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Job Market

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by fossefritz, Jun 25, 2014.

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  1. fossefritz

    fossefritz Low-Roller

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    Thought I would ask how is Job Market in your area...

    My friend who is 53 has been unable to find work for a year now..He was in Manufacturing-Production all his life and 4 out 6 jobs he has had in past either moved to Mexico or just completely closed..

    I feel sorry for the guy as he once held high paying labor jobs at anywhere between 25 TO 30 A HOUR he feels hopeless and I just keep trying to keep his spirits up saying it will get better and it can't get worse,,,I have been helping him with rent food etc and have no problem helping as a friend in need is a friend indeed,,He is taking it in stride most of time but you can tell it's taking a toll on him

    He doesn't want to move but I have been telling him ya sometimes got to do what a man got to do

    So in short how is Manufacturing -Production in your area oh and by the way this isn't a offer for finding him a job it's just my curiosity on different parts of the country.

    Thanks
     
  2. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    I can't answer your specific question for Seattle as I'm not familiar with the industry. It seems to be one of the harder hit sectors out there, IMX. We have Boeing here that does most of the manufacturing hiring around here, I think. I'm on a news fast this month, so I may be out of the loop, but I haven't heard many Boeing doom & gloom stories like I have in the past.

    I can totally relate to what your friend is going through though. My 52 year old husband has his last day at work on Monday. He works at a hospital that merged with another and they've decided, in their infinite wisdom, to send the IT department overseas to save $$$. Yup, even the in-house help desk guy (aka, the pharmacy printer is jammed-guy, the ED system won't respond-guy, etc) job is off to India. That plan is a recipe for disaster and I'm going to be going to a different hospital now. :)

    I know that we are both a bit apprehensive about how long it will be until he finds the next job. I worry more about his age being an issue than he does. That's mostly because he still thinks he is 29. :haha: Not too long ago, we went through a year without steady employment and we're both sort of bracing for that, even though we don't want to admit it. ;) He's put out a few feelers on linked in and some of the employment sites and had some response, so we're hopeful and trying to stay optimistic.
     
  3. hillwood24

    hillwood24 High-Roller

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    Manufacturing is on the decline for the United States, as it is often cheaper to export these jobs overseas (division of labor). Despite what one might think, exporting jobs results in a positive net gain for the country exporting the jobs, as they can now produce that good or service at a cheaper cost. It might eliminate a US job, but it frees up that worker to do more productive work (read: higher paying), while also making his cost of living cheaper.

    We are quickly moving to a service based economy, so I would advise your friend to seek a job in the service industry if at all possible. Try to stay away from jobs where you can easily be replaced by a machine. Because you will and you should. Unfortunately, though, many of these jobs are also being sent overseas where they can be done much cheaper. But, like Sonya noted, there are often times where the quality won't be there, so the jobs can possibly be brought right back to the United States.
     
  4. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    If I was a kid in high school now, I'd give serious consideration to the trades.

    It's always tough in our town, being dependent on ag and the military/NASA, and being a bit off the main grid. Where we are also makes it a wonderful place to live.
     
  5. heatherlovesvegas

    heatherlovesvegas VIP Whale

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    Well, that kind of job, just doesn't really exist anymore, especially at that pay...if it does exist, it's 19 year olds making $15 an hour.

    I work at the corporate office for a large retail company in a suburb of LA, every single thing we sell is from China. You can't compete if you make things in America so they don't. My company is doing incredibly well right now.. we are lucky, all of our competitors are doing pretty poorly. We do have HUGE factories/distribution center type places in a few parts of the country, and they employ thousands of people... they aren't making the stuff, they are packing it, shipping, sending stuff to the stores. Maybe look into something like that?

    Otherwise my advice is to retrain, or move. Also I'd get ANY job I could. Because after being out of work a while, it's really hard to start up again. Even if it's just something like Walmart, just to be working give you some dignity. I've been laid off 3 times since 2008. Several friends and family members, same deal. But, a lot of them ran themselves into the ground, financial ruin.. because they refused to compromise. You have to realize things are different now.

    Also look at companies that are large, and doing well. I find that to be a better bet. My last few jobs were small companies and they all went under, I feel safer at my big company.
     
  6. ncfatcat

    ncfatcat Low-Roller

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    The cost of labor rising in China as they develop a middle class and increasing transportation costs will eventually make it cheaper to produce goods here again but it might be 10-20 years out. I tell all the young uns I know to invest in railroads lol
     
  7. fossefritz

    fossefritz Low-Roller

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    Ha yea I agree on the railroad thing
     
  8. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

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    I live in Houston now after moving from Philly almost seven years ago. The main reason I moved was for my job. I hated to leave Philly but the job market in Houston and the overall economy is thriving thanks to the oil and gas and medical professions.

    I'm in the lumber and plywood business and we are as busy as ever. Non-stop building, custom remodeling and things like that have really allowed us to make money hand over fist compare to other states and cities.

    I agree with those who've mentioned the manufacturing being a thing of the past in the US unfortunately. I hate seeing the outsourcing and I especially hate seeing the IT stuff being sent away!

    I read an article the other day about a shipyard here where they're begging for welders. The owner said that he could hire a hundred welders right away and still need more. So the poster who mentioned the trades being something to focus on is spot on. Welders make a nice wage!

    Perhaps your friend could look into that? Take a class and get certified and then find a welding gig.

    Best of luck to him and it's awesome of you to help him out.
     
  9. Joe Strummer

    Joe Strummer VIP Whale

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    When I retire from my job --
    My job will be handed to part timers ( cheaper ).
    *
    I would second the motion - that he should think about relocating.
    And find ANY local job at this point.
    *
    Man....I feel lucky not to have that stress.
     
  10. phade

    phade Keeping tabs on LV while not there...

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    I don't think manufacturing is doing great here in western NY, but it's not gone. There are still plenty of manufacturing jobs, but the pay is lower. $15-18 an hour for the most part as that is what the market will bear.

    I think someone who has a strong manufactuiring job could easily translate those skills into warehouse type environments (many large stores have massive warehouse operations for distribution). Trade skills are indeed becoming much more needed as I'm finding people are less and less capable of being the jack-of-all-trades, myself included. My grandfather, uncle, and father, all had separate careers (manufacturing, military, and finish carpentry), but each of them could darn near do everything...fix cars, paint, weld, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. I was able to glean a few skills off of them, but I can't do everything like they can because I went the route of college/business. Sometimes I wish I could fix things on my own, even after doing tons of research and talking to my father, but there are times where I have to hire in help and it burns my britches, so to speak.
     
  11. sybgal

    sybgal VIP Whale

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    Not sure when in Indiana you are, but has he considered coming to Louisville? Ford has been hiring consistently. I have a brother and son-in-law that work there and one has an hourly range in the range you listed while the other is much higher. Just a thought...
     
  12. fossefritz

    fossefritz Low-Roller

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    Thanks all I am gonna talk to him today about helping him maybe relocate and even louisville soounds like a good fit for him

    Thank u
     
  13. Suekel

    Suekel VIP Whale

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    I work for a very large, multi-national manufacturing company. (Think post it's and tape). We have a plant in Minnesota that is having a tough time finding qualified manufacturing people. So the jobs are out there if you are in the right place. But I do agree that overall, mfg jobs are getting harder to find as many companies, including my own, outsource this work.

    The area where I live (Central TX), there is ostensibly a pretty heathy job market, but stats I've seen seem to indicate that lower paying service jobs make up a high percentage of the jobs available.
     
  14. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    I just read that China is the largest market for industrial robots. I also read that many companies are re-shoring back to North America from China due to rising labor and transportation costs. One of my colleagues imports an industrial product fabricated from steel, his landed costs have increased by about 1/3 in the past two years. Its a low tech product where tolerances are not that tight and no one will complain of poor looking welds as these are painted over. The reports calling for the death of manufacturing in the USA are premature.

    Now, with that said, I recently walked a trade show in NYC where 80% of the exhibitors were from Asia. Ten years ago when I walked this show, it took up 3 times the space at the Javits Center and only a handful of exhibitors were from Asia. It was a packaging show for the cosmetics industry, things like tubes, jars, spray nozzles, applicator brushes and such. I was kind of shocked at the difference that 10 years made. I met the 75 year old president of one of the few USA exhibitors he had been in the business for many years explained that he has expanded into other markets and is relying less on cosmetics. Many of the large cosmetics companies demand price cuts, so the net effect has driven vendors to offshore manufacturing. A secondary effect is that innovation has suffered due to copying.

    I guess the bottom line is to advise your friend he may have to look at a relocation, and if he's in manufacturing that would be towards the South. The auto assembly plants buy most of their parts from suppliers within a 50 mile radius, so that might be a good start. Toyota has several plants in KY, Kia has a plant in Georgia and I believe they are making engines there as well. BMW has a plant in South Carolina, Nissan has one or two in Tennessee, Mercedes has a plant in Alabama. There is a Subaru plant in Indiana.

    Finally, the unemployment rate in North Dakota is 2-3% because of the oil drilling, but he may have to bring his trailer since housing is at a premium.

    Good luck to your friend, being out of work sucks, it happened to me for the first time almost 5 years ago. But as I look back, it was the best thing to happen to me as I went in a different direction.
     
  15. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    This. The OP's friend needs to make it an opportunity. Change lanes, change addresses. Been there, done that.
     
  16. lotso-bear

    lotso-bear VIP Whale

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    I agree it's a tough job market. I have friends in the NYC, Chicago, and LA area and all of them have "temporary jobs" while they're looking for a "real job".
     
  17. heatherlovesvegas

    heatherlovesvegas VIP Whale

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    I'm in LA, and you would think it would be better than a smaller market, but it's not. We probably have more jobs, but far more people looking for them. We also have a poor business climate and a high cost of living.

    But, also I have a great stable job at a big company that is doing very well, we have trouble hiring people, for skilled, mid level or entry level positions, It's so odd...
     
  18. maxnew40

    maxnew40 Low-Roller

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    In the Seattle area you have Boeing and the subcontractors that provide parts and service to Boeing. This might be about the only manufacturing type work left that could pay those kind of wages.

    -Max
     
  19. lotso-bear

    lotso-bear VIP Whale

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    Very odd indeed but not surprising. The cost of living in LA is high, which is a huge turn off for many recent graduates.
     
  20. C0usineddie

    C0usineddie VIP Whale

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    So he has been sitting around for a year while you go to work every day.

    you give him food, rent and money and you feel sorry for him?

    Man, I need some pals like you.

    I find it extremely tough to believe that he could not find something, maybe even something different in al that time.

    I lost my job a month ago. they day they told me my contract ended I got offered another one starting 2 days later.

    This new one I never applied for and is in a filed I would never consider doing but i am enjoying it.

    I could have just sat on my hands and insisted on a job in my field but money is always nice to have.

    My own money that is.

    Sorry to be rough on the guy but come one. Its great of you to be nice but he has to find his own way.
     
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