Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:49:42 -0400
Reply-To: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Are Today's Young People Mechanical Nitwits?
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I'm a Fire Alarm electrician. An even more needed niche job. And not
going away any time soon. It sure has been more secure, good-paying and
economically stable than my first career choice; Aviation mechanic. I've
also worked as VW dealer and independent garage auto mechanic. I used to
dealer-prep brand new '82 VW's, even did one diesel Vanagon! (VC).
But you want to tell your kids another industry secret? Tell them to
become an elevator mechanic; great pay good work, good benefits, good
pension, very stable. I wish I'd found out about that one, before I had 17
years invested in my 2nd career. I know, never too late to change, you can
always learn a new trade. But, now that I'm making good money in this
field, I'd have to take a big cut for many years before I'd climb back up to
where I'm at now. But it would eventually far surpass my current trade.
Most US union elev. techs are making "rate" which is $50/ hour. Some of
these guys are 'just kids', and I'm 47 and may never see $50 in my whole
career. I wish I could afford to take that hit now, but my budget
responsibilities won't allow it.
Mike B.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Allan Streib" <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 5:12 PM
Subject: Re: Are Today's Young People Mechanical Nitwits?
> "Don Hanson" <dhanson@GORGE.NET> said:
>
>> Young people today (especially in the USA) don't need look very closely
>> at
>> life to know that those who do stuff with their hands, as in "the Trades"
>> are now mostly living below poverty level.
>> Remember those professions? "Tradesmen"? You know, Carpenters,
>> Electricians, Plumbers, Mechanics, Painters..etc?. Not "Happening" any
>> more. Learning how to do something like fix a car or hang a door...That
>> is
>> considered a waste of time and beneath a "real person"..All the trades
>> seem
>> to be handled by the illegals now, because they are jobs "Americans"
>> won't
>> do any more (for the money that's being paid, anyways)
>
> Um, you live in a different universe than I do. Some of the most
> well-to-do people I know are electricians and plumbers. I'm talking
> six-figure income, lavish homes, and working when they want to, for the
> most part. Well above my income as a software developer. If any of my
> kids don't want to go to college, I'd definitely steer them to
> electrical or plumbing vocational training. These professions are not
> going anywhere soon.
>
> Allan
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