HOME | POLITICS | SPORTS | LIFE | SCI/TECH | OPEDS | HELPFUL TIPS
|
 By Argile Stox Aug. 1, 2006 Well, here we go again; the United States is involved in a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. So let’s see, we have troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, we are guarding the borders of North and South Korea, and have covert operations all over the world. As an amateur historian I am of the opinion that the United States is duplicating the fall of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire extended itself too far, taxed the population to the extreme, and the nation collapsed under its own weight. In addition, the world is worried about Iran and its exploration of nuclear power. The average American citizen’s worries are not focused on international affairs. They are in the grip of anxiety caused by industry terminating thousands of individuals from their jobs which are being exported to India and other countries. Colleges are handing out degrees to graduates – and these graduates are flooding the job market trying to find work in the industry that they have spent four years preparing for. There are graduates whose’ Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Graduate Degree diplomas hanging proudly on the wall’s of their parents’ house, or if they’re lucky – their own apartment. Prior to graduation these newly minted college graduates send out tons of resumes, hoping that they will be called in for an interview. The problem is that there are hundreds of other graduates seeking the same position. This is not a new story. Every graduate from the nineteen seventies to the present have faced the startling fact that their skills that were learned in college were not needed in the real world. No one can predict the future. However, if an individual investigates occupations that are “recession proof” they at least have an 85% chance of landing a job when they graduate. “What recession proof jobs are you talking about, Argile?” The list is endless; however, I will list a few: The service industry includes hotel, motel operations, janitorial operations, heating and air conditioning technicians, plumbers, and the automotive industry –which includes working for your local automotive parts store. However, the graduate must have the guts and stamina to work in these fields. There is no shame for a college graduate to work as a plumber, etc. The main goal of a college graduate is to find work and get paid. A tremendous amount of jobs that were once held by Americans are now be handled by the population of India, Pakistan, and many other countries. However, when your car breaks down –where do you go? You go to your local dealership or automotive repair shop. When the sewer backs up and your is flooded, who do you call? You call your local plumber. When your heating or air conditioning goes on the fritz, who do you call? You call your local heating and air conditioning repair person. If something electrical fails, you call an electrician. The service industry is the most over looked profession. Listen, you may have wanted to go into the communications field, the entertainment industry, research and development for a large pharmaceutical company. However, the jobs you’re looking for in these industries are being shipped overseas. I was watching [adultswim] and the animators listed on the credits of the Simpson’s, Futurama, and other programs were from Korea. What I am trying to communicate to you, is that you should be looking at local industries that the local residents rely on. What you have to do is swallow your pride and look into the service industry. There is also a ton of money to be made in commercial real estate. The housing market is manic depressive. However, commercial real estate has a much better track record and if you hook-up with a decent commercial real estate broker who is willing to “break you into the field,” within a few years you could be earning a substantial paycheck. A few years ago, I was having my car serviced and I asked to mechanic what made him decide to go into car repair? I was taken aback by his reply. He stated that he had his law degree and passed the bar. However, he did not enjoy being a lawyer. He was always interested in automotive repair. So, one day he made the decision to quit his job at a prestigious law firm and enrolled in an automotive repair school. He was well aware that he was going to start from the very bottom when he graduated and found work. However, he was a quick learner and really enjoyed repairing cars. I believe the key words here are: prestigious and enjoyment. This mechanic wakes up in the morning and can’t wait to go to work. He really enjoys his job. Here is a News Flash: Women are also entering the service industry jobs outlined in this article. Yes, there are blonds repairing cars, becoming plumbers, and clearing out clogs in sewer lines. Since the industrial revolution of the late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds, our country has been on a fast track in technology and other areas. However, industry is always looking at the bottom line to reduce expenditures and increase profit. This mentality has lead the captain’s of industries to ship “cubicle” jobs overseas. There are call centers being constructed, as this article is being written, in India, Pakistan, and other countries. In addition, I viewed a report the other day that some hospitals are e-mailing X-rays, MRI’s and other medical reports to Israel to be read and interpreted by their technicians. Once again, the bottom line is the motivator. Paying a doctor in Israel to analyze an X-Ray, MRI, etc; is much cheaper. It is this writer’s opinion that individuals who are considering going after that four year degree should take a look at the service industry. Cars are loaded with electronic components that fail. Individuals who work in the industry must take classes to keep up with the care and maintenance of these electronic components. Plumbers make a good living. Electricians make a good living. Even the individual who clears the clogs in your household pipes makes a good living. I believe that individuals must rethink their future. Being a plumber, electrician, automotive technician, etc. –is just as prestigious as a doctor, lawyer, etc. Guess what; even hospital and equipment breaks down. Who does the hospital call to repair their equipment? The answer is rhetorical. I believe it is time for Americans to get their hands dirty. Immigrants, who did not have 3¢ to make a nickel when they arrive in America –a few years later, they worked hard enough to buy a house, car, send their children to college, etc. There are no secrets to their success. America is the land of opportunity and the immigrants have fully embraced that ideology. In the opinion of this writer, I believe that Americans have become too technically oriented. Americans can use their minds and get their hands dirty –to earn a living. I believe it is time that Americans stopped grumbling about the jobs that are going overseas. I believe that Americans need to take a hard look at the service industries, get educated in one of the service industries, and get to work. A pay check is a paycheck – no matter how you earn it. ------------ Email Argile Stox: argilestox@gmail.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
