Who is seeing youth entering our world?

[kshansen]

I would also say the military captures a good amount of these people though, you get experience working on reputable machinery along with all the other benefits of being in the military. If they decide to get out, they can use that experience to land a job somewhere they can be of use.

I'll start by saying I support those in the services and my experience with dealing with an ex-military mechanic, at least those under 60 years old involved only one guy looking for a job at the shop where I worked.

The problem I had trying to give my boss feedback on the young man is he had know idea of what he worked on in civilian terms, fault worked both ways as when he mentioned the equipment he had been trained he only knew the military designation for it so I had no idea what it was either!

I also got the impression that in the military only certain grade levels were allowed to do certain jobs. One example he gave me is that he was allowed to install an injector in a Detroit, he did know what that was, but was required to step back and let someone with a higher grade adjust the rack and time it. I can understand a system like this as you can't just give someone an afternoons class on something then expect them to be an expert.

I'm sure if I had been talking with a person who had say 10 years in the service and had much more training the conversation would have made me feel like I needed to go back to school to compete with the "new guy"!

In the end he was not hired, but that might have been good for him as this was just prior to the shop being "down-sized" more or less out of existence.

 

[BigGreen74]

Military is a big place. I'm not surprised that there is some level of unknowing. A lot of these guys they will teach them the basic skills and tech stuff, but may leave the more complicated things like injector timing to those with more experience gained on the same path they're on.

Always hearing about how the new guys can't be of use, can't make good techs, not worth their time, and while I agree somewhat with the overall interests skewing away from being gear heads, there are a few out there who know their stuff, just not enough to go around.

Those who don't know quite all of it yet are learning. I figure it was the same way back when gear heads were plenty, but they where overshadowed and taught by those-who-know. Plus maybe some rose-tinted goggles, or remembering only the best of people, not the unknowing (unless they were especially stupid).

 

[Twisted]

I started looking at this subject differently a few years ago.

Kids are dumb and only know what they are taught. We were dumb and our folks were dumb but we were taught to be smart, diligent, respectful, etc.
Once again, kids only know what we teach them so it is our responsibility to make them successful or our fault if they fail.

 

[Junkyard]

It does fall back on their parents and mentors. But I feel like it's harder today than it may have been just a few decades ago. Reality tv, technology such as smart phones etc can be a great teaching tool or an incredible distraction that creates unrealistic hopes, leads them down the wrong path and sets poor examples. I've always tried hard with my own kids or even any younger employees/coworkers I've had. But I agree we're all part of the problem and solution.

It's safe to say that any of us in a position to be a mentor would gladly take a chance to pass our knowledge and experience along. Even if it's just a chance to make them see the opportunity or better yet a chance to instill the simple desire to work and learn. If that's done the rest is easy. We are in the fortunate or unfortunate position to counteract all the other less than savory influences in a young person's life. I won't get on my soapbox and start naming them because I was to obstain from political talk if for no other reason than my own blood pressure!!

 

[DMiller]

As Junkyard is aware maybe some of you all here, I am a fountain of trivial small inconsequential details as to machines. I remember those little things that were not written in the service manuals and had to find them on my own or was lucky enough to catch a old man (as myself now) that would teach me. I have tried to pass along some of that even to the kids we had at the power station where you need to listen to the machine, hear the little noises that change with weather or temperature or load changes and get to know the rumbles or vibrations little creaks and moans or the machine will leave you standing in your own **** pile when it throws up around you. Many had no clue what I meant, to me the noises and smells with the smallest vibrations changes are the first indications of problems and start watching closer.

 

[check]

In the last 70 years or so, parental influence has been incrementally usurped by outside influences like teevee and public school social engineering (completely devoid of work ethic and personal responsibility) to the point that only the very most capable of parents can raise reasonably sane and intelligent children.

 

[kshansen]

It's safe to say that any of us in a position to be a mentor would gladly take a chance to pass our knowledge and experience along.

Some of this problem also comes upper levels of corporations.

Like the place I worked, my immediate supervisor was well aware of my retirement day at least a full year in advance. He mentioned that he had several times told his bosses that he would like to get a replacement lined up and working with me as soon as possible. To me trying to pass on much of what I had learned over the 40+ years was not going to be very successful. Not that I was that smart but way too many problems or situations don't come along every year!

Then it got down to maybe two or three weeks before I was walking out the door they finally let him stick one of the guys at the quarry come in the shop to work with me. Then when after about a week I suggested that they get him set up with an email account and internet access the two of us were told: "Well we are not sure Bill is actually going to get the position, we have to post it and also advertise it in the paper." You can imaging how Bill felt after being given only a couple weeks to try to learn as much as possible then be told someone else might be walking in the door to take the job!

Even after I was gone it took upper management a couple months to finally decide to give Bill the job. However as I hear he is only actually working in the shop 1/3 of the time and the majority of the time he is out filling in running equipment in the plant. This Bill may not actually fit the subject of this thread too close as he is not a "kid" I would say he is in his mid-40's and has had some basic experience working

 

[thepumpguysc]

I TOTALLY AGREE, Hansen.. 100%.
When I went out when my back shattered, they hired a kid .. stuck him w/ 2 idiots, that I wouldn't let change the oil in my lawn mower.. He's ruined now.. and left to his own devices..
I've been back for 3 months now & he hasn't made a single cent for the company..book time is 10 hrs, he takes 25.. and no one seems to notice or care.. SAD, VERY SAD..

 

[Knepptune]

Boy I sure hope I'm as happy and optomistic as you guys once I'm your age.

I may be young but I know that people see what they look for. I know quite few guys younger then me that are sensible, smart, hardworkers. I know quite a few that are as useless as teats on a boar. I've noticed the same thing with older guys. Dont really think the ratios are that much different.

 

[Junkyard]

Boy I sure hope I'm as happy and optomistic as you guys once I'm your age.

I may be young but I know that people see what they look for. I know quite few guys younger then me that are sensible, smart, hardworkers. I know quite a few that are as useless as teats on a boar. I've noticed the same thing with older guys. Dont really think the ratios are that much different.

I agree, some never learn or grow up. They just grow old.....

 

[old-iron-habit]

I agree, some never learn or grow up. They just grow old.....

I learned a bit. I grew old, BUT I refuse to grow up. .

 

[Junkyard]

I learned a bit. I grew old, BUT I refuse to grow up. .

Nothin wrong with that. I've learned some myself. Come hell or high water I'm not gonna grow up!

 

[92U 3406]

We went through major layoffs nearly 2 years ago. The 3 older guys (60's and 70's) volunteered to leave when they heard they were going to let some of the younger guys go. While it was admirable that they were willing to retire to save other's jobs we also had over 150 years combined experience walk out the door that day. They had plans for months prior to put the apprentices with these guys too.

 

[DMiller]

Toys just get bigger as does the toy boxes!! It is a trick to grow up!

 

[chris pochari]

Rigid tool co did a survey and found only 6% of high school students planned on working in the trades. Anecdotally the few kids I knew all went into white collar industries, only 1 kid went into the trades, and his dad was a homebuilder.

 

[Crummy]

With so many getting degrees in software engineering, environmental science, cultural studies, etc. it should (if I remember basic economics) drive the pay scale down to about minimum wage for those jobs & those few that go into the trades will be making 6 figures?
OK, everybody stop laughing now....

 

[chris pochari]

With so many getting degrees in software engineering, environmental science, cultural studies, etc. it should (if I remember basic economics) drive the pay scale down to about minimum wage for those jobs & those few that go into the trades will be making 6 figures?
OK, everybody stop laughing now....

Not that many kids are getting degrees in software engineering, it requires an IQ 130+ most get degrees in soft areas like political science or gender studies.
If my IQ was that high I'd definitely go into that field.

 

[PJ The Kid]

most get degrees in soft areas like political science or gender studies

This is exactly what I see happening with my particular generation, They have been raised to think college is the only way to go, but no direction. I went to college, but it was also trade school in a way. I received an accredited associate degree in applied sciences along with full FOMOCO certs. at the end. Seems like the rest of my generation wants to get a degree in feminist dance study, then complain about how they cannot find a job.

 

[92U 3406]

Really though, trades are like the best kept secret when it comes to jobs. Good and knowledgeable tradespeople will always find work. By the time most of my friends started finishing their degrees and getting out in the workforce I had already earned my Red Seals. The best part is that 90% of earning the Red Seal ticket is paid on the job training so I was out earning while I was learning. I don't see any other university or college programs like that.

 

[PJ The Kid]

Really though, trades are like the best kept secret when it comes to jobs. Good and knowledgeable tradespeople will always find work. By the time most of my friends started finishing their degrees and getting out in the workforce I had already earned my Red Seals. The best part is that 90% of earning the Red Seal ticket is paid on the job training so I was out earning while I was learning. I don't see any other university or college programs like that.

The Ford ASSET program, GM ASEP program, and there was also an ASE program at the college I went to, it was a paid internship program, had to work at a shop to be considered. We went to school for 8 weeks, the went full time work for 8 weeks and worked with a mechanic that did mostly what we learned about that section. The come back to school for 8 weeks and do the book work on something else, and go back and work under that mechanic at the dealership.With the school side of things, we also had math, engish, social studies, psychology, political science, etc. I came out Master certified with a degree along with it opening the door to any dealer I wanted to work at, along with most of the Ford fleets in my area. The reason I decided on that particular program was the real world, paid shop experience. I have worked with graduates from certain trade schools that are also fully certified but recieved no real world experience, therefore they cannot fix a sandwich.