Who is seeing youth entering our world?

Junkyard · Jul 29, 2017

I see the same thing with kids not wanting to work. I'm fortunate that all my kids seem to have a good work ethic. They've all grown up with me busting my ass to take care of them and see their mom work as well. I often reward them for work, not commensurate with that they do at times but I want to reinforce that.

My boys are the opposite. It's damn near impossible to keep them from wanting to help and learn. Sometimes I just want to get it done! I hope they stay that way in whatever they choose to do in life.

So many factors at play in regards to why kids won't or don't want to work, in any profession. Lots of theories as to why.....

I do think a lot of it starts at home and also comes from outside influences as well. Social media, reality tv (an effin joke if you ask me), poor examples for teachers etc. It's an uphill battle.

92U 3406 · Jul 29, 2017

Kinda funny I was visiting my parents a few weeks ago. My mom told while I was growing up she actually had other parents give her crap because she made us kids do our chores. Apparently its wrong to expect your kids to mow the lawn, take the trash out, help with firewood etc. I just laughed and said: "Yeah, look at where their kids are now"

thepumpguysc · Jul 30, 2017

Funny you should mention TRASH.. We got this 20 yr old at work who WILL NOT take out his trash.!!!
He has 2 work benches & BOTH cans are overflowing.. have been for 2 weeks!!! I take mine out SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK.. just for the shear fact that when I drop a small part in it, I wont have to dig thru a mountain of crap to retrieve the part.. NOT HIM..
& its not like they're 30gal steel containers.. they're 5gal PLASTIC buckets w/ trash bag liners.!!!
You grab the bag, walk 10 yards & throw it in the dumpster & walk back.. DONE>> Monday will be the beginning of week 3.!!!
& to TOP IT OFF.. his DAD works there.!!! OH, I forgot to mention, he's an idiot too..

DMiller · Jul 30, 2017

I hear ya, seems none of the new twerps can pick up after themselves, expect 'Mommy' to come clean up their mess as always. Just set me to thinking what happens to them when Mom and Dad end up in nursing care or die off, the money, housing and assistance dries up?

Tones · Jul 30, 2017

A tale of two kids.
The first kid still at school turns up at a mates hydraulic shop every day after school, cleans the swarf off the lathe and drill press, mops the shop floor and smoko room and makes up hoses that the other fellas hadn't had time to do. On weekends he helped his dad on his trawler getting it ready to return to sea. On finishing school he starts an apprenticeship at my mates shop and is 2 years into it. A deadset willing young bloke and well thought of by clients.
Second kid has heaps of ability but won't use it. He has JD, NH MF and Case dealerships all within walking distance of home plus Autoelectic and Injecton shop near by. Further more there are small crop farmers all around the area who are screaming out for workers. So this kid stays in bed all day playing games on his computer, sucking up taxpayers dollars and allowed to by his mom. This kid has become the most useless barstard God ever shoveled guts into and is my step grandson and is a product of his up bringing as are the useless others who steal oxygen.

DMiller · Jul 31, 2017

Standing help wanted signs all over Mid-Missouri as to mechanics, trainees for machining, welding, mechanic; weld shops in a bind cannot get help, machine shops trying to expand but no newer employees to do so. Have written the State Tech school and the local representation as to this problem but no one seems to understand the problem or willing to open up to look for a problem as they make enough (for now) tax money from the businesses that are still healthy. Scary.

alskdjfhg · Jul 31, 2017

And heres me, 20 year old kid who started to "help" turn wrenches at about age 6, can't even get hired at home depot.

Seems most folks doing the actual hiring don't care for someone going to engineering school full time, and finishing putting together a farm and machine shop by himself after Dad died.

Be nice to get a part time operating or mechanic job, help pay for school.

92U 3406 · Jul 31, 2017

alskdjfhg said:
And heres me, 20 year old kid who started to "help" turn wrenches at about age 6, can't even get hired at home depot.

Seems most folks doing the actual hiring don't care for someone going to engineering school full time, and finishing putting together a farm and machine shop by himself after Dad died.

Be nice to get a part time operating or mechanic job, help pay for school.

That's one thing I noticed when trying to get my first wrenching job at 18. Everyone just seems to assume that because you're young, you're an idiot/party animal/lazy. Just keep banging on doors and showing the best version of yourself. Someone will hire you eventually.

old-iron-habit · Jul 31, 2017

alskdjfhg said:
Seems most folks doing the actual hiring don't care for someone going to engineering school full time, and finishing putting together a farm and machine shop by himself after Dad died.

Be nice to get a part time operating or mechanic job, help pay for school.

As one whom has hired a few thousands of people over 44 years I can tell you this. It doesn't matter how good you are, if you are not on the job you are of no value to the project. A green, learning operator for a couple hours a day is not going to get the job done for most contractors. Look at it factually. You are looking for a contractor that's willing to risk time, money, and possibly a very expensive machine, on a part time person that is very likely not going to be around when he is done with his education. Not trying to be harsh, just trying to help you understand the other side of the coin and what you are asking for.

alskdjfhg · Jul 31, 2017

old-iron-habit said:
Not trying to be harsh, just trying to help you understand the other side of the coin and what you are asking for.

Totally understand that, but with taking 19-20 hours of classes a semester, and generally a couple of summer courses, I'm tied up during the day. And then during exams there will be two weeks where I'll be running balls to the wall and lucky to get sleep.

I've all but given up finding a operator or mechanic job, mainly due to that issue. I was able to work the dirty guy that did the clearing and foundation for the shop I had built over the Christmas brake, school has me busy again.

Looking for a more "normal" part time thing at night, while working to get at-least the machine shop up and running. Not got much more to get and I can chase hydraulic cylinder and pump repair, gotten pretty good at it working on all my leaking junk and those shops seem to always be busy.

I've been reading this thread from the start, but been staying out. I'm just commenting that there are young folks out there than know what work is and while not may be 100% qualified, have the aptitude needed to fix stuff and run equipment.

DMiller · Jul 31, 2017

In general for heavy machines or even trucks you will be hard pressed to find temporary or part time work beyond a cleaner position on night crews. That is when a major portion of heavy work gets done in the shops and where a novice is pretty much either in the way or cannot be unattended. Machines need to run the next day or few, cannot be awaiting lesson time. Even when I started over 40 years ago it was full time balls out work at production rate and either starve or smother, 10-12 hour days no less than 6 days a week in the busy season. When we slowed back in the fall and the machines we patched or neglected during the on season rush came in we were at it like madmen trying to ready them for the next season. Only slow times were just as work restarted first of spring where we became the extra operators and truck herders to around Christmas/New Years when we all took our needed vacations. I did take some online and a few off hours courses, could never muster enough time to dedicate to studies so just went to work. Farm machines is full time all summer and harvest/planting seasons with slow time dead of winter except for livestock farmers, they never shut down.

check · Jul 31, 2017

Temporary agencies solve some of the problems discussed in this thread. But it only works if there's a carrot on a stick.
When I worked in the oilfield, the best paying jobs were working for the oil company directly. On any job site, more than half the personnel were working for contractors hoping to get hired on with the oil company. They had to prove themselves for a year or two (depending on market conditions etc.) before the company would hire them. The advantage of this system is that the company knew what they were hiring. The disadvantage was the cost of the carrots. It only works if you overpay company personnel a bit.

Tones · Jul 31, 2017

alskdjfhg said:
Totally understand that, but with taking 19-20 hours of classes a semester, and generally a couple of summer courses, I'm tied up during the day. And then during exams there will be two weeks where I'll be running balls to the wall and lucky to get sleep.

I've all but given up finding a operator or mechanic job, mainly due to that issue. I was able to work the dirty guy that did the clearing and foundation for the shop I had built over the Christmas brake, school has me busy again.

Looking for a more "normal" part time thing at night, while working to get at-least the machine shop up and running. Not got much more to get and I can chase hydraulic cylinder and pump repair, gotten pretty good at it working on all my leaking junk and those shops seem to always be busy.

I've been reading this thread from the start, but been staying out. I'm just commenting that there are young folks out there than know what work is and while not may be 100% qualified, have the aptitude needed to fix stuff and run equipment.

Tones · Jul 31, 2017

Pushing a broom in a workshop can lead to great things in life as the first kid I mentioned up thread.
Another yarn, a young fella arrives in America, no idea what he's going to do for a dollar. He starts a job pushing a broom at an aircraft repair outfit at Bakersfield Cal. Pretty soon he is the go to gofer and ends up on the spanners, becomes a legal, studys gets his CAA certification and starts his own repair business. For a number of years he also has had an aircraft agency.Just goes to show not only witches can fly with a broom. By the way the bloke mentioned here is my brother.

thepumpguysc · Jul 31, 2017

The kid took out his trash today.!!! start of week 3.!!
I got tired of looking at it & tied the bag closed.. he couldn't stuff anything else in it, so he HAD TO take it out.. I actually think it smells better in the shop?? lol

Crummy · Aug 1, 2017

My first post in this forum. After reading this thread I had to share-
About 15 years ago I hired a kid I knew that I thought had potential and put him with one of my old-hand foreman. It was really rough at first, the foreman was not happy- "typical kid these days, doesn't know how to work...blah, blah". After a couple of years the 'kid' was glued to the foreman's hip, the only hand he would work with- "I'm not training anyone else for you, so don't ask". I ended up selling that business & when I did the 'kid' went out on his own (I helped him get started) and has done OK for himself.
Fast forward to last Sunday-
He calls me up and asks if he can come over and use some of the equipment in the shop. As we're working we are BS'n and he starts ranting about how he just can't get good help these days "typical kids these days, don't know how to work....blah, blah".
Full circle.

farmerlund · Aug 1, 2017

There is still a few go getters around my area. I know a lot of younger guys, 18-24, that are doing good. Some are ag mechanics others are construction and truck guys.
When I needed a new guy for the farm a couple years ago I had 2-3 good prospects on the top of the pile. One of them didn't have a resume, but when he showed up for the interview he had a older diesel ford pickup that had been set up for pulling. As we talked I found out he liked to work on pickups, motorcycles. ATVs basically anything. He even got his CDL in a barrowed truck, he didn't need it where he was employed before, but figured it would be a good idea to have it in the future.
To me that showed someone with motivation and the ability to think ahead. So I hired him. Has been with me 3 years and has been a great guy to work with. Eager to learn.
So there is some good ones out there even if they don't always look good on paper.

rwoody · Aug 1, 2017

we need some help terrible in pleasanton tx for shop or field work..ex military preferred as we speak the work ethic..

texas vets told me good luck!!!!!!!!!!

Planedriver · Aug 1, 2017

Youth not entering the trades? I have two words........ Snap Chat... They can do anything other than play on those damned phones all day. Planning parties on Snap Chat has motivated me to send two packing in the past year.

BigGreen74 · Aug 2, 2017

There are still go-getters out there, I see them around the school welding shops and machining shops and what not...

I would say it's disproportionate though, always need people to use their hands building and fixing things, not just drawing out the plans, managing or dealing with human relations.

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.

Who is seeing youth entering our world?

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