This was on Vermont Public Radio this morning. An aircraft maintenance company out in the mid west is complaining about the lack of qualified aircraft mechanics to hire. An lady HR rep from the company said on air "You cannot just hire high school graduates to do this work."
The hell you can't. That's all we did in USAF. We enlisted high school graduates, put 'em thru a few months of tech school, and then put 'em to work on the flight line as apprentices (3 levels in USAF jargon). They worked under the supervision of journeymen and masters. After taking some courses, getting lots of hands on experience, and passing some tests, they got promoted to journeymen (5-levels). Took about three years for the average guy. And with more experience, and training, and testing, the journeymen became masters.
That maintenance company could do the same.
Then they revealed that they only paid people $12 an hour to start. No wonder they have trouble filling vacancies.
5 comments:
I agree 100%. I'm amused that trade skill jobs like plumbers, electricians, mechanics, HVAC, metal workers, etc. have figured this out a long time ago. I have a few friends in trade skills that went in with just a high school diploma and worked their way up from on the job training and tech courses.
This type of jobs need skills not degrees. But for knowledge purpose a diploma is a good key
HR forms
Skilled work pays well and is very satisfying. I know a lot of men who enjoy working on cars or aircraft or construction and who are very good at it. These same men are bored stiff with the subjects in a liberal arts college program.
These skills are best learned thru on-the-job training. OJT was the USAF acronym. Companies that need skilled workers need to train them up in house.
Every job needs skills and not degrees.
College is a way of acquiring a skill and is necessary for esoteric fields like theoretical physics where the research happens. The other benefit is from connections you make that are crucial to future success.
I did my time in college, got no degree (financial aid ran out)and racked up $30k in debt that I've paid $24K of it back. I also have a GED.
I should be Director of Technology at a very large school in a few days where I worked my way up from an entry level position after 5 years because of my skills that I improved on in the workplace, not a foolish piece of paper.
I can't help myself.
"This type of jobs need skills not degrees. But for knowledge purpose a diploma is a good key"
That statement is garbage.
"These types of jobs need skills and do not require degrees, but a college diploma can provide a solid foundation for skills learned in college and in the workforce."
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