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JayhawkSD

(3,163 posts)

11. Don't get me started on this college kick

Sat Jul 23, 2016, 01:59 AM

Jul 2016

It used to be that working as a millwright, or a pipefitter, or a welder, or an electrician was a respectable and well paying job. A person could work at that job and, as a single wage earner, buy a house and a car and provide the amenities for a family. And he could hold his head high and be proud of his profession.

I worked for years as an industrial maintenance electrician and made more money than any of my three college educated siblings.

How did that happen? Thank the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Don't talk to me about being uneducated. I am proud of my career. I was good at what I did, I enjoyed the work and the people I worked with, and I was respected by my brothers and sisters for my military service and for the work that I did after I left the service.

This society needs tradespeople willing to work hard, and it needs an ethic that respects and rewards them.

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5 of America's fastest growing jobs pay less than $25,000 [View all] brentspeak Jul 2016 OP

Fifty years ago we were speaking of the "service economy." JayhawkSD Jul 2016 #1

Well.... Adrahil Jul 2016 #2

Just to get by now ... lpbk2713 Jul 2016 #3

Wrong.... Wounded Bear Jul 2016 #4

Well, to be accurate ... JustABozoOnThisBus Jul 2016 #40

Well surely that means the median income is dropping like a rock! whatthehey Jul 2016 #5

Did you expect anyone to take you seriously? brentspeak Jul 2016 #6

I expect people to take data more seriously than opinion pieces whatthehey Jul 2016 #7

You mean this kind of data? brentspeak Jul 2016 #8

That's only a bad thing awoke_in_2003 Jul 2016 #9

Post removed Post removed Jul 2016 #16

The 1950s 1939 Jul 2016 #19

please tell me you forgot the sarcasm emote. Either that, or I strongly suggest merrily Jul 2016 #28

Let's get it straight about productivity and higher wages. JayhawkSD Jul 2016 #25

Thanks for links. inanna Jul 2016 #17

I think you wanted this graph Angel Martin Jul 2016 #46

None of those require a college education either AwakeAtLast Jul 2016 #10

Don't get me started on this college kick JayhawkSD Jul 2016 #11

There are still trades jobs madville Jul 2016 #12

true, but there aren't nearly enough of those type of jobs; that's the whole problem. TheFrenchRazor Jul 2016 #15

It's surprisingly tough to find employable and qualified people madville Jul 2016 #27

The IBEW will take you as an apprentice, tomorrow, if you show up Recursion Jul 2016 #44

There is still a lot of nepotism in the trades, and entry level is not really entry level anymore davidn3600 Jul 2016 #38

Excellent post, thank you! inanna Jul 2016 #18

K all what you wrote still doesn't take away from the fact that this is no longe 1962... uponit7771 Jul 2016 #20

So, what? You want to start at the top? JayhawkSD Jul 2016 #23

Depends on your definition of a living wage madville Jul 2016 #33

Used to be rjsquirrel Jul 2016 #31

Understood. mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2016 #34

Let's not be too hasty.... mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2016 #32

None of those jobs are trade jobs either AwakeAtLast Jul 2016 #36

I would say they don't really care one way or another The2ndWheel Jul 2016 #39

K&R Photographer Jul 2016 #13

nothing to see here folks, move along... nt TheFrenchRazor Jul 2016 #14

The purpose of capitalism is to create capital for capitalists Cresent City Kid Jul 2016 #21

Side effect? JayhawkSD Jul 2016 #24

He did Cresent City Kid Jul 2016 #30

I was shocked to find that KatyaR Jul 2016 #22

By whom? NT mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2016 #29

A $15 minimum wage edhopper Jul 2016 #26

And now, from those jumpy-smiley folks at the BLS, mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2016 #35

Another way to say is : 1/2 of the jobs created in the hottest job categories pay < $18 hr. gd770226 Jul 2016 #41

This is why Trump appeals to a lot of people. Calista241 Jul 2016 #37

Yep! vintx Jul 2016 #42

Umm.. that's roughly the median individual income, so, yeah Recursion Jul 2016 #43

5 of America's fastest growing jobs pay more than $89,000 per year mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2016 #45