Oh yes, the "Jerry Springer" crowd... Remember when that show first came on and most people were appaulled by the wretchedness of the "guests"?! As we've removed "shame" from our society and individual actions we, as a country, have become more course, borish, and pathetic. Yet when you approach these individuals and point out what should shame them they demand that you "respect" them! I'm sorry, but the lack of dignity, self-respect, shame, and self-sufficiency do not earn my respect.
Ok, I'll step off of my societal soap-box now and return to being a confused adult desperately seeking acceptance from an undifferentiated ego mass that demands conformity...

I think there is a certain portion of the population who is just always going to be underperforming, aka unemployable. I think it's probably higher than say the 'good' unemployment rate of 5%ish.

On the other hand, I think employers often over estimate the skill set needed to do many jobs, and it's simple supply and demand in that they don't grasp that if you can't find someone to do a job for 12$ an hour, then clearly you need to increase the pay until you find your supply of good workers instead of complaining that people

I don't think there has been a decrease in 'common' sense or that somehow people are less skilled than a previous generation. It's more that entire new areas of engineering have been created over the last 30 years. The millions of technical engineer people who work on current technology (like software and computer hardware etc) means fewer people for typical manufacturing or engineering.

You're probably right, I'm guessing closer to 8 or 9% that will cronically be unemployed or under performing and needing assistance. That's a far cry from today's 46M people on food stamps! And yesterday there was a lawsuit launched against Target for "excluding applicants who had criminal histories"... Look it up, the claims will amaze you...

That's simply market forces coming to play. The largest single expense for most companies is labor. If they are operating on thin margins the money to pay people more just doesn't exist or comes from someplace else (equipment, engineering, production) that will make the company less competitive. It's just a matter of sifting through the large labor pool to find that one good candidate who is capable of doing the job and has prospects and the desire to do more and become more valuable to an employer.

I don't think there are fewer people in the lower-skilled manufacturing pool, I think there are more today and what is missing is the work ethic and just plain old desire. An engineering degree is great but those people usually have their pick of jobs if they have a good track record and that's true of anyone who expresses desire and a good attitude.
How many people are willing to "put-up or shut-up" these days when looking for a job? When I took my current position I was in competition with 100+ people. In the end I was competing with a small group but my background sealed the deal and I've sweetened the deal for them by taking on responsibilities that I didn't need too, taking an active role in product design and R&D, and going back to school to fill a need they had within the company all while still performing well in the position I was originally hired for. Throughout my career I've tried to be a "swiss army knife" for my employers and capable of taking on most any role they needed.
I tell my boys all the time, this world is a bitch and you have to make your own path if you want to continue enjoying the lifestyle you've become accustomed too. It's going to be harder for them than it was for me, I hope I've been a good example for them, and I hope they become the men I have tried to raise them to be. Should they not turn out that way I will be ashamed of my parenting.

Good thread guys, And you all are so right, WOW

Unfortunately the skilled vs. unskilled labor problem isn't just in manufacturing...it's next to impossible to find anyone that wants to learn anything beyond answering a phone these days and I'm sick and tired of the mail order college degree guys acting like they know anything about anything...at least the guy I'm thinking of tries hard even though he hasn't got the sense God gave him...

Anyway saying all that I couldn't agree more!

I didn't need to read the whole article. It comes down to some very simple variables. Americans want to HAVE MORE, DOING LESS. It doesn't work, it's never worked, and it will never work in the future. For example, you ignore you health, gain weight, lose drive, disolve your relationship with your Wife, lose you job, wonder why you lost your job and your kids, and have a heart attack at 45 years of age while you choke down your 28th smoke of the day.

The problem is, 98% of Americancs wish things were like they "used to be". You can live your life that way until your last breath of air or you can choose to CHANGE. Adapt, Learn, Gain Skills, Work on your ATTITUDE, Persistence, Health, and the list goes on down the line. You can separate yourself from the herd by a country mile if you have discipline that simply doesn't exist, today.

Just my opinion. :lol: