I ran across an article this morning, going on about how the economy is strengthening...for everyone except the 18-24 age demographic.
Somehow, I cannot bring myself to be surprised that young people aren't finding jobs. They're showing up in tatty jeans or shorts, profane or just stained tee shirts, and flip flops, and expecting to be ushered straight into a corner office with a six figure income. It's what they're entitled to, after sitting through all that school that promised them exactly that if they just followed the rules.
They're going to need a few years, and the interference of a trusted older adult before these arrested development children figure out how the world works. And, in that time, they're going to have to settle for flipping burgers and delivering pizza while they live with Mom and Dad. They'll have to, to be able to begin repaying the student debt that they've collected, and which they cannot file bankruptcy on to make go away.
They're also going to find out how badly their grades were inflated when they find out that no one wants to hire them because they can't follow directions, either spoken or written, or write coherently, or figure out how much something's gonna cost when given the costs of the raw material, an estimate of how long a project's gonna take, and what labor costs per hour.
And it's even worse for those who have just barely graduated high school. Those who may or may not be functionally literate, numerate, or capable of doing more than pushing a broom because of how badly their education was fucked up by a segment of society that values social justice more than practical concerns.
Honestly? If I'm going to hire someone younger than I am, I'd be looking to hire someone who's served a term in the military. They know what the world is like, and they're capable of doing whatever job they're hired for...unlike most of the rest of the under-30 crowd.
27 minutes ago
My first job was 5 cents an hour more than minimum wage at $2.35 an hour and had to work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week to pay bills, rent and make my bike payment. My second job wasn't much better - as an NCO in the Army I made less than what a Private E-1 does now.
ReplyDeleteIt took 35 years in the workforce to get to where I am now and I've only held 5 jobs in my entire life.
There's these things called commitment, dedication and a desire to succeed, something that today's youngsters don't have.
It also helps to be able to read and write English instead of using textspeak.
You nailed it, brother. I teach college part time, write part time, and consider raising my children my full time job. I will not let my kids end up like the speshul snowflake nitwits coming out of schools public and private.
DeleteSome of them need a corner office. Out of view of the public. What with the tattoo's on their necks and faces and pipe fittings in their ears.
ReplyDeleteOnly if that corner office locks from the outside. Those things are nasty.
DeleteHEY!!! I got neck and throat tattoos. Of course I took care that they can be covered by a collar if need be. I'm not real stupid, ya know.
DeleteThe earlobe plugs though are just repulsive.
Tattoos that can be covered by clothing are one thing--I have a lot of friends and family that have those, and I have no problem with them. On the other hand, tattoos that cover a person's face, facial piercings (more than earlobes, and maybe one in the cartridge higher on the ear), or anything else that screams "future unemployable"...
DeleteDoing a hitch in the military teaches you two very important skills...show up on time and do what you're told when you get there. By my reckoning that puts you in the top 25% for new hires at least.
ReplyDeleteIt puts you in the top 10% of traditional students. Non-trads are almost always better students than the kids straight out of HS, and veterans are always the hardest working, which counts for more with me even when they're not the best academically.
Delete