Mike Rowe testifies before Congress

[Lee Ludden]

Here is a video on Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs giving his testimony before Congress. I'm sure he is preaching to the choir here, but it is good to hear.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3h_pp8CHEQ0

[glenn bradley]

Good stuff, Maynard.

[Rod Sheridan]

Glad to hear that it's just not us Canadians who have also fallen into that trap..........I always told my kids that they needed one of the following;

- a trade certificate

- a college diploma

-a university degree

and that it didn't matter which one, as long as they enjoyed their occupation.

Regards, Rod.

[Bruce Page]

I have just become a huge Mike Rowe fan!
Thanks for posting that Lee!

[Keith Outten]

It is time we returned to our roots here in America. Our infrastructure is crumbling and we don't have enough skilled trades to rebuild even if we did have the funds. We have seen a continuos degrade in the perceived value of a skilled workforce for a hundred years, this includes teachers in our primary schools.

I hope that I live long enough to see this trend reversed.
.

[Brian Elfert]

I don't understand how we don't have enough manpower to rebuild our infrastructure? The construction industry has unemployment in excess of 50% right now. Road and bridge projects are generally coming in well under estimates because contractors are hungry for work. The state of Minnesota has a few hundred million in money saved from low bids they may invest in pavement repairs instead.

I wouldn't really blame any high school senior who decided not to pursue a skilled construction trade due to lack of work right now. In five years it might be different as senior citizens retire in droves. then again, it might not be any different if there is no money to fund construction.

[Jason Roehl]

Keith, I know you have a couple decades or so on me, and I hope to live long enough to see the trend reversed. I could probably be the poster child of why it's so wrong to push higher education on everyone. I certainly had every good educational opportunity, some better than most. My parents encouraged it strongly as well--they both were essentially the first ones in their family to "make it". That is, they were both raised on farms, but ended up in college; Dad in chemical engineering, Mom in nursing. Mom became a housewife at some point around the time they became parents, and Dad eventually moved into management. While he often did DIY projects around the house when I was young, what I remember hearing from him was, "Study hard, get a good job, and you won't have to do this." Then he wouldn't let me help.

After over 3 years in college, I finally got kicked out due to grades (lack of interest...), and while I may occasionally have some regrets, I am now self-employed with much more freedom and much less stress than I would have had with the desk job for which I was headed. I may not be rich (far from it), but I have acquired many skills in the arena of self-sufficiency, and certainly hope to pass that on to my children, even if they do go into a more scholarly profession.

I read an article not too long ago that people in the construction and manufacturing sectors who work with their hands building things have a greater sense of productivity and satisfaction at the end of every day. I can attest to the sense of satisfaction one gets when completing a job, knowing it was done well and provided value to the customer.

My hat's off to you, Mike Rowe. Thanks for the advocacy.

[David Helm]

There is a combination of things that make for this problem. Lack of focus on the important things as Mike pointed out so eloquently. There is also a lack of respect for the skilled trades that keeps the pay level down. Many construction workers get paid considerably less than people in "office" work. The skill required is often higher than just about any other occupation.

[Glenn Clabo]

When's the last time you thanked someone for making your life livable? Not just with a check...or a tip...but with a eye to eye thank you?
I believe it's more basic than just "those who work with their hands"...which is a statement I have always hated anyway.
I believe it's simply a lack of respect. When I was young my dad always told me to watch people work...so I could learn how. Not actually what they were doing...but that they were doing something that required some type of skill. He taught me to respect what everyone did. I've learned why he tried to do that...it's because respect is what everyone needs to be human. Today...people take great joy in putting down those who are just trying to do their job. The government worker does nothing but take taxpayers money...police are out to get people...teachers have it easy...professors are people who can't do anything...lawyers are ambulance chasers...and on and on. I've been a carpenter...machinist...sailor...government worker and now a retiree. Through it all...all the vast majority of those around me wanted was to be respected for what they do...or have done.

[David Helm]

You said it well Glenn

[Jay Jolliffe]

We moved from Mass. to Maine eight years ago. Thank you are two words that people don't say to often up here. .....

[Gary Hodgin]

Hope education officials listen to this. Unfortunately, we have far too many young men and women who fall through the cracks of our education system and leave ill prepared for college and with no technical skills to rely upon.

A lot of this stems from our society that views manual level and trades as menial work with little value. Fifty years ago work was honored even if the pay was low. Today, well paid white collar jobs are about all that's honored. Folks with trade skills who earn a good living are still viewed by many as sort of second class. Folks with low paying, low skill jobs are viewed as third class, basically no different from those who won't work. As long as that continues, more will decide not to work.

We're going to need a lot of skilled tradesmen and medical personnel, especially jobs like nursing home attendants and home health attendants. These latter jobs difficult, dirty, and don't pay much, but good workers in these areas mean a lot to the quality of life.

Thanks for the post!

[David Larsen]

Can't we have it all?

I have a degree and a professional job that isn't skilled manual labor. I am able to provide financially for my family and still be able to fix things when they break. My part-time job is skilled manual labor. One job might be building someone a new house. The next might be installing a door knob. It gives me great satisfaction to have attained a professional career. I also get great satisfaction from working with my hands and building things or fixing something that isn't working.

I think part of our failure is making it too easy for our kids. As parents, I think we need to pass along our skills and knowledge. The children can fit this in with their other studies. If we don't teach them, they will lose the ability and will have to "pay the plumber". Yes, it will require manual work on their part, but I think a lot of us have lost the concept of what real work is. I am sure most of you have heard the stories from a parent or grandparent about how hard they had to work growing up. Our kids don't have those memories. If you have to hire someone to fix something everytime it breaks, then you are teaching your kids to do the same thing. Teach the kids to fix it themselves or at least give them enough confidence to at least try.

We have a shops full of tools that can fix or build just about anything, but we still have to teach our kids how to use those tools.

[Neal Clayton]

When's the last time you thanked someone for making your life livable? Not just with a check...or a tip...but with a eye to eye thank you?
I believe it's more basic than just "those who work with their hands"...which is a statement I have always hated anyway.
I believe it's simply a lack of respect

me personally? all the time. admittedly i do most of the work around the house myself. but when i hire someone else, i work around their schedule, they don't work around mine. i usually buy em lunch if i'm home. i never wait for the bill to come in the mail it gets paid the day they leave, and i usually offer to pay cash. if they are struggling to find work they can call me, and i'll check around the neighborhood and find some for them if i can. i call and check on em after they're gone to make sure they're doing ok.

that all seems like common courtesy, but maybe it's just me...

[Karl Card]

Keith, I know you have a couple decades or so on me, and I hope to live long enough to see the trend reversed. I could probably be the poster child of why it's so wrong to push higher education on everyone. I certainly had every good educational opportunity, some better than most. My parents encouraged it strongly as well--they both were essentially the first ones in their family to "make it". That is, they were both raised on farms, but ended up in college; Dad in chemical engineering, Mom in nursing. Mom became a housewife at some point around the time they became parents, and Dad eventually moved into management. While he often did DIY projects around the house when I was young, what I remember hearing from him was, "Study hard, get a good job, and you won't have to do this." Then he wouldn't let me help.

After over 3 years in college, I finally got kicked out due to grades (lack of interest...), and while I may occasionally have some regrets, I am now self-employed with much more freedom and much less stress than I would have had with the desk job for which I was headed. I may not be rich (far from it), but I have acquired many skills in the arena of self-sufficiency, and certainly hope to pass that on to my children, even if they do go into a more scholarly profession.

I read an article not too long ago that people in the construction and manufacturing sectors who work with their hands building things have a greater sense of productivity and satisfaction at the end of every day. I can attest to the sense of satisfaction one gets when completing a job, knowing it was done well and provided value to the customer.

My hat's off to you, Mike Rowe. Thanks for the advocacy.


I have done construction work from simple houses to fancy houses to firehouses. Yes I agree with you that most people that are involved in building something like that take alot of pride and it is neat to be with wife/girlfirend/spouse/children and be able point out that "I built that" etc... Money is good but self esteem and pride sure do feel great too..

[Greg Peterson]

Entrepreneurs are the rock stars of the 21st century. Our great grand parents and grand parents gave us a country equipped with an infrastructure that allows us to prosper and grow. What are we going to leave for our grand and great grandchildren?

We had better wake up soon and put an end to this war on workers and start showing them some respect. After all, they are you. And you. And you.

[Keith Outten]

I don't understand how we don't have enough manpower to rebuild our infrastructure? The construction industry has unemployment in excess of 50% right now. Road and bridge projects are generally coming in well under estimates because contractors are hungry for work. The state of Minnesota has a few hundred million in money saved from low bids they may invest in pavement repairs instead.



Brian,

I spent the majority of my life working in the construction industry, I currently am the Clerk of The Works for a 160,000 square foot Science building that is due to be completed next month at CNU. When I was young I worked at several nuclear power plants during the construction phase and later worked refueling outages before switching to fossil fuel power plant construction projects.

My comment about our inability to rebuild our infrastructure is based on the fact that we don't have enough skilled tradesmen, I know that we have plenty of unskilled tradesmen that are unemployed. Journeymen welders, pipe fitters, electricians and many other trades have seen a reduction in numbers since the 1980's when we were at the high point of power plant construction. The technical trades have declined and consequently their traditional apprentice programs have had to be reduced due to insufficient work over the last 30 years.

A pipe fitter or welder involved in the construction of commercial buildings isn't the same as one who is capable of building power plants and other more complicated facilities. The core of our Nations current advanced tradesmen exist in the shipyards now, it is the only place where you will find tradesmen with the kind of skills required to increase our electrical generation production and other high tech facilities.

I have recently had discussions with people who are employed in the electrical generation industry, their only concern about replacing existing infrastructure and increasing generation capacity by 25% in the coming decades is the lack of skilled trades available.
.

[Larry Edgerton]

When I hung out my shingle in 1988 I charged $30 hr. I had enough tools and experiance built up at that time that I could get it even though at the time it was considered a bit high. I was always busy.

Fast forward to today, I am still at $30 an hr. site rate, and I have a couple hundred thousand more invested, and now I am considered high priced in this area. No one wants to pay my shop rate of $45 hr. I refuse to work my machines for less. They are paid for and I just don't care.

No, I do think that with the expanded formal education there is a distinct disdain for the working man, even though people are people and the education does not make them any better that they were before. I am at the top of my class in this area as far as woodwork/construction, and so am occasionally invited to social functions by customers. Although most of my customers are wealthy, they are a more practical sort, as the social climbers are not attracted to my independant personality. So I do not see the disdain from them, but at these functions, there are many who do not feel the same way. As soon as they find out what you do they become condecending. My wife refuses to go to these things anymore, and I usually find a reason to be busy myself.

The lack of respect you get for working with your hands if you will, directly translates to a lack of compensation. All of my daughters are or have been in college, and I pushed them to that because of this prevalent attitude, and the lack of compensation that goes with it. It is a shame, because everyone needs the things that craftsmen can supply, much more so than we need stock brokers for example. We all live in a house of some sort. Along with this I have seen a general decline in what can be considered good craftsmanship. Much of what passes for good work, and in fact is raved about would be an embarassement to me if I had done it myself. It makes it hard for me to compete because I am uncompromising on quality, even if it is not seen.

I find all of this very frusterating, and if I had to do it over again I would have chosen a different path. I was top of my class and passed up scholarships to pursue the trades. Too late now, but I would encourage any young man to look at other options, this is no way to make a living.

So, in summary, although I do agree that we need trades until the attitude changes and a more realistic value is placed on services provided, why would you punish yourself. The payback is not there. If you look at a woodworking business and the payback on investment in the same way as a conventional manufacturing business, no one with an investment background would tell you to go for it. They would tell you to run as fast as you can........

Larry

[Jason Roehl]

The bright spot, Larry, is that as the skills become more scarce, they will become more valued. Unfortunately, it looks like we're determined as a whole to let that particular pendulum swing all the way...

I'd like to think I apply as much quality as I can no matter what I do, but the truth is, there's not much point to putting more than a token coat of paint on the back side of a hollow-core, bi-fold closet door. Less time on that means I can afford more time on something more visible and valuable to the customer.

[Gary Hodgin]

When I hung out my shingle in 1988 I charged $30 hr. I had enough tools and experiance built up at that time that I could get it even though at the time it was considered a bit high. I was always busy.

Fast forward to today, I am still at $30 an hr. site rate, and I have a couple hundred thousand more invested, and now I am considered high priced in this area. No one wants to pay my shop rate of $45 hr. I refuse to work my machines for less. They are paid for and I just don't care.

No, I do think that with the expanded formal education there is a distinct disdain for the working man, even though people are people and the education does not make them any better that they were before. I am at the top of my class in this area as far as woodwork/construction, and so am occasionally invited to social functions by customers. Although most of my customers are wealthy, they are a more practical sort, as the social climbers are not attracted to my independant personality. So I do not see the disdain from them, but at these functions, there are many who do not feel the same way. As soon as they find out what you do they become condecending. My wife refuses to go to these things anymore, and I usually find a reason to be busy myself.

The lack of respect you get for working with your hands if you will, directly translates to a lack of compensation. All of my daughters are or have been in college, and I pushed them to that because of this prevalent attitude, and the lack of compensation that goes with it. It is a shame, because everyone needs the things that craftsmen can supply, much more so than we need stock brokers for example. We all live in a house of some sort. Along with this I have seen a general decline in what can be considered good craftsmanship. Much of what passes for good work, and in fact is raved about would be an embarassement to me if I had done it myself. It makes it hard for me to compete because I am uncompromising on quality, even if it is not seen.

I find all of this very frusterating, and if I had to do it over again I would have chosen a different path. I was top of my class and passed up scholarships to pursue the trades. Too late now, but I would encourage any young man to look at other options, this is no way to make a living.

So, in summary, although I do agree that we need trades until the attitude changes and a more realistic value is placed on services provided, why would you punish yourself. The payback is not there. If you look at a woodworking business and the payback on investment in the same way as a conventional manufacturing business, no one with an investment background would tell you to go for it. They would tell you to run as fast as you can........

Larry

Following the same theme. One of my dad's best friends when I was growing up in the 50s and early 60s was a carpenter. This was a small town of about 4000 people. The guy's wife didn't work but rather was a stay at home mom with 4 kids. The guy did everything from framing houses to building cabinets. He made a decent living for his family, not great, but they had a decent house, car and truck, decent clothes, and good food.

He was also an elder in our church and did a lot of carpenter work at the church for no charge. I wonder how many carpenters could do that today. I have no idea because I don't know any carpenters. I see some workers framing houses and such but they don't look like carpenters to me and I'm pretty sure they can't provide their families with the quality of life my dad's friend did.

[Orion Henderson]

The pendulum is swinging back already. Just the fact that we are talking about it means it going back the other way. That said, economics is remarkably clever. The short supply of tradesmen (and women) drives up the price. Higher rates attract more people to the jobs, and the pendulum swings back the other way.

There is another factor that doesn't get discussed as much too. The trades people got so good and technology advanced so much that we simply didn't need as many as we used to. Modern plumbing fixtures are simply better and don't require as much repair. How often does the breaker box require work these days? Also, I would bet that there are far fewer mechanics per car in the US than there were 20, 30, and 40 years ago. Why? Because our cars work so much better they don't need as much repair.

I am not qualified to comment the building new high tech facilities, power plants, and the like. But we darn well better be building some type of power plants if we are supposed to drive electric cars.

[Steve Costa]

I grew up in a steel mill town in the 50's & 60's. My parents had 3 goals for me growing up: 1) We will instill in you a work ethic; 2) You will get the best education your brain can accommodate; 3) We are here to ensure you will accomplish Nos. 1 & 2.

From the time I was 17 till I was 23 I dug ditches, poured concrete & relined blast furnace's to pay my way through college. During this time I met some very skilled carpenters, pipe fitters, boilermakers, electricians, brick layers & iron workers. While they were not all model citizens each one took pride in their work. If they didn't someone took their place the next day.

The one thing that has stayed with me my entire life is that if you forget where you came from or your roots you morph into a pompous person (not the intended word).

We have had many trades build our house. The good ones we thanked for their time & efforts and often bought them a beer. The bad ones were replaced the next day!!!

[Neal Clayton]

The bright spot, Larry, is that as the skills become more scarce, they will become more valued. Unfortunately, it looks like we're determined as a whole to let that particular pendulum swing all the way...

I'd like to think I apply as much quality as I can no matter what I do, but the truth is, there's not much point to putting more than a token coat of paint on the back side of a hollow-core, bi-fold closet door. Less time on that means I can afford more time on something more visible and valuable to the customer.

they aren't becoming more valued, they are becoming filled by H1/H2 visa workers. one of the news shows on HDNet had a great story about that awhile back.

http://www.hd.net/guest-worker-coverage/h2b/

pull up your state you'll see just as much skilled work as non skilled work. but the wages won't go up, the amount of immigrant workers will go up. louisiana is a great example, since keith brought up the shipyards. there are as many immigrant H1/H2 visa workers listed as welders/fitters in louisiana as there are in all other non-skilled categories combined.

we don't live in a capitalist economy, despite the fantasy some people cling to that we do.

[Brian Elfert]

A big issue pushing down labor rate for construction is immigrants. Most of them good work and work very hard, but they will work for a less than an American in most cases. I know a guy who runs a roofing company who donates his time to help reroof buildings at a Scout camp. He says his Mexican crews can run rings around just about any other crew.

[Bob Riefer]

A few comments that are related to this topic but somewhat unrelated to each other.

Larry wrote:


I find all of this very frusterating, and if I had to do it over again I would have chosen a different path. I was top of my class and passed up scholarships to pursue the trades. Too late now, but I would encourage any young man to look at other options, this is no way to make a living.



It's funny because I'm on the opposite side. I took the scholarship, continued on to graduate school, have a good corporate job with management responsibilty etc. And I couldn't be less satisfied. I'm not making anything real, just making money.

---

Interestingly, vocational high schools are very career focused, whereas "regular" high schools (college pathway) are more focused on books and tests etc.

Then, colleges again focus on books and tests... sure, you can get an internship, but really, it's lots of lecture and studying. Then we throw those kids into the workforce to "be productive" yet all they know is how to write papers and get grades.

---

I'm pushing my children to be intelligent people. They see me barn building and woodworking and landscaping and lifting and being strong... And then they see me wearing a shirt and tie. They see me talking with the contractors as easily as I talk to the corporate folk.

I can't have them hating every day of work like I do. It's a soul sucking, defeating life to live.

If they choose trades, I'll be proud of that. And honestly, if they make less money as a result, they'll be able to make do since they can save money by working on their own home as they've seen their father do. If they choose the corporate lifestyle, and enjoy it, I'll be proud of that too... and they'll still be able to work on their own home.

[Neal Clayton]

i'm the same way Bob, but honestly, more skeptical. the tax code favors investing your money in the stock/bond markets, period. and that's really the only way to get ahead for someone starting out in their 20s/30s these days. save every nickel you can, and when you get laid off in your 40s/50s, have as much socked away as possible. in fact they should look long and hard at quitting a few jobs at certain points before then to get the 401k turned into an IRA, which they can then invest more wisely than the 401k allows them to (they never tell you that the risk of the 401k's restrictions can outweigh the upside of matching contributions depending on how much the matching is, do they? people have to figure that out on their own)

and even at that, it's a crap shoot. my mother and stepfather worked for the stereotypical american industry for 20 years each, and the only thing that got them ahead was the company trying to screw all of their employees in a buyout by undervaluing their stock, and the employees suing them and winning the class action.

the sad fact is loyalty, hard work, dedication, etc. are just words. you gotta look out for #1 these days if you're working for someone else. it's not a question of if you're gonna show up one day to find that your key no longer opens the door. it's a question of when.