Quote:
Originally Posted by Azure
Of course all of this is dependent around the argument that automation will lead to a net loss in jobs. I don't believe that will be true.
EDIT: A good example would be German manufacturing over the last 20-30 years. Many businesses have become highly automated replacing the need for manual labor. In comparison to similar North American companies the German ones would be years ahead. They handled that change in the workforce by getting more high school students involved in the trades at a younger age. Many large firms offer apprenticeship programs STRAIGHT out of high school. In comparison to North America where we have kids going in a for an 'Arts' degree and wondering why they are not employable when they graduate this is a big reason why Europe is years ahead of us.
North America is going to have a severe shortage of skilled labor in the next 20-30 years. The job market for red seal electricians alone is going to seriously deplete as the average age of electricians is nearing retirement. Instead of adapting to this change we continue pushing our kids into getting non-employable degrees. The trades are looked at as a second tier job that nobody wants. I have personally heard teachers and guidance counselors telling students to not go the trade route because who wants to be a lowly plumber?
We deserve every problem we are going to have in the next few decades when it comes to higher levels of poverty, shrinking wages and more unemployable morons graduating with their 4 year degree in 'how to be completely useless to society.' We should be subsidizing NOT post secondary in general, but actual post secondary programs that lead to sustainable jobs. Half the bloody problem is giving out student loans for kids to get degrees that serve no purpose for anyone.
|
The lifestyle of a tradesperson is a little different in a place like Germany though. In Germany, you likely either live and work in a very affordable major city or you live within an hour of a metro area of 1+ million people. You're also likely unionized and have the benefits and protections that come with that.
I think you'd find more Canadians getting into trades if the end result was working inside in a manufacturing facility near an affordable major population center rather than working in the middle of nowhere doing resource extraction or working outside in the winter doing construction.