Underpaid careers

[Antithesis]

I teach (and enjoyed a professional development day that finished a touch early today) and I am comfortable with what I earn. I think when you work in the public sector you trade a little bit of earning potential for better job security which is a definite plus, as is my pension (which in all honesty I will pay through the nose for).

That being said, I think teachers are going to be looking for cost of living increases that will be quite sharp given the change in that measure in Calgary recently. I think the media is going to have a field day with it, but I've never really been one to care about what the media says (was it fotze who said they never get the facts straight? Either way ... I agree)

[return to the red]

overpaid - city workers, I guess I'm jealous that I don't get paid $30-40 an hour to to watch 1 guy dig a hole and chat with 4 other guys then have to take some of my 8-12 weeks of PAID holidays.

Always glad to see my tax dollars being put to good use

Underpaid - Have to agree with the social worker comment. I can't imagine the work, especially the mental aspect of it for such low pay.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by return to the red

overpaid - city workers, I guess I'm jealous that I don't get paid $30-40 an hour to to watch 1 guy dig a hole and chat with 4 other guys then have to take some of my 8-12 weeks of PAID holidays.

Always glad to see my tax dollars being put to good use

Underpaid - Have to agree with the social worker comment. I can't imagine the work, especially the mental aspect of it for such low pay.

No city worker digging holes is getting paid 30-40 on regular hours. But, the lazy city worker stereotype lives on I see.

[Antithesis]

Well, then what are those guys doing?

[JimmytheT]

Originally Posted by OilersBaby

OVERPAID: LAWYERS in the USA (not the prosecutors working for the government, they don't even get paid what the lawyers who work for a corporation make)..those lawyers who work for a corportion easily pull in 300,000 per year. Also, almost anyone who works for Corporate America (esp in comparison to anyone who works for Corporate Canada).

UNDERPAID: social workers who dont work in the hospital setting, teachers, college professors

My wife is a social worker with Children's Services, and though she is underpaid for what she does, it is not like she is paid a beggar's salary. It is still > $50,000/year, with an earnings potential of > $70,000.

[blues22]

Okay - I've just got to put my opinion in here. I'm a teacher, too, in the US (St. Louis metro area). The salary structure is too complicated to explain, but I'm not on the base salary, and I gross about $32k a year. My salary is enough for me, but I have to agree that teachers are underpaid.

At my school, we have a 7-hour school day, and we're responsible for 15-minutes before and after school. I have 3 preps, and teach 6 classes, along with an advisory, which is basically a study hall with extra activities thrown in. We also have other responsibilities (tutoring, detention or other babysitting-type duty) and professional development which will cause us stay later every so often (and every Wednesday for an extra hour plus).

Along with the outside time (grading - argh!) already mentioned, at the non-rich schools, we have to pay for some of our supplies (markers, pens/pencils/etc, computer ink, hole-punch, stapler...). The elementary teachers get really screwed on this (I'm a high school math teacher, so I'm much better off). They make less, and they have to buy more.

Oh, and I mustn't forget the cost of extra schooling... which isn't commonly paid around here, but is necessary to continue advancing.

But really, the thing that is most annoying about teaching is some of the students and parents we have to deal with. 95% of my students can't do 2nd grade math without a calculator, so I have to beat my head against a brick wall.

That being said, I LOVE the time off. But, without it, there is no way in hell I would teach.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by blues22

Along with the outside time (grading - argh!) already mentioned, at the non-rich schools, we have to pay for some of our supplies (markers, pens/pencils/etc, computer ink, hole-punch, stapler...). The elementary teachers get really screwed on this (I'm a high school math teacher, so I'm much better off). They make less, and they have to buy more.

That is just brutal. For all the blathering on we do about how children are our most important resource and all the other feelgood crap, we sure don't put our money where our mouth is.

[Gravitykillr]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I think they are getting paid fine. In your opinion what would be a more acceptable rate?

Well Hypothetically lets take your job whatever that may be, and lets add the Element of at any moment someone could walk into said job and shove a gun in your face and threaten to murder you for a couple of hundred dollars? is that worth $9 an hour to you? I wouldn't think so.

[OilersBaby]

Originally Posted by JimmytheT

My wife is a social worker with Children's Services, and though she is underpaid for what she does, it is not like she is paid a beggar's salary. It is still > $50,000/year, with an earnings potential of > $70,000.

Well Im not familar with the educational requirements for social workers in Alberta, but in California, a Masters (MSW) is required to work..and they get paid what you stated...50-70 K to begin with. Compared to a lot of professions which do NOT require master's degrees and furthur education after a Bachelor's degree, they don't get paid enough. For example, nurses with an Associates Degree here start at about 75,000. That's 3 years of school. The MSW is at least 5 years, if not 6 years. So it doesnt seem fair!

For the record, I'm neither a nurse nor a social worker. I have a BSc in Computer Science and am halfway done with an MSc in Nutrition. I would get paid wayyyy more as a programer with only a BSc than a Dietitian with an MSc where the master's isn't even required (I only did it to switch professions and didnt want to do anohter bachelor's degree). However, I chose to do what I like.

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

No city worker digging holes is getting paid 30-40 on regular hours. But, the lazy city worker stereotype lives on I see.

well it's hard not to with the city guys I deal with on a daily basis. There is a reason why people want to work for the city and a reason why some people hate it, ambition seems to be the focal point of that reason.

[Flames_Gimp]

Definately not Plumbers..err i mean _Technicians_

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by return to the red

well it's hard not to with the city guys I deal with on a daily basis. There is a reason why people want to work for the city and a reason why some people hate it, ambition seems to be the focal point of that reason.

In what capacity do you deal with city workers? I am one. I'm not saying we're all hard workers, but the slam against city workers tends to get old when everyone you know mentions it to you.

[V]

Originally Posted by Frank the Tank

Oh please. Who here doesn't put in more than 40 hours a week? Teachers aren't the only ones.

Geez, no kidding. Is there anyone out there in Calgary that has a career and works only 40 hours a week??

When I found out a teacher in Calgary can pull in 70k, and only work 9 months of the year, I couldn't believe how much they whine about being underpaid. 70k, plus tonnes of time to pick up a second job in the summer for even more money. You poor suckers. I can't imagine how you get by.

[MJK]

Originally Posted by V

Geez, no kidding. Is there anyone out there in Calgary that has a career and works only 40 hours a week??

When I found out a teacher in Calgary can pull in 70k, and only work 9 months of the year, I couldn't believe how much they whine about being underpaid. 70k, plus tonnes of time to pick up a second job in the summer for even more money. You poor suckers. I can't imagine how you get by.

So you take one of the largest pay scales and use that as your example? Good one. Maybe when you get out of high school and learn the facts you can actually participate in this conversation. Otherwise, I would prefer if you got the facts straight before posting so I don't have to read this crap.

[V]

Been out of high school for 10 years. Nice to see our teachers take the "until you grow up, keep your nose out of 'adult' business" approach, though...

Fact is, whether or not 70k is at the top or bottom of the pay scale, that's still pretty good money. For working 9 months. I understand you put in overtime. Along with the rest of the province. So do I. You won't hear me crying about it.

[V]

Originally Posted by skins

Engineers are underpaid

I was going to post this in jest. But two posters have written this seriously. Unbelievable. Let's just say I make more than enough to get by, and I decide where to place streetlights.

[MJK]

Originally Posted by V

Been out of high school for 10 years. Nice to see our teachers take the "until you grow up, keep your nose out of 'adult' business" approach, though...

Fact is, whether or not 70k is at the top or bottom of the pay scale, that's still pretty good money. For working 9 months. I understand you put in overtime. Along with the rest of the province. So do I. You won't hear me crying about it.

Well, once again you need to get the facts straight. We are not just talking about Alberta here, or Ontario for that matter. You need to realize that 90% of teachers DO NOT make 70K/year. You took the largest number and used it as your example.

The title of this thread is "Underpaid Careers" not "Underpaid Careers in Alberta".

Base salary for a teacher starting off is roughly 40K/year. I will not get into particulars but I would argue that teachers are a pretty damn important part of society. Considering the amount of work required and the responsibilities involved, teachers are VERY underpaid.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to do some correcting...

[Jake]

Professors are underpaid... they spend a ton of time in school and sometimes mark about 900 exams per class at least twice a semester(granted thats divided between two or three professors sometimes). They also have to answer hundreds of emails a week from students and do their own research.

[V]

Yeah, I know it starts at 40k. I was really depressed with my job a couple years ago, and thought of going back to school to become a teacher. It was pretty tough to justify cutting my salary in half. Granted, I was going from a P. Eng to a base level teacher, so a significant cut was expected. Still, 40k over 9 months translates to over 50 over 12 months, as long as you can get yourself working in a trade. Pick up a shovel for a month and a half at 15 bucks an hour in the summer. You can get paid overtime for that.

[metallicat]

I think one of the main reasons that I don't think teachers are overpaid, is because without proper teachers, where would this world go? Teachers play such a vital role in the development of kids, they need to be paid properly to entice people to the profession. I think teaching is one of those careers that most do for non-selfish reasons, but if the financial reasons attract a few good teachers as well, that's an added bonus.