Forty-nine percent of US companies are having a hard time filling skilled positions

[YosemiteSam]

I can believe it. As I noted in a different thread. We are having a hard time filling a Java developer position. They are right too, most just aren't qualified and some of them ask for salaries their skills couldn't justify.

===============================================

Forty-nine percent of U.S. companies are having a hard time filling what workforce.

Forty-nine percent of US companies are having a hard time filling what workforce management firm ManpowerGroup calls mission-critical positions within their organizations with IT staff, engineers and "skilled trades" among the toughest spots to fill.

The group surveyed some 1,300 employers and noted that US companies are struggling to find talent, despite continued high unemployment, over their global counterparts, where 34% of employers worldwide are having difficulty filling positions.

According to ManpowerGroup, the most common reasons employers say they are having trouble filling jobs, including lack of available applicants, applicants looking for more pay and lack of experience

Complete Story

 

[vta]

You mean there aren't high paying jobs for texters and Facebook surfers? No one gets paid big bucks to play video games? How about a Masters Degree in Beer Pong?

 

[zrinkill]

No kidding.

I am having trouble finding qualified CNC users trained with a multi-axis Waterjet.

 

[YosemiteSam]

No kidding.

I am having trouble finding qualified CNC users trained with a multi-axis Waterjet.

When I was around 18-20, I worked for a tool and sheave manufacturer in Ft. Worth. I worked there just over a year. I started training on operating the CNC machines. They were going to send me to classes to learn to program them, but I ended leaving the company for a tech job up before I started those classes.

 

[rocboy22]

No kidding.

I am having trouble finding qualified CNC users trained with a multi-axis Waterjet.

I believe this is due to the way most schools have operated over the last 20 years. There is not enough emphasis on the fact that these types of jobs are great, you CAN make a lot of money, and they may be more enjoyable for a lot of people than sitting in a cubicle. It almost seems there is a negative connation with these types of skilled jobs.

 

[zrinkill]

When I was around 18-20, I worked for a tool and sheave manufacturer in Ft. Worth. I worked there just over a year. I started training on operating the CNC machines. They were going to send me to classes to learn to program them, but I ended leaving the company for a tech job up before I started those classes.

I tried teaching my office manager about CAD and Flow CAM programming ...... But she just cannot pick it up.

My dilemma is I am going to Disney world for 2 weeks in Dec and do not want to shut down my Waterjet for half a month while I am gone ....... but it would not be permanent position.

 

[Doomsday101]

The #1 on the list was skilled jobs in other words automotive technician, carpenter, electrician, HVAC, aviation mechanic, plumber, pipefitter and welder.

Seems some are more interested in getting degrees in things like sociology and be unemployed and in debt up to the eye balls instead of taking on trades that are very important to any nation.

 

[rocboy22]

The #1 on the list was skilled jobs in other words automotive technician, carpenter, electrician, HVAC, aviation mechanic, plumber, pipefitter and welder.

Seems some are more interested in getting degrees in things like sociology and be unemployed and in debt up to the eye balls instead of taking on trades that are very important to any nation.

yup, and like I said in my first post, I think many school systems do not push these types of jobs enough. They do not educate the kids on the benefits of these. I really believe I should have learned one of these trades and then started my own business, rather than going to college and getting a generic finance degree.

 

[Duane]

I believe this is due to the way most schools have operated over the last 20 years. There is not enough emphasis on the fact that these types of jobs are great, you CAN make a lot of money, and they may be more enjoyable for a lot of people than sitting in a cubicle. It almost seems there is a negative connation with these types of skilled jobs.

I agree with you on this. If I knew 20 years ago what I know now I might go the two year route and get an instrumentation/controls/electrical degree. Our ICE Techs make a ton of money and work mostly in indoor, air condition environments.

 

[Doomsday101]

yup, and like I said in my first post, I think many school systems do not push these types of jobs enough. They do not educate the kids on the benefits of these. I really believe I should have learned one of these trades and then started my own business, rather than going to college and getting a generic finance degree.

I agree. I think some of these white collar jobs are flooded with applicants but those skilled labor jobs fewer and fewer are getting into it. There is good money in those fields just hard to find quality workers

 

[Ren]

I believe this is due to the way most schools have operated over the last 20 years. There is not enough emphasis on the fact that these types of jobs are great, you CAN make a lot of money, and they may be more enjoyable for a lot of people than sitting in a cubicle. It almost seems there is a negative connation with these types of skilled jobs.

There is.

Before i went to college i became a licensed carpenter (need 4 years training/school here for that) cause the money was good (still is) and there where lots of jobs. After a few years i just got sick of people looking down on the profession and being treated like crap so went back to school.

 

[rocboy22]

There is.

Before i went to college i became a licensed carpenter (need 4 years training/school here for that) cause the money was good (still is) and there where lots of jobs. After a few years i just got sick of people looking down on the profession and being treated like crap so went back to school.

did you like doing it, though? if so, screw what those people think!

 

[YosemiteSam]

There is.

Before i went to college i became a licensed carpenter (need 4 years training/school here for that) cause the money was good (still is) and there where lots of jobs. After a few years i just got sick of people looking down on the profession and being treated like crap so went back to school.

How you doing down there? Nevermind. I don't actually care. Get off my lawn.

 

[Reality]

I can believe it. As I noted in a different thread. We are having a hard time filling a Java developer position. They are right too, most just aren't qualified and some of them ask for salaries their skills couldn't justify.

I imagine if demand within companies was high for FORTRAN and COBOL programmers right now, they would have a hard time filling those positions too

#reality

 

[YosemiteSam]

I imagine if demand within companies was high for FORTRAN and COBOL programmers right now, they would have a hard time filling those positions too

#reality

Yeah. The company I worked at in Dallas just prior to moving to NY had a lot of COBOL running on AIX for processing retail store sales information. The DP manager was the only COBOL programmer in the entire company. About two years after I moved to NY, he had a heart attack and died. Lots of unmaintained COBOL there now.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Forty-nine percent of US companies are having a hard time filling skilled positions

I'll take that a step further and say it's almost impossible to find people who are motivated, can pass a UA and come to work everyday. The sense of entitlement some have towards their job is unbelievable.

 

[Ren]

did you like doing it, though? if so, screw what those people think!

Honestly, working outside in -15c and being treated like crap to boot is not exactly something i miss, summers where great though so yes and no

Now i don't really care what people think but back then in my early 20s other peoples perception of you was kinda a big deal. Had i enjoyed doing it enough to where i could stand working outside during a Norwegian winter i probably would have stuck with it. It's something i can always go back to should i be in need of a job so i don't have any regrets.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

I'll take that a step further and say it's almost impossible to find people who are motivated, can pass a UA and come to work everyday. The sense of entitlement some have towards their job is unbelievable.

If you can't get by a UA for a job, you're a nitwit and don't deserve the job.

 

[rocboy22]

Honestly, working outside in -15c and being treated like crap to boot is not exactly something i miss, summers where great though so yes and no

Now i don't really care what people think but back then in my early 20s other peoples perception of you was kinda a big deal. Had i enjoyed doing it enough to where i could stand working outside during a Norwegian winter i probably would have stuck with it. It's something i can always go back to should i be in need of a job so i don't have any regrets.

that would probably make me change course, too!! Also, I do agree you care less and less about what other people think as you get older.

 

[Future]

Well part of the problem is that a lot of entry level jobs want 5 years of experience. Something doesn't add up there.