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The counterpoint to that is that corporations demand unrealistic experience requirements young people can't meet.
As does government. Schools are run by the government.
Out with the older teachers and in with the fresh out of college teachers teaching the core subjects.
And then they wonder why the kids are failing.
As does government. Schools are run by the government.
Out with the older teachers and in with the fresh out of college teachers teaching the core subjects.
And then they wonder why the kids are failing.
This is exactly right. And, those teachers are coming from second-rate secondary school systems with lower expectations not only from the schools but their families - and I doubt these kids improve their self-improvement aspirations a whole lot in college. So, the teachers today, many of them, are nowhere near the quality of those I had growing up.
Late 50s here. I'm eligible to retire this year and I'm waiting for the one bad day that pushes me over the edge. Just kidding (sort of). Luckily, I work Union and am at the top of the seniority list, so hopefully I can leave on my terms. I took a huge cut in pay to get some job security when I took my current job and have absolutely zero regrets.
Sadly, we are reaping what we have sown. We have had 3+ decades of anti-union, right to work legislation that has culminated with corporations and their purchased politicians in nearly complete control. For the most part, the public (and voters) have supported this. NAFTA and other trade agreements were sold to the public with the promise of jobs. All it did was facilitate offshoring and corporate tax dodging. The unions have much responsibility, too. Overreaching, corruption, etc. all contributed to the mess we are in now.... I don't know how we get out of this.
I agree with every word you wrote... I will add to it the inevitability of globalization and automation and their impact on the work environment. We are living in a time of great change.
I have heard from people I know about being "left behind" when they were 50-60 years old.
They wanted to work, had the skills, but were let go and never got rehired at "high" paying jobs.
I am luckey. Being 54 and prepared to retire at 55. I have always lived below my income and saved, etc. so I can and want to retire at 55. I love my hobbies and plan to do even more when I can live off my past efforts and not work for somebody else.
As does government. Schools are run by the government.
Out with the older teachers and in with the fresh out of college teachers teaching the core subjects.
And then they wonder why the kids are failing.
But then the new teachers don't have the requisite experience. It is an endless cycle of too experienced = laid off, but enough experience means no job.
None of the candidates who were 55-65 were hired because the hiring committee thought they were too old but of course they used code when stating this.
And there is the problem. They are advancing retirement age - I think it is over 70 for SS now, depending on what year you were born - but workers over 50 or so can't get or keep jobs due to age discrimination.
Formerly middle class and upper middle class people find themselves with no options. Don't tell people they can't retire until age 70, without addressing the issue of age discrimination in the workplace.
Heck, I was a software engineer - at 37 (in the 90s) I was already considered washed up, incapable of keeping up, incapable of learning anything new, and so much wasted skin. I actually had a snotty younger co-worker come up and peer over my shoulder at something I was doing and exclaim in surprise that I was using some technique or other to do a simple sort. I can't remember exactly what it was, but I distinctly remember his response when I asked him what he was so surprised about.
He said "I figured you'd try to do that with a bubble sort."
Oh fer cryin' .... I couldn't believe anyone could be so ... I'm still flabbergasted at the blatant disrespect and condescension. Not to mention his own display of ignorance - at no time in the world of programming has the bubble sort been the one and only go-to sort method. I may have used it once or twice in my entire career in situations where it was appropriate.
And I wasn't even 40 yet!
Employers want to put you out to pasture ASAP, preferably before you are vested.
In the meantime, acceptable "retirement" ages are being pushed higher and higher.
So we are supposed to keep working, many of us are WILLING to keep working - but no one will hire you for a real job. The best many of us can do is to manage a part time job here and there.
There is, in the meantime, a LARGE contingent of workers out there who are still all broken up by the hard physical labor they have done for all of their lives by the age of 60 or so - just as their parents and grandparents were. The only recourse this last group has is to apply for disability - a 3 year process if you're lucky that requires a lawyer to navigate - and hope for the best.
There is a gap of about 15 to 20 years between the age at which an employer is willing to keep or to hire you, and the age at which you are allowed to start drawing retirement without having to take big benefits cuts. If something isn't done to close that gap, we will see a huge jump in the numbers of the elderly who live in poverty.
I lost my job at 50 years old in 2002. I was a Quality Inspector for 25 years there and the company just kept losing employees until it was my turn. I was fortunate to find another very good job in 2003 and held that one for 9 years. The company closed down in 2012 and I was out of a job again at 60 years old. 2.5 years later I am still looking for a job. Filing early SS is looking inevitable. So, yeah. I guess I will be forced to retire early.
And there is the problem. They are advancing retirement age - I think it is over 70 for SS now, depending on what year you were born - but workers over 50 or so can't get or keep jobs due to age discrimination.
Formerly middle class and upper middle class people find themselves with no options. Don't tell people they can't retire until age 70, without addressing the issue of age discrimination in the workplace.
Heck, I was a software engineer - at 37 (in the 90s) I was already considered washed up, incapable of keeping up, incapable of learning anything new, and so much wasted skin. I actually had a snotty younger co-worker come up and peer over my shoulder at something I was doing and exclaim in surprise that I was using some technique or other to do a simple sort. I can't remember exactly what it was, but I distinctly remember his response when I asked him what he was so surprised about.
He said "I figured you'd try to do that with a bubble sort."
Oh fer cryin' .... I couldn't believe anyone could be so ... I'm still flabbergasted at the blatant disrespect and condescension. Not to mention his own display of ignorance - at no time in the world of programming has the bubble sort been the one and only go-to sort method. I may have used it once or twice in my entire career in situations where it was appropriate.
And I wasn't even 40 yet!
Employers want to put you out to pasture ASAP, preferably before you are vested.
In the meantime, acceptable "retirement" ages are being pushed higher and higher.
So we are supposed to keep working, many of us are WILLING to keep working - but no one will hire you for a real job. The best many of us can do is to manage a part time job here and there.
There is, in the meantime, a LARGE contingent of workers out there who are still all broken up by the hard physical labor they have done for all of their lives by the age of 60 or so - just as their parents and grandparents were. The only recourse this last group has is to apply for disability - a 3 year process if you're lucky that requires a lawyer to navigate - and hope for the best.
There is a gap of about 15 to 20 years between the age at which an employer is willing to keep or to hire you, and the age at which you are allowed to start drawing retirement without having to take big benefits cuts. If something isn't done to close that gap, we will see a huge jump in the numbers of the elderly who live in poverty.
And now, we see the solution to the problem of underfunded Social Security and Medicare. They hope you die before you draw. Poverty makes early death much more likely.
I 've thought that for a long time. Let us just die. The same could be said for the homeless, don't look at them & you won't realize they are cold & hungry. Now if we are destitute & can't find a job, we're next. I was just very lucky to have a good family who helped me out, but what of those who don't?
I remember one supervisor admonishing me that I had to have 6 months savings. I looked at him & said, " On my salary I'm barely able to pay rent, bills & eat'. After I was laid off from that job, I landed a much better paying job & actually had a year's salary saved. It didn't help because no one wanted to hire an older person at that time.
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