digger242j
Administrator
Every now and then I see an article about some incident of "age discrimination." Some company, somewhere, will lay off their older workers while retaining the younger ones, or some older person in search of a job laments that they can't find anything, while it seems that younger job seekers are getting hired. It got me to wondering whether age discrimination is a factor in our industry.
I always kept in the back of my mind that if I had to go looking for work (meaning being on somebody else's payroll), that I could fall back into a laborer's position if it became necessary. Indeed, I've done a few jobs over the years that were pure pick and shovel work, with no machinery involved. Some years ago, I'd have told you that if need be, I could make a living doing that. These days, I'm sure I couldn't, at least not for very long. I can still hold my own jumping off the machine and doing some hand work, and if you plant my behind in the seat, I'll happily dig until the cows come home, but I know I couldn't do manual labor for 40+ hours a week. (At least not at a pace where I'd feel I was earning my keep.)
That having been said, I've known a few non-operator types; carpenters and masonry guys for instance, who've just kept on doing it, well into their late sixties and even beyond.
Another factor to consider is that technology is changing the way even the machinery works. We've seen some comments here about Cat's M series graders, for instance, and the suggestion that the video game generation is better equipped to pick up on the new style of controls than the old hands who are used to that literal forest of levers in front of them.
Computers, GPS, and other high tech stuff is another change that's getting bigger every year. Old guys may have developed an eye for grade over the years, but may not be so ready to hand over responsibility to a little black box somewhere. When the equipment stops working as it should, so much troubleshooting relies on higher technology too.
So, my questions are sort of an invitation to an open-ended discussion. Do you percieve that there's any age discrimination in the industry as it exists today? Is there any reason for there be be any? (For any of the disciplines involved--operators, laborers, technicians, etc...) Do you forsee that it will become any more of a factor down the road? If you were/are in the position to hire and fire, would you have a preference that was influenced by the person's age?
Let's hear your 2 cents worth...
I always kept in the back of my mind that if I had to go looking for work (meaning being on somebody else's payroll), that I could fall back into a laborer's position if it became necessary. Indeed, I've done a few jobs over the years that were pure pick and shovel work, with no machinery involved. Some years ago, I'd have told you that if need be, I could make a living doing that. These days, I'm sure I couldn't, at least not for very long. I can still hold my own jumping off the machine and doing some hand work, and if you plant my behind in the seat, I'll happily dig until the cows come home, but I know I couldn't do manual labor for 40+ hours a week. (At least not at a pace where I'd feel I was earning my keep.)
That having been said, I've known a few non-operator types; carpenters and masonry guys for instance, who've just kept on doing it, well into their late sixties and even beyond.
Another factor to consider is that technology is changing the way even the machinery works. We've seen some comments here about Cat's M series graders, for instance, and the suggestion that the video game generation is better equipped to pick up on the new style of controls than the old hands who are used to that literal forest of levers in front of them.
Computers, GPS, and other high tech stuff is another change that's getting bigger every year. Old guys may have developed an eye for grade over the years, but may not be so ready to hand over responsibility to a little black box somewhere. When the equipment stops working as it should, so much troubleshooting relies on higher technology too.
So, my questions are sort of an invitation to an open-ended discussion. Do you percieve that there's any age discrimination in the industry as it exists today? Is there any reason for there be be any? (For any of the disciplines involved--operators, laborers, technicians, etc...) Do you forsee that it will become any more of a factor down the road? If you were/are in the position to hire and fire, would you have a preference that was influenced by the person's age?
Let's hear your 2 cents worth...
Computers and machines don't mix. Probably been working for the same outfit longer than you've held a card. Can't wait to retire, just one more year...next year...knows every trick in the book, feels spoiled with A/C or an enclosed ROPS. Will tell you every time how bad he used to have it way back when he ran a cable machine, ran a loader with more levers than tires, or an open cab during the 77 blizzard.