary but not sufficient. You must also excel in the technical interview. If you were a "C" student or did not take the appropriate course work, or went to the wrong school, you won't get the job.
OTOH, if you learn a trade that is not outsorceable, e.g. auto mechanic, plumber, HVAC tech, you will be able to make decent wages and you won't be $100K in debt for a questionable degree.
I have a neighbor with 2 sons with new engineering degrees living in his basement.
For a job in engineering, a degree is necessary but not sufficient. You must also excel in the technical interview. If you were a "C" student or did not take the appropriate course work, or went to the wrong school, you won't get the job.
OTOH, if you learn a trade that is not outsorceable, e.g. auto mechanic, plumber, HVAC tech, you will be able to make decent wages and you won't be $100K in debt for a questionable degree.
The problem with labor trades is that you get pretty busted up physically. Ending up disabled or unable to work before you hit retirement age is pretty common. Go into your local home depot or lowes and you will find a lot of former trade workers in their 40s and 50s with bad knees, backs, etc.
What parts of NC did you visit? I've only been to coastal NC which didn't seem that different from most places.
The coastal areas are different than the rural parts of the State. It has been a few years, but I spent some time around the Great Dismal Swamp. Then to Nags Head which is a resort area. Then across on highway 64 to Raleigh and across the rest of the NC mostly on 40.
Why the surprise about two distinct Americas? It's always been that way all over the world, the rich and the poor. The middle has been a buffer since WWII, and now that buffer is eroding.
I take exception to the "rural" label. In New England generally, much of "rural" is relatively well-off people electing to live on their own private and often pricey properties away from cities. Typical of the media to use blanket labels inappropriately and throw off the discussion.
On another note, a feature on NPR news the other day focused on homeless senior women in California and other places. I was shocked to read the numbers and the stories, old women living in their cars in parking lots, etc. In googling, I was surprised to bring up so many articles along the lines of "older single women are the new face of homelessness." The numbers are staggering, and it's not always women who were always poor but many who had families and jobs perhaps some had careers.
The "other" half lives in the shadows and is largely ignored and labeled this or that. It's a societal problem based on values that may be growing out of control.
Ok, so how do workers in those areas which have historically provided jobs in those areas develop healthy ideas and practices to secure their retirements? This is important because it is quite possible that because of things like this we in this forum have a wide range of challenges beyond our control in how well we are able to prepare. I will admit for the umpteenth time we were blessed to have lived and worked where we did. Had we made different decisions almost 45 plus years ago who know!
The short answer is that they can't, at least on their own.
Like jrkliny noticed in NC, many small towns and rural areas continue to experience a decline. Where I'm from, many people worked at local manufacturing facilities, in mines, and farmed tobacco. Manufacturing has taken a hit, and mining and tobacco are all but gone. These were well-paying jobs by the standards of the area. My dad hired in a mechanic at a chemical company after completing their apprenticeship at $15/hr....in 1981.
The current median HHI in town is in the mid $30k range. That's barely enough to keep one afloat and live a meager lifestyle, much less properly save anything. It's not uncommon to have a one income family here where the man is making $15/hr or so with a wife and kid at home. What are they saving? Probably nothing - that's going to be your elderly underclass right there.
Silent and some older Boomers largely avoided this. Younger Boomers were often pounded by the Recession and many aren't back to where they were.
It's sad and I don't think it's right that we're largely becoming a society of "winner take most" of retirement benefits, and those winners are mostly coastal, urban, and liberal elite with high powered jobs in Chicago, Boston, SF, etc.
I have a neighbor with 2 sons with new engineering degrees living in his basement.
For a job in engineering, a degree is necessary but not sufficient. You must also excel in the technical interview. If you were a "C" student or did not take the appropriate course work, or went to the wrong school, you won't get the job.
OTOH, if you learn a trade that is not outsorceable, e.g. auto mechanic, plumber, HVAC tech, you will be able to make decent wages and you won't be $100K in debt for a questionable degree.
We solved the basement issue. We sold the house a few months before our daughter graduated. She had no choice but to get out there and find a job. She and the boyfriend set out across country because they wanted to settle on the west coast. Both had great jobs within 2 months.
Unfortunately the country seems to be full of young people who think they are entitled. We start them out wrong. We give them trophies for participating in sports instead of for achievement. We do the same throughout their schooling. Kids expect a "B" grade just for showing up. That same attitude continues on into college except there they don't even need to put in more than a few hours in class a week. Getting into college is no big deal anymore. Nor is graduating. Many kids learn the minimum but they do have a good time. Now colleges have even given up on Friday classes so the parties can start Thursday afternoon and run through the weekend. I am willing to be those two slugs living in the basement never put much effort into their educations. There are going to continue the same pattern when working which is one reason no one will hire them.
It's sad and I don't think it's right that we're largely becoming a society of "winner take most" of retirement benefits, and those winners are mostly coastal, urban, and liberal elite with high powered jobs in Chicago, Boston, SF, etc.
Everyone has a choice. Living in a dying area is very likely to mean it is all but impossible to find a decent job, let alone a career with advancement opportunities.
I don't think it is at all necessary to live only in one of a handful of cities. In fact moving to one, certainly does not guarantee a good job. Also there is nothing new about this. I moved all over the country in the pursuit of jobs and to replace jobs that died due to M&A and other reasons. I lived and working in Little Rock, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, and Long Island. I almost had to move another time or two but I got lucky and worked for three different businesses after moving to Long Island.
Sometimes you need to put in maximum effort and do things you don't like and live places you don't like in order to thrive.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
