03-16-2014, 10:39 AM
Bob.
The younger generation today are for the most part not primed to enter a trade today.
Recently I had a young man (28 years old) with me in my shop who thought he was taught and learned in pipe welding, fitting and layout, but every time I let him loose on a small project he failed due to basic math skills and an inability to learn from previous mistakes.
In my interview with him he told me of his previous employers, jobs he worked on and his personal tool kit he had, he spoke the correct keywords but I noticed when asked a couple of questions on problem solving he sputtered, I gave him a shot anyways.
Within six months he was gone, what messed him up was his inability to ask questions to the crew when he got stuck on something, every time he had a problem he Googled it, he couldnt get over the fact that a well-seasoned fitter could pipe up a boiler room with a string, soapstone and a cigarette packet to scribble math on, still to this day he does not realize all his curv-o-mark pipe wraps, flange pins and laser levels will do him no good if you dont have the desire to understand your trade and value the knowledge and get gratification from it ( a true vocation ).
Ive seen allot over the years including my son in law filter through with similar traits and flaws.
The decline in manufacturing , promotion and dictation of higher post high school education, substandard basic education has come full circle to a young work force not having the insight of hard work being rewarding or educational.
Saying all that I had a success story with a young boy who was a laborer for a concrete company we sub with, he was bright, witty and hardworking, I hired him because he was shear entertainment, I quickly found and was pleasantly surprised to find he was taking the lead from the fitter he worked with, within a year I sent him for a pipe weld test to which he passed with flying colours. Interestingly enough he came from a broken home who in the end was raised by his grandmother, really this kid was poor.
what really struck me with glee and pride was the day he was shown how to work out an offset, he marveled through using certain rules of math he could navigate through ceilings and pipe racks the pipes he was making with precision, all this was achieved in that year, we showed him the value of his basic math and reading skills what could be done. He stayed with us for around six years then went forward, 20 years on he regularly makes $100,000 a year as a boomer in the nuke industry.
This kid had basic education, drive and desire, pride and an acute ear for listening, best toolkit in the world in my book.
My estimates in the work force today is 25 to 1 to get a kid today with the attributes needed to be successful in a trade. Shame really its a little secret that a tradesman can make nearly as much as a lawyer.
Anthony.
The younger generation today are for the most part not primed to enter a trade today.
Recently I had a young man (28 years old) with me in my shop who thought he was taught and learned in pipe welding, fitting and layout, but every time I let him loose on a small project he failed due to basic math skills and an inability to learn from previous mistakes.
In my interview with him he told me of his previous employers, jobs he worked on and his personal tool kit he had, he spoke the correct keywords but I noticed when asked a couple of questions on problem solving he sputtered, I gave him a shot anyways.
Within six months he was gone, what messed him up was his inability to ask questions to the crew when he got stuck on something, every time he had a problem he Googled it, he couldnt get over the fact that a well-seasoned fitter could pipe up a boiler room with a string, soapstone and a cigarette packet to scribble math on, still to this day he does not realize all his curv-o-mark pipe wraps, flange pins and laser levels will do him no good if you dont have the desire to understand your trade and value the knowledge and get gratification from it ( a true vocation ).
Ive seen allot over the years including my son in law filter through with similar traits and flaws.
The decline in manufacturing , promotion and dictation of higher post high school education, substandard basic education has come full circle to a young work force not having the insight of hard work being rewarding or educational.
Saying all that I had a success story with a young boy who was a laborer for a concrete company we sub with, he was bright, witty and hardworking, I hired him because he was shear entertainment, I quickly found and was pleasantly surprised to find he was taking the lead from the fitter he worked with, within a year I sent him for a pipe weld test to which he passed with flying colours. Interestingly enough he came from a broken home who in the end was raised by his grandmother, really this kid was poor.
what really struck me with glee and pride was the day he was shown how to work out an offset, he marveled through using certain rules of math he could navigate through ceilings and pipe racks the pipes he was making with precision, all this was achieved in that year, we showed him the value of his basic math and reading skills what could be done. He stayed with us for around six years then went forward, 20 years on he regularly makes $100,000 a year as a boomer in the nuke industry.
This kid had basic education, drive and desire, pride and an acute ear for listening, best toolkit in the world in my book.
My estimates in the work force today is 25 to 1 to get a kid today with the attributes needed to be successful in a trade. Shame really its a little secret that a tradesman can make nearly as much as a lawyer.
Anthony.
ieezitin, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun Forum since Jan 2013.