It's not just stereos that the kids don't want.

[Ken Boyd]

This seems pretty accurate. I do see the education and job market to be tougher these days. Lots more switching careers nowadays as changing technology and globalization raises hell with job markets .

Honestly, it has always been that way, you go thru cycles.

 

[Tom Brennan]

Not so sure slavery was "destroyed", I sure saw alot of poverty and discrimination against blacks growing up in the 50's and early 60's, and we still have some of that today, although not of the same magnitude.

Indeed, Reconstruction was left unfinished after the election of 1876 when northern politicians made an unholy deal with southern white politicians and Federal power abandoned the Freedmen to a resurgence of white supremacy in the South. The most shameful event in our history I think.

 

[Nightwisher]

Honestly, it has always been that way, you go thru cycles.

True, but the pacing of technology and change these days makes it a different situation. There's simply less time to adapt as many jobs are replaced by technology or shipped overseas/across the border. A lot of the jobs previous generations started out with and built from are disappearing.

We haven't seen this type of technological shift in the job market since the industrial revolution destroyed the cottage industry. At least then you could choose to work in the factory instead of your home. I realize not everyone could get a job in the factories (or wanted to), but it was more of a shift from manufacturing in the home to manufacturing in factories than jobs disappearing completely.

 

[Alobar]

Honestly, it has always been that way, you go thru cycles.

Well yeah, I am quite certain many a boomer has gotten downsized, or his job outsourced or offshored. Still I think careers are more of a moving target now than at any other time. Such a trip to the roulette table young people make when deciding on which education to go after.

 

[Sam Cogley]

I think some people have a misunderstanding of the differences between many of the young people coming out of college. So many of them go simply because it is what we told them was needed to get a good job, so they go, and instead of taking the opportunity to really excel they party and come out without a degree that will land them a good job. I know others who work hard and come out and go straight into a great job paying almost 6 figures right out of school. My son only go his AS went straight out working on the Shuttle, and was making quite a large sum of money until it was mothballed. He is now working in another field and it is a lot tougher, and he sees what his other friends make who went the whole distance and got their engineering degree. Now he is back in school, to get his degree, while working a full time job and over time, and it is very tough, lot of difficult math classes. But he knows what is on the other end of the tunnel. He owns a house, nicer than my home. But he has not got the collectors habit that I have had all my life. But both he and my other son, know values, and if they don't wish to keep what they will inherit they know what I own is not junk from your local Rooms to Go. And they would have no problems selling it for good money to make their life easier. The youth today are not really much different than we were youths, some of them are hard workers with a direction in life, others have no direction and will have it hard all their life, it is no different than when I grew up.

And then there are those of us who went to school, worked hard, got degrees in fields that were supposed to be useful (not underwater basket weaving or whatever), and still couldn't find crap for decent jobs. It happened to me twice, and I'm at a point now where I'm not really sure what to do with myself. My current field is pretty much crippled and not improving. The decades-long depreciation of wages from productivity means that people can't pay for services that they may well need.

 

[Champco]

The point I was working on which was ignored is that gen-x's, millennials should , only because they are closest to the costs of education somehow make the institutions accountable for what they do.
When graduates finish and get their degrees there is no doubt about their debt. Can education be cheaper? Do collages really need to own hundreds of acres of land and millions of dollars in real estate?
Should faculty be paid on the merits of their performance or the performance of their students? Students do not really know what they are getting themselves into. Not all anyway.
Maybe collages should hold the debt? Have their students pay back according to their abilities they learned.
The costs of education are out of control. Something must be done. When they come out of school in so much debt no wonder they do not care to own anything. Yes there has been a LOT of enabling going on in previous generations. I am talking about the next generation. Help them.

 

[Alobar]

I went into the skilled trades as an apprentice union electrician in 1980. Retired with decent pension all the while worked in my field. No student loans, started making good money right out the gate.

Thing is this sort of career is still valid, in fact more now than ever with shortages of young people applying for apprenticeships. My step son followed my career path after blowing 30 grand in one year of college. He now has his journeyman electrician license and can work where ever there is construction going on. I don't know why this isn't considered more often as a career path these days. I think that there is a stigma around getting your hands dirty more now.

 

[Ken Boyd]

That is one of the trades that has allowed me to find a job instantly this time around. I was hired recently on my first resume sent out due to a shortage of industrial electricians.

I work along side a number of others that were past military that worked as electricians in the aerospace industry. And at least I am not stuck doing boring work wiring houses of buildings, as I get to work on some really interesting items.

 

[Alobar]

That is one of the trades that has allowed me to find a job instantly this time around. I was hired recently on my first resume sent out due to a shortage of industrial electricians.

I work along side a number of others that were past military that worked as electricians in the aerospace industry. And at least I am not stuck doing boring work wiring houses of buildings, as I get to work on some really interesting items.

I never worked with house wiring in my career. Mostly industrial and commercial work.

 

[tubed]

Color blindness has kept me from enjoying jobs I would have liked to pursue, let alone identify the color coded resistor of a amp I'd like to restore in a hobby I enjoy.

 

[Sam Cogley]

I went into the skilled trades as an apprentice union electrician in 1980. Retired with decent pension all the while worked in my field. No student loans, started making good money right out the gate.

Thing is this sort of career is still valid, in fact more now than ever with shortages of young people applying for apprenticeships. My step son followed my career path after blowing 30 grand in one year of college. He now has his journeyman electrician license and can work where ever there is construction going on. I don't know why this isn't considered more often as a career path these days. I think that there is a stigma around getting your hands dirty more now.

I wish I'd given that greater consideration when I was younger instead of what I've done. My dad was always the "do it yourself" type, so I learned lots of useful trade skills (my dad built his office, my parents' house, and several outbuildings for said house), but it always seemed like I was being pushed towards the professional side of things.

 

[satellite]

I never worked with house wiring in my career. Mostly industrial and commercial work.

I'm also a union trained electrician. Have been doing it now for 11 years and absolutely love it. Full pension, annuity, and good health benefits for the entire family. Every day brings a different challenge and no, I've never wired a house or residential dwelling on the job. Mostly industrial (motor control) or commercial, a lot of conduit bending(which is an art), or whatever you want to specialize in after apprenticeship. Best of all...no student loans, no debt, but hard, good work!

 

[Alobar]

I'm also a union trained electrician. Have been doing it now for 11 years and absolutely love it. Full pension, annuity, and good health benefits for the entire family. Every day brings a different challenge and no, I've never wired a house or residential dwelling on the job. Mostly industrial (motor control) or commercial, a lot of conduit bending(which is an art), or whatever you want to specialize in after apprenticeship. Best of all...no student loans, no debt, but hard, good work!

Nice to hear. Getting into the trade was the best thing I ever did for myself. Retirement has been sweet, after working in a fascinating but hard working career (both physically and mentally ) in mostly Alaska, but also WA, OR and CA it was never dull or dead end.

 

[Alobar]

I wish I'd given that greater consideration when I was younger instead of what I've done. My dad was always the "do it yourself" type, so I learned lots of useful trade skills (my dad built his office, my parents' house, and several outbuildings for said house), but it always seemed like I was being pushed towards the professional side of things.

That is one thing I can be grateful to my dad for. Never was pushed one way or the other as to what career to take. I was very lucky to have been raised where I was (Fairbanks Alaska ) because when I graduated HS the trans Alaskan Pipeline construction was just getting going and I initially joined the teamsters union and drove trucks during its construction phase. Then after a few slow years I was accepted into the electrician apprenticeship.

I can understand how parents can pressure their kids to make career choices that are not what they want. That might work for some but I can't imagine that would have worked for me.

 

[rxonmymind]

Sadly when my dad passed away I stood at the door an knew I needed nothing in there. I went straight to his closet where he kept "valuables" in a suitcase. This consisted of old albums, pics of my grandparents, my grandparents pic of his parents(!) and couple things of my mom's I remember her making as a kid. So photos mostly. Wife and I didn't need the furniture as we were good on that.
I do have an appreciation of old world furniture and loath Walmart/Ikea type stuff. But I get why they sell. This generation is offered none of the stability my parents had therefore the furniture HAS to be able to be broken down and easily transported. My 300lb Ampex console being used as a TV stand just isn't going to happen with most people. They don't want to move it every couple years.

I'm sometime in awe of what is being given away on CL and let me tell you I'd have a hard time taking it all and I have a decent size home.
Recently I saw a solid mahogany/walnut/maple amour 7' tall x 4' wide. The listing said "you carry it". A week later it was still there. Entertainment center too. Too big, too heavy. This generation is mobile and light footed. Seems minimalism is in and will be for the foreseeable future. Our parents 200 lb couch isn't going anywhere except the landfill.

 

[satellite]

Nice to hear. Getting into the trade was the best thing I ever did for myself. Retirement has been sweet, after working in a fascinating but hard working career (both physically and mentally ) in mostly Alaska, but also WA, OR and CA it was never dull or dead end.

Man I'm envious. Congratulations on your retirement. I bet you're enjoying it and have earned it. I'll be there someday! I've always kind of wanted to travel for work for the adventure, but responsibilities and plenty of work here have kept me right here in boring old Idaho. I would love to visit AK someday!

 

[HTWillie]

One of the most disrespectful things I saw happen to a car, (this was years ago before bldg inspectors) the neighbors dug a large hole and pushed a Corvair van in it, stuck wood stave sewer pipe in through a broken window and made it into a leach box for their septic system..

This actually happens quite a lot. I personally know two people who discovered their homes came with buried cars

 

[satellite]

1) I think this is a bullshit story written by some clown under pressure to write some sensational story ( god I miss real journalism).
.

2) I think kids now days are growing up in a world that is completely different than the world I grew up in. I say give them some space and let them navigate their world. They're
perfectly capable and should make their own decisions without judgement.

 

[Champco]

That is one thing I can be grateful to my dad for. Never was pushed one way or the other as to what career to take. I was very lucky to have been raised where I was (Fairbanks Alaska ) because when I graduated HS the trans Alaskan Pipeline construction was just getting going and I initially joined the teamsters union and drove trucks during its construction phase. Then after a few slow years I was accepted into the electrician apprenticeship.

I can understand how parents can pressure their kids to make career choices that are not what they want. That might work for some but I can't imagine that would have worked for me.

Sounds a lot like what My younger son has done. A bit different. He knew he did not want the 4 year college route. He was already a fair mechanic. Swapping motors, modifying his vehicles. When the tranny went out in his truck. Not a automatic I paid for the rebuild and he did ll the work. He was 18. Did two year college away from home and somewhere along decided to become a Electrician. We just switched gears with him and helped where we could. Thankful today he is long time Journeyman working and still wrenching side jobs as well as for fun. He long surpassed my skills and I always fixed everything on wheels that broke. I am encouraging him to get his Masters license before he gets any older. The Bench is always needing more Electricians. But as you say. It's work.

 

[Champco]

Man I'm envious. Congratulations on your retirement. I bet you're enjoying it and have earned it. I'll be there someday! I've always kind of wanted to travel for work for the adventure, but responsibilities and plenty of work here have kept me right here in boring old Idaho. I would love to visit AK someday!

LOL you are living in what is deemed one of the last refuges of unspoiled beauty. Have not seen it yet but hope to make a trip. No need for envy.