Two things that can help is to first make up a resume of all the work experience you
have gained since starting work. If you have owned your rig and done well at it, that
would show business experience. Point up all work experience AND all education.
Take the resume to a reputable employment agency and discuss your qualifications
with a employment specialist. Even a state employment office could help in this regard.
If you have access to an outplacement firm, that can help a lot. They all can give you
possibilities based on your abilities and what the workplaces require. I spent 2 weeks
learning from an outplacement firm after my first layoff, and what they taught me has
been of great value in getting jobs. Also read the Sunday business pages, they have
lots of info.

 

i went to vo-tech and got into bricklaying, got offered a job right out of school have worked at the same place for 12 years now i make around 45 -50 thousand alot of my buddies that went to collageare still looking for a stable job so my view on vo-tech vs collage is vo-tech worked for me and others so my boss only hires vo-tech kids and we bring them up to be jorneyman bricklayer then start with a new batch of school kids. works well my boss has a multi million dollar company and growing every day. it takes work to train them and get them raised but it payes off in the end because you have them working like u want them to not like joe bob down the streek taught him too vo -tech works in oklahoma and will thrive in the masonry field.

 

many, if not most jobs are through networking, not in the paper.

college? if you are tired of your job, i say go for it. i took a huge paycut to go to college, but it will be well worth it when i get out.

of course there are trades to get into also that do just as well or if not better.

its not the degree but what you do with it, i am sure about everyone can come up with examples of that

and you are not "starting over" again, with your degree you will also bringing years of real world job experience, capitalize on that, you probably know more than you think.

 

The vo-tech system here is pretty good. My younger son is looking at becoming an auto mechanic through training at his high school and continuing at the vo-tech on Rt. 66.

 

I have been working 11 hours a day 6 days a week, and our company is still laying people off. I am not going to be working for very long my self, because I am going to pass out dead, or go postal.

I guess it is better that the alternative.

 

I know where you are coming from, and it is sad.

Kids seem to be "brainwashed" that success is everything... and the only way for it is via a degree.
I don't know if if is some form of "elitism" or similar, but its ironic that I think in the medium term future a degree is the last thing you need if you want to make a buck (if thats your thing).

I know people making $130k operating mining machinery (i.e. not even a trade), and a couple of HV sparkies pushing $160k.
A business/science/IT grad student here will be looking at making around$35-40k
Sure - that grad student might end up making more than the operators, but they are going to have to work thier backside off to get there, not to mention the operators by that time will have retired for 10years.
Given what I have just said... try mining/oil field operator - or something related.



As for where the workforce has gone.
They are still there - but thanks to a relatively strong economy just more demanding as to what they gain from being an employee.

 

I just don't think the work force is there, simple as that.

I was in the consumer electronics service industry for years. No one is going to school to be a electronic repairman. Why? A sacker at the local grocery makes more money(unions?). Many electronic products have become throwaway items, and the customers will not pay to have them fixed. Plus, labor is the biggest overhead for any business, and shops cannot charge higher repair rates in order to pay technicians the higher wages. This is the story for many businesses.

As the techs die off, retire, or move to other trades, there is no one coming along to repair the high dollar items that consumers will pay to have repaired.
This will eventually be a big problem.

I think high schools should teach trades. Not every student is going to go to college. The cost of trade schools is very expensive, and some simply do not have the money. The schools complain of high drop out rates. If they would offer trade skill training, I think this could be reduced.

Minimum wage. It's a job killer, as is welfare, and unions. Where unions were once very beneficial for the working class, they have become huge burdens to employers with unreasonable demands, and political influence.

Regulations: Local, state, and federal. Those of you who do not own businesses have no idea of the hoops you have to jump thru in order to operate a business. This is why many hire illegals. No insurance, no social security, EPA, and other regulatory agencies that cost a forturne to implement/enforce. Where this was once the bane of large companies, it has now trickled down to small businesses.

By replacing workers with illegals, foriegn workers, on the job training gets passed on to these those of the same ilk, and others do not have the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to move into the job market.

Its called "Progress." jd