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Just how hard is it to gain a skill which pays more than minimum wage AND gain a job in that skill set AND keep that job (IE:not losing a job due to being laid off... not counting firings)?
A lot of people throw out the phrase "gain a skill that will pay more than minimum wage!" like it's the easiest thing in the world to do but they never address the amount of available jobs in those given areas vs how many people there are in this country. 318 million people in this country and rising. At least half of which are of working age. Are job availability in those areas that require a higher skill set also rising on an even pace with the amount of people that are able to work in this country? This is something that I never see them address. Yet they love to holler and scream about people that only work minimum wage jobs. So, I'd like to see them address this.
So, what is the current job rate of above minimum wage jobs to available working population ratio? Can you guarantee that everyone will have jobs that pay above minimum wage? <--- This is assuming that EVERYONE was able to gain a skill set that pays above minimum wage. Of course we know that assumption to be wrong don't we? We know that there are people out there that are straight up incapable of achieving any type of skill set that pays above minimum wage. Yet they will be ignored, as always.
Just how hard is it to gain a skill which pays more than minimum wage AND gain a job in that skill set AND keep that job (IE:not losing a job due to being laid off... not counting firings)?
A lot of people throw out the phrase "gain a skill that will pay more than minimum wage!" like it's the easiest thing in the world to do but they never address the amount of available jobs in those given areas vs how many people there are in this country. 318 million people in this country and rising. At least half of which are of working age. Are job availability in those areas that require a higher skill set also rising on an even pace with the amount of people that are able to work in this country? This is something that I never see them address. Yet they love to holler and scream about people that only work minimum wage jobs. So, I'd like to see them address this.
So, what is the current job rate of above minimum wage jobs to available working population ratio? Can you guarantee that everyone will have jobs that pay above minimum wage? <--- This is assuming that EVERYONE was able to gain a skill set that pays above minimum wage. Of course we know that assumption to be wrong don't we? We know that there are people out there that are straight up incapable of achieving any type of skill set that pays above minimum wage. Yet they will be ignored, as always.
I was listening to a program on BBC this morning and the owner on a medium level vegan restaurant that discourages tipping pays $ 200 a day to its better waiters.
During the busy season, my company will hire people as temps, fresh out of high school at about $11-12 an hour.
If you do well enough, you go from temp to hire, with all the bennies including 401k contributions.
What's the catch?
It's manufacturing work and you have to work.
Edit add: Some young folks don't know where to look, but temp agencies are a good start.
Another good example of people not needing a college degree IE: "Skill Set that is worth more than minimum wage".
So far I've seen two good examples of jobs that needs no college degree and yet pays more than minimum wage. One of them even being in the service industry which is where most jobs are now a days.
Just how hard is it to gain a skill which pays more than minimum wage AND gain a job in that skill set AND keep that job (IE:not losing a job due to being laid off... not counting firings)?
A lot of people throw out the phrase "gain a skill that will pay more than minimum wage!" like it's the easiest thing in the world to do but they never address the amount of available jobs in those given areas vs how many people there are in this country. 318 million people in this country and rising. At least half of which are of working age. Are job availability in those areas that require a higher skill set also rising on an even pace with the amount of people that are able to work in this country? This is something that I never see them address. Yet they love to holler and scream about people that only work minimum wage jobs. So, I'd like to see them address this.
So, what is the current job rate of above minimum wage jobs to available working population ratio? Can you guarantee that everyone will have jobs that pay above minimum wage? <--- This is assuming that EVERYONE was able to gain a skill set that pays above minimum wage. Of course we know that assumption to be wrong don't we? We know that there are people out there that are straight up incapable of achieving any type of skill set that pays above minimum wage. Yet they will be ignored, as always.
My employer has nudged me into getting back into school, but I really don't want to and am trying to leverage myself into the next higher position, without it.
In all though, if you add in the benefits and incentives, you can make well over $20 an hour with no formal education outside of a GED.
There are general labor factory jobs that pay above minimum wage. The real difficulty is getting benefits such as PTO and escaping the cycle of temp jobs to which a few huge agencies hold access to millions of these. This is why america is about last in the developed world in days off and jumping into a higher economic class is becoming unheard of. I knew people at the one factory in town who were desperately sick. One would go to work in tears due to kidney stones. But she was paid above minimum wage. Living the dream i guess?
To answer your question, the best new skill you can acquire to gain access to these bottom feeder, technically above minimum wage, jobs is to not do drugs. A new plastics plant opened in the county i'm from, and they couldn't even fill the positions because most who applied tested positive. I'm not saying we don't need more worker rights, including to get high on our time off, but there you go
If you mean a job that requires *actual* skills like some tech knowledge, those typically start at $10-11/hr again thru temp agencies, not a living wage but above minimum. One of the brightest guys i know with a degree in CS had to start at data entry at $11/hr as a temp while living with his mom. Eventually he got hired in and a year later transferred to IT. His friend there worked **3 years** as a temp. Now they're both making $13/hr with 1 day PTO a month. So it's tough out there for new grads.
If you can finish an AAS degree or accounting 2 year and some quick books knowledge, you can maybe eek out a living from the start. But consider that over 90% who attempt this fail and still there's 30 apps per 1 position
A trade skill offers more stable and higher paid employment, if you can land an apprenticeship and are physically capable
Honestly even STEM degrees offer no guarantee any more
In most, if not all, manufacturing jobs I fully agree. It's the service areas though that often get yelled about the most, and the least "love" regarding wages/benefits. I know many like to think that those aren't "real jobs" but I really do beg to differ. They might not be as physically strenuous as manufacturing jobs. But they do have their own strain that can be just as hard on a person as any manufacturing job out there.
My employer has nudged me into getting back into school, but I really don't want to and am trying to leverage myself into the next higher position, without it.
In all though, if you add in the benefits and incentives, you can make well over $20 an hour with no formal education outside of a GED.
but, how likely is it that you will survive a cutback when you have demonstrated a reluctance to improve your skill set?
I'm rather vital because I improved my skill set.
I'm the standard fill in for many positions now.
School /= greater skills, it's just a credential.
My favorite nephew was crying to me on the phone this morning from Maine. He was bitching about the lack of jobs in the area and how bad things were. He works at a gas station for $8.00 a hour. I told him to come on down to Virginia and I could get him started for $13.50 an hour ( to start) with doing rehab work under my son who has a really nice young worker, and is looking for a roommate to share expenses on a house down near the waterfront.
He said.... no way! There was no way that he was going to leave Maine.
Okie Dokie!
As much as I love my working class brethren, a lot of their drug problems don't stay off the job.
Can't count how many good people lost their jobs, after being given multiple chances at rehab and just staying sober at work.
As for STEM people, engineers are the first people my company lays off.
They don't provide much real value.
reminder, what is it that your employer suggesting? Could it be that he has a rosier future planned for you
if your credentials better match the management job that could be his goal for you?
During the busy season, my company will hire people as temps, fresh out of high school at about $11-12 an hour.
If you do well enough, you go from temp to hire, with all the bennies including 401k contributions.
What's the catch?
It's manufacturing work and you have to work.
Edit add: Some young folks don't know where to look, but temp agencies are a good start.
Just how hard is it to gain a skill which pays more than minimum wage AND gain a job in that skill set AND keep that job (IE:not losing a job due to being laid off... not counting firings)?
A lot of people throw out the phrase "gain a skill that will pay more than minimum wage!" like it's the easiest thing in the world to do but they never address the amount of available jobs in those given areas vs how many people there are in this country. 318 million people in this country and rising. At least half of which are of working age. Are job availability in those areas that require a higher skill set also rising on an even pace with the amount of people that are able to work in this country? This is something that I never see them address. Yet they love to holler and scream about people that only work minimum wage jobs. So, I'd like to see them address this.
So, what is the current job rate of above minimum wage jobs to available working population ratio? Can you guarantee that everyone will have jobs that pay above minimum wage? <--- This is assuming that EVERYONE was able to gain a skill set that pays above minimum wage. Of course we know that assumption to be wrong don't we? We know that there are people out there that are straight up incapable of achieving any type of skill set that pays above minimum wage. Yet they will be ignored, as always.
sometimes the work sucks so bad they can't get thru it sober
this one guy used to bring in 1/5 of peppermint schnapps every morning at the same time, in his lunch bag
STEM doesn't bring value to a society that doesn't value technology. Many of them go off to asia
It comes down to who you know. Back in the day most people could easily get entry positions regardless of education and skills, and learn on the job. Now a lot of places want experience and/or education. But if you know someone personally who can hire you or get you in, all those requirements get waived because the employer would rather be hiring someone trustworthy than someone random. I ended up going to school later than most and prior to my education all my good jobs came from knowing somebody who knew somebody. I was able to learn on the job until I eventually had transferable skills that landed me better positions. But it all started with knowing people.
I've known people with skills and education who can't get hired because their resume is just another name in the pile. I always tell young people that the best thing they can do regardless of how few credentials they have is to network, network, network. Whatever skills you have, however humble, turn it into a business card and trade cards with every person you meet.
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