Community Chat

[NicksmomESQ]

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@Cats3000 wrote:

@NicksmomESQLook.  None of that is the federal government's or state government's responsibility.  We have local school boards and we have parents.  Both of those ought to be the source of whatever new types of education and training are needed for today's economy.  We have industry leaders who, for decades, have been decryng the lack of properly trained people.  Maybe we ought to starting paying attention and asking them for help. For eons, we have allowed government to assume responsibiities that we ought to be discharging.  That's part of the reason why we're in the mess we are today.

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 @Cats3000   I understand your point.But government IMO does play a role. They have always sponsored training programs.They are also pushing college educations . In New York State they are offering free college tuition in state schools. 

    Instead of blindly pushing 4 year degrees down everyone’s throats they should do more to push subsidized training programs.

    I think the best way to get young people educated/  trained is for the government & private sector to work together with the schools.Help people decide if college is for them. Or if they would be better off in a skilled job. Parents of course need to be tuned in as well to help their kids navigate through it all.

[drizzellla]

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@SahmIam wrote:

Slightly off topic (yet not really):

One of my sons was looking at becoming a jet engine mechanic. Wasn't sure if college was what he wanted because he hated class "stuff" but loved working with his hands. During College days, a rep from a school that teaches this came to speak. Long story short, he and Dad wound up at the open house, application in hand. 6 hours later they returned home with a "NO WAY" from son AND dad. Why?

18 months 5 days a week plus 10 hours a week "lab" time.Hours were 8am -4 pm M-F. No housing so that means an apartment. Can't work a regular job so, how to pay for rent (can't work a job while doing this, location is WAY away from major cities as it must be taught at an airport). Tuition is $85,000 for a certificate to take the test to gain your licence to work on jet engines. Plus you need to spend $5000 on your set of tools before classes start. What if you don't pass the test for your licence? Oh well, stinks to be you because this class does not count as ANY college credit. If you want THAT, you have to attend their out-of-state program for 2 years (typical college set up) that with out of state tuition, dorm, etc, would cost us 6 figures.

For an AA.

Nope.

Son decided to go to college after all, is thriving, straight A's and is working with CAD and engine design: declared Engineering as his major.

Becoming a mechanic or working on AC's, plumbing, etc is NOT cheap as the requirements are steep and the courses are expensive. It isn't like the old days where you could work under someone, learn the trade and then off you go. At least, not in my state.

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I hope your Son continues in Engineering as his major. I worked for an Engineering Company. It took us FOREVER to find and hire Engineers. And once they find one they try to keep him happy so that he will stay.

Every summer our company would hire high school kids to work for the company. To give them an idea about Engineering and what it entails. In hopes they would think about majoring in Engineering in college. They have been doing that for many years. 

[MorningLover]

Pittsburgh cbs local news

GM is shifting its focus to making Trucks, SUVs and Electric and Autonomous vehicles.

"The Cruze, once a popular and well reviewed compact car made in Lordstown since 2011, has become the victim of consumer tastes as car buyers in an era of inexpensive gasoline have shown strong preferences for Trucks, SUVs and Crossover-Type Vehicles, all of which produce far bigger profits than sedans for GM.

While Wednesday is to be the last day for the Cruze, GM spokesman Dan Flores said the plant’s parts-stamping operation will continue producing fenders and other replacement parts through most of March.

The 6.2 million square foot plant will be placed in a “state of readiness,” Flores said, meaning it will be heated and fully maintained to allow for a resumption of operations. A final decision on the plant’s future is expected to be made during upcoming contract talks with the United Auto Workers that begin this summer. The UAW’s national contract with GM expires in mid-September."

"GM can’t keep operating a plant with a slow-selling vehicle like the Cruze, and still have enough money to invest in the future.

It also doesn’t want to get caught like it did in 2008 with too many factories and workers, a problem that helped to push the company into bankruptcy protection."

[SahmIam]

@drizzellla   Funny you mention that. #2 son is a senior at our state university; one of the few that offer AI classes in an undergraduate program in the nation. He declared a double major as a freshman: Engineering (specializing in AI) and Chinese. He's had a summer internship with the CIA, a summer internship with a private company and is being recruited by other companies due to his majors. All offer 100% grad and post grad degree funding, 100% paid healthcare, sign up bonus and starting pay is...just wow (except for the CIA). He did very little when it came to all this; they came to HIM. 

You know how siblings talk; I think he was a large influence on getting #3 son involved in engineering. Hopefully he will stay in that field; he knows he doesn't want to be in an office and has to "build" things so...we'll see how this works out for him.

As others have mentioned, automation IS the future and robotics are already gaining more ground. Those that work in this field are being searched out by industries all over; same with anyone who has a skill when it comes to analyzing data. Factories aren't going to hire people; it's robotics. We MUST begin this conversation on a serious level because so many WILL be left behind if they don't look to the future.

[drizzellla]

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@MorningLover wrote:

Pittsburgh cbs local news

GM is shifting its focus to making Trucks, SUVs and Electric and Autonomous vehicles.

"The Cruze, once a popular and well reviewed compact car made in Lordstown since 2011, has become the victim of consumer tastes as car buyers in an era of inexpensive gasoline have shown strong preferences for Trucks, SUVs and Crossover-Type Vehicles, all of which produce far bigger profits than sedans for GM.

While Wednesday is to be the last day for the Cruze, GM spokesman Dan Flores said the plant’s parts-stamping operation will continue producing fenders and other replacement parts through most of March.

The 6.2 million square foot plant will be placed in a “state of readiness,” Flores said, meaning it will be heated and fully maintained to allow for a resumption of operations. A final decision on the plant’s future is expected to be made during upcoming contract talks with the United Auto Workers that begin this summer. The UAW’s national contract with GM expires in mid-September."

"GM can’t keep operating a plant with a slow-selling vehicle like the Cruze, and still have enough money to invest in the future.

It also doesn’t want to get caught like it did in 2008 with too many factories and workers, a problem that helped to push the company into bankruptcy protection."

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I used to commute one hour each way to work. I saw many cars on the way to work. I do not remember ever seeing one Cruze. I had wondered what they looked like. 

[Cakers3]

It isn't just the Cruze that is going away.

Ford, Volkswagon, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Hyundia-all have models that were announced last December as being discontinued.

Consumer preference has changed; typical passgenger vehicles are not first choice anymore.

The shift to new designs for "vehicles of the future" is a major reason why other plants are not going to be manufacturing cars nobody wants-or be prevented from buying.

[Winifred]

Sorry to hear about the closing of the GM plant. Am still surprised that the Cruz is still not going strong but I finally caught on to the consumer going toward other vehicles. Near me is a new "USED car" facility. I can look over there every day, I see few people yet the vehicles are almost ALL shiny trucks. Thought sure they must be new. Took a friend over about a week ago as his old 40 year old truck gave out. LOL. He said, nope, not for him and yes, they are all used, the cheapest USED TRUCK price was $22,000. I could NOT believe it. My neighbor across the street had already mentioned to me about the price of  used trucks. I kind of shrugged him off. I cannot believe it. Still want to know how they are going to survive as I am not sure they have sold any yet. They do, however, change out the vehicles about every other day and EACH day they move them around. Geesh.

[drizzellla]

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@SahmIam wrote:

@drizzellla   Funny you mention that. #2 son is a senior at our state university; one of the few that offer AI classes in an undergraduate program in the nation. He declared a double major as a freshman: Engineering (specializing in AI) and Chinese. He's had a summer internship with the CIA, a summer internship with a private company and is being recruited by other companies due to his majors. All offer 100% grad and post grad degree funding, 100% paid healthcare, sign up bonus and starting pay is...just wow (except for the CIA). He did very little when it came to all this; they came to HIM. 

You know how siblings talk; I think he was a large influence on getting #3 son involved in engineering. Hopefully he will stay in that field; he knows he doesn't want to be in an office and has to "build" things so...we'll see how this works out for him.

As others have mentioned, automation IS the future and robotics are already gaining more ground. Those that work in this field are being searched out by industries all over; same with anyone who has a skill when it comes to analyzing data. Factories aren't going to hire people; it's robotics. We MUST begin this conversation on a serious level because so many WILL be left behind if they don't look to the future.

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My cousin majored in Mechanical Engineering at Penn State. He had a professor that somehow got a few of the guys in his class to design a heart valve. So the guy designed and built a heart valve. They implanted it into a cow and the cow lived the remainder of time they were in college. And Penn State got all the money from the heart valve because they worked on the project at Penn State.

We went to his graduation from Penn State. He won 8 awards, my hands were tired from all the clapping. My cousin then changed gears and went on to Medical School and became a Heart Surgeon.

I hope your son will encounter a professor that keeps your son's interest growing. The classes aren't easy but as you said they have to look to the future.

[depglass]

We currently own four GM vehicles.  What do we have to do to get cars made by American workers, buy Mercedes or Toyota?  

[Spurt]

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@chlema wrote:

@NicksmomESQ Yes, do agree re the college for everyone is not the answer.  Fifteen years ago my grandson went to a technical high school and chose a career in sheet metal.  He knew he wasn't "college material" and in fact had no desire to go that route.  So he rose to the top of the class in his chosen field and today is a foreman making excellent money.  Educators today need to get out of the college mind set and realize that many of our young people are better using their minds along with their hands.  There is a need for both.

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@chlema 

I work for a large company and there's a lot of young people with degrees in Psychology, Liberal Arts, working at low level office jobs, struggling to pay back their student loans....their degrees werent worth it....They would have been better off getting certifications in IT, or learning a trade--- plumber, auto mechanic, electrician, AIr Conditioning Repair, or medical field--physical therapist, medical technician etc....in a career specific school or community college