Is Tool Making Your Passion?- How do we help new recruits get into the trade

We are looking for idea's on how to help get the new generation into the trades. How can we help ,as this is very important for our country in many ways. Please make comments and suggestions and tell us what you think of some of the idea's we are currently working on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3Hia9PrhUo&list=UUrUM7Q29YDCs-zDrc1QRKQQ

Don Bailey said:

We are looking for idea's on how to help get the new generation into the trades. How can we help ,as this is very important for our country in many ways. Please make comments and suggestions and tell us what you think of some of the idea's we are currently working on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3Hia9PrhUo&list=UUrUM7Q29YDCs-zDrc1QRKQQ

Click to expand...

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as someone who went to a high school with a trade program (machinist, electrician, carpenter, plumber, etc)
.......i see no problem what ever not being able to hire kids right out of school. you have no high schools ?
...or your schools do not teach any trades ?....... i say your problem starts with your schools

1) 9th grade students take each trade(classes) a month and research job potential hiring rate, pay rates, etc
2) end of 9th year they apply for 3 trades they pick, might not get 1st pick if class full and they have bad grades
3) 12th grade co op program student works 1/2 day in factory at least a few days a week. co op jobs
are a reward for better students with good attendance. definitely do not give co op jobs to bottom half
of class.
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high school needs to allow skipping gym class, 12th year english, etc for classes that there are jobs for
that pay money. by the 9th year high school the student should already know what jobs are out there
and have picked a career path.......... what exactly do they teach in your schools??

DMF_TomB said:

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as someone who went to a high school with a trade program (machinist, electrician, carpenter, plumber, etc)
.......i see no problem what ever not being able to hire kids right out of school. you have no high schools ?
...or your schools do not teach any trades ?....... i say your problem starts with your schools

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High schools don't have nursing or teaching programs, but there is no shortage of people in either profession.

I think you need to show them fast heavy sparky cuts. Show them how mfg takes us to the moon and mars. Show them how one can measure to within millionths of an inch... show them how small a millionth of an inch is... highlight the extremes of every facet in our industry. action action. Don't make it about money... no matter how much you make money will always be an issue and we spend most our waking lives at "work". The real performers in the work place want to be there, and not necessarily for the money.

How do we help recruit...? I don't really know. I think it's either in there or not.

I was about 8 or 10 years old when my dad gave me my first tool box. Hammer, saw, screwdriver, pliers, probably a couple more. And a few scraps of wood and some nails. I was in instant pig's heaven and couldn't wait for morning when I could get outside and make something.

I have been like that ever since. I LIKE making things. It's just like that, I like it.

So, years later I gave my son a tool box. Nothing. It was not in there. But video games.....

I should have given one to my daughter, but that is another story and I missed that opportunity.

Tom
We are also looking to work with the k12 and the skill centers as well.

It will not be there for everyone , but it will be hard to earn a living playing video games. Somehow , these kids need inspiration and direction.

This is something I've pondered for many years. I've reached the conclusion the drive to do this work is something you're simply born with. EVERYONE I meet who say they would be interested in doing this work can't stand the "tedium." Everyone it seems is after instant gratification which, as we all know, ain't gonna happen in a machine shop - even with the latest in CNC machinery. Everyone seems fascinated with the product(s) once produced, but when they learn what what into it the reaction is always the same, "Oh, screw that!"

As far as I know I'm the only guy in my high school metal working class to open a shop. My metal working instructor stops in about three times a month on average. He and I kick around the idea of setting up a school of sorts for the welding and machining trades, but nothing gets serious. He constantly complains about how things went down hill with the kids since I was in high school. Kids reach his class with NO writing skills and very little math skills. He allowed me to see some papers he asked his students to write and it was shameful how these kids were passed on. He also commented on how on numerous occasions mothers would show up to see what little Johnny was doing and have a panic attack when she saw him strike up a OA torch. Then tell him (instructor) how she thought that was just too dangerous for little Johnny to be doing and even run to the school board to complain. The metal working instructor claims the principal (female) stated she would love to clean out that room and teach dance in there instead.

I've had kids in here before and put on a dog and pony show with all the equipment. Let them belly up to a CNC machine and watch it make chips. Walk them through a few button pushing sequences to allow them to control the machine themselves. There were oohs and ahhs but I've yet to see one come back and say he/she would like to learn more about it.

I agree - don't use money as the lure...

Will be interesting to see what ideas come up here.

show them how machines make firearms.... show them how gunsmiths use manual machines to make firearms even better. (video games- guns)
Kids like " bad ass"... give machining a "bad ass" image...
violence isn't the answer but guns may be

allloutmx said:

show them how machines make firearms.... show them how gunsmiths use manual machines to make firearms even better. (video games- guns)

violence isn't the answer but guns may be

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I have even put together a little project with electronics and an enclosure. It was an electronic dice thingy. Push a button and a random pattern of illuminated LEDs was generated as if you had rolled the dice. We did it all from machining the enclosure to soldering the components to the PCB. Again, oohs and ahhs but no beaten path to the door...

After thinking on it some more...
I agree with EPA mainly because of what Wayne said. Remember this is just my opinion and all due respect wayne. Automated systems, such as your dice thingy are neat, but to me, not my cup of bad assery. So back to what EPA said about it either its there or its not... In order to appeal to your demographic, you would have to find what is trending in that location, and find a way to relate that back to the mfg process.

As far as the young mans crowd goes... Its guns/knives and tuned up cars short on displacement. Two markets that have always played a roll in mfg. Automotive and defense.

There are plenty out there that have it... Some guys are going to like the robotics, some guys are going to like WEDM, etc etc

The most difficult part maybe convincing a young buck, that standing in front of a machine running production for a few years till youve proved your worth the investment. There are plenty of jobs out there but not a ton where you just walk into an apprenticeship.

I had a good expierience with my state appenticeship program... Most of that is gone now too, but to me it was a smarter choice than college. Almost as good as union, lol, education and guarnteed raises.

Start 'em off with a story: you've been chosen to be one of the astronauts to go to Mars. The trip takes a couple of years each way. You're going to have some equipment failures while you're there, and you need to SURVIVE. Fortunately, NASA set up an entire machine shop and sent it with you. Here's how you take apart stuff....and here is how you fix stuff.....the welder, the lathe, mill. Improvise and make up some kind of unique life saving thingy that you have to have on Mars....maybe a robot to go outside and pick up your keys

"We are looking for idea's on how to help get the new generation into the trades. "

Who's "We?"

Probably the best way is to show students that there's a good career at the end of the
tunnel. Show them that they can make a living wage, not just burger-flipping money.
Show them there's a chance that if they work hard, they can earn $100K in a year.

Do that and you'll have students lined up. I'll clue you in on a dirty little secret: if you
do that, you'll have all the old-timers who gave up on this career path because the money
just wasn't there.

1. Money talks.

2. Think outside the box for finding people.

Instagram

Makerspaces and Hackerspaces

Internships, and don't exclude college job fairs for these

Leverage 3D printing, the people in this community look up to those who can make "real parts"

3. Don't be a condescending prick; try listening more than you talk. Just because you're old and bitter doesn't mean you can't learn something from the people you hire. Oh wait, that actually applies for ALL hiring.

allloutmx said:

After thinking on it some more...
I agree with EPA mainly because of what Wayne said. Remember this is just my opinion and all due respect wayne. Automated systems, such as your dice thingy are neat, but to me, not my cup of bad assery. So back to what EPA said about it either its there or its not... In order to appeal to your demographic, you would have to find what is trending in that location, and find a way to relate that back to the mfg process...

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No offense taken. This is a discussion. Hope it remains so. My line of thinking with the electronic gizmo route is kids like to see blinking lights. I was attempting to kill two birds there. One being exposure to electronics, the other machining. As it requires both to mfg those video games the kids love.

I would tend to agree with you on the cars and guns. Things that go fast and go boom usually get a young man's attention. As far as the automotive angle (not to create a contradiction with you or your idea) my experience has been lots of pretty boys want the fast cars (compact or guzzlers) but almost always have someone else do the work on them. Having said that there is a void for a GOOD automotive machinist in my area. And, with the current frantic state of the American mentality 'guns' is a four letter word nowadays. Can't mention it without a crap storm raining down on you.

And, Jim Rozen has a good point unless I've totally misunderstood him. There's really no money in this as an employee. Not much better as a shop owner. At least not in my locale. Perhaps back up in the rust belt, but I have ZERO experience with that area. For example, there's a rail car plant that's just re-opened nearby. Welding jobs advertised at $18/hr. (I'm sure that's no where near what can be knocked down in the ND oil fields right now.) Who wants to sweat their ass off in the heat of summer welding 3/4" plate for $18/hr when they can push buttons making tires in a climate controlled building for the same money? Where's the profit to be had boring engine cylinders at $15/hole? (That rate may be a bit dated.)

I was hoping my earlier ramblings came across as being in agreement with EPA. I too was turning wrenches around age 8-9. I was fascinated with how EVERYTHING worked. But, I've yet to find like minded individuals. My attempts to get others (kids) involved have met the same result as EPA's... Felt like a waste of time.

As with you these are my opinions, and to others reading if my figures are at fault please bring to my attention.

I think the problem is people assume there is nobody interested in the trade even when there are kids like me so interested in the trade but couldn't find anywhere to work so I bought my own machinery.

Inagoes - Sounds like you need to hit Don Bailey up for a summer job and live out back of his building. Might make your dream of having a shop move along faster too!

Here you go Don - Iniagoes is raring to go - can't ask for much more than that in a kid!

Brent

In the summer i will either be working and a tool and die company or in basic training.

"Train up a child in the way he should go..."

I take that to mean we should be observant of a child's natural interests. Simply find that interest and nurture it.

But to do so requires proper parenting - that's going to be difficult when 6 out of 10 homes you drive by today have a marriage ending in divorce.

I forget who the author was, but they made the observation that the only defect in the human being is how we raise our children.

No one in 9th grade should have already "picked their career path"

Kids need to be exposed to lots of things and go to college. Then decide what they want to do. I thought I wanted to be a grease monkey the rest of my life when I was in the 9th grade. .screw that.

Motorsports-X said:

No one in 9th grade should have already "picked their career path"

Kids need to be exposed to lots of things and go to college. Then decide what they want to do. I thought I wanted to be a grease monkey the rest of my life when I was in the 9th grade. .screw that.

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I think this is one of the problems. Kids spend their entire life growing up hearing about how they "Have to go to college so they don't end up working class like me." from their parents.

Like jim rozen said, you have to show them that grease monkeys and trades people can make an excellent living, if it's something their into.

Don't tell them what they should do, ask them what they wantto do.

That's a great place to start.