Jobs for British Columbians ? um no

[MCB]

I'm ranting here because it relates, but companies within BC are extremely hesitant or won't take on or train apprentices.

They won't?

Okay, hang on a minute, because I have to go tell the 4 apprentices downstairs to get the hell out, because some dude on the internet says companies don't train apprentices.

Maybe some trades are harder to get into than others. If you don't mind my asking, what are they apprenticing for?

[Carrs Landing Viking]

The problem is with employers not hiring "first year" apprentices. All they want is 3rd and 4th year hires.

This has been the experience so far for my grandson. Very hard to start a career when you can't get your foot in the door.

[TylerM4]

The problem is that it's a never ending revolving door of apprentices.

Once they get into the higher years, or their journeyman ticket - they're off chasing the big money up North.

Before you say "Then they need to pay more". If they paid those wages they wouldn't be able to compete in the Okanagan.

It's not so much that they don't want to hire apprentices, it's that they want to hire apprentices that they feel will stay with the company. Young guys just out of school don't fit that profile.

[Carrs Landing Viking]

I for one would like to see a complete four year program, at the college, for all trades. This would be a benefit for both employers and newly trained and fully qualified trades persons.

It can and should be done. Everyone benefits.

[Rider59]

The problem is with employers not hiring "first year" apprentices. All they want is 3rd and 4th year hires.

This has been the experience so far for my grandson. Very hard to start a career when you can't get your foot in the door.

Hmm, that was what is was like in the late 70's when I apprenticed as an electrician. What has changed?

[Rwede]

I for one would like to see a complete four year program, at the college, for all trades. This would be a benefit for both employers and newly trained and fully qualified trades persons.

It can and should be done. Everyone benefits.

I agree.

Unfortunately, our post secondary institutions seem more interested in pumping out a bunch of liberal arts students to bolster the social justice warrior ranks.

We need a complete overhaul of post secondary funding, and an abrupt end to funding degrees in "I'm so confused about which bathroom to use" and other such unemployable bafflegab.

[The Green Barbarian]

I agree.

Unfortunately, our post secondary institutions seem more interested in pumping out a bunch of liberal arts students to bolster the social justice warrior ranks.

We need a complete overhaul of post secondary funding, and an abrupt end to funding degrees in "I'm so confused about which bathroom to use" and other such unemployable bafflegab.

What?? Teach kids useful skills that will lead to rewarding careers??? What kind of radical are you? Here's a degree that is FAR more valuable:

The Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice (GRSJ) offers an undergraduate Major and Minor program that incorporates research and theories from the social sciences, humanities, science, education and law, to provide students with an interdisciplinary understanding of global and local social justice issues. Areas of study include: critical race theory, ethnic studies, indigenous studies, media studies, feminist politics and methodologies, health, history and autobiography, international development, literature/film and cultural studies, migration and racialization, gender, sexuality, social justice, social policy and community action.

http://grsj.arts.ubc.ca/undergraduate/

Imagine you are a parent, and you scrimp and save so that your child can one day go to university, and you put away enough for an under-graduate degree at great sacrifice to yourself including foregoing retirement and vacations etc., and THIS is the degree that little Johnny comes away with. What is he supposed to do with this? Be a professional protestor? What does this degree prepare any kid for in the real world? At all? Would you feel that all of that sacrifice to ensure your child received a university education was worth it? If so, why? Wouldn't you feel horribly let down? Embarrassed? Depressed? I am just asking these questions. As taxpayers, we are all subsidizing this leftist propaganda and student brain-washing. Do we get any say in this? Who determined that our tax dollars could be spent on degrees like this? Where is the value to society here?

[MCB]

I apologize for the poorly written rant earlier, but I've been looking for work since March and it's been extremely frustrating trying to figure out why I can't get in the door. I need to come clean and say that prior to starting this whole process of trying to change careers, I worked as a welder in various shops for 10 years and on paper my employment history looks exactly like what Tyler describes. I thought branching into millwrighting would offer more challenges and that my background in welding would be an asset for an employer, but that hasn't been the case. In terms of career, I should have made better decisions and I'm living in the consequence of my actions.

It used to be that you could show up to a company with a resume in hand, do an interview and test and they would hire you almost on the spot. I was talking with one of the welding instructors during part of the millwrighting course and he was saying they keep shortening and compressing the length of the courses. Like Viking says, students aren't getting the training they need before being sent out into the work force and I know for a FACT that in a lot of cases (especially heavy industrial environments) that apprentices are viewed as a liability and the statistics on WorksafeBC will back up this claim.

https://www.worksafebc.com/en/health-safety/education-training-certification/young-new-worker/statistics

Having taken a course with those a generation younger than myself, I will say that there are some very young and very bright minds that want to work in the trades, but in certain fields the opportunity just isn't there for them. It's a real shame to see them not getting the level of training they need to be employable.

[fluffy]

It may be that what you're feeling is more a sign of economic times than a failure of the system.

[Rwede]

It may be that what you're feeling is more a sign of economic times than a failure of the system.

I have to agree with fluff to some degree, as lots of sectors are suffering under the Trudeau government's job-killing policies.

Investment in bigger projects is non-existent, as companies look to more competitive jurisdictions that are lower taxes to encourage investment instead of slapping ridiculous carbon and other taxes on struggling companies. These bigger projects are typically the ones that hire lots of trades for construction and ongoing maintenance jobs.

[fluffy]

I don't think people realize how much of the western economy is tied to the oilpatch, and how much the price crash there has affected things in general even here. There just isn't as much disposable income around right now. As far as apprentices vs. journeymen, I think that's tied to the market as well, when I went through the apprenticeship there were requirements to have journeymen on site before you could hire apprentices, so the business needs to be busy enough to need the extra bodies around.

[Muzza]

It used to be that you could show up to a company with a resume in hand, do an interview and test and they would hire you almost on the spot.

I feel for you, as in 2003, with a wife and son to support, along with a mortgage, I could get no work in my field within North America. Therefore, I applied in other countries, and ended up getting a job in the Czech Republic. While it was a challenge and a struggle at times, it was so worth it. I learned so much from the experience. I would have liked to stayed longer, but for family reasons we decided to move back. As the job opportunities were improving here, I was able to get a job fairly quickly.

What I'm saying is, if you can't get a job here, don't be afraid of moving to another country for a while. It doesn't matter if you have kids because as long as it is not long term, they will keep their friends here. Yes, it is not easy, but will be worth it!!!