Mike Rowe testifies before Congress

[Lee Ludden]

Here is a video on Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs giving his testimony before Congress. I'm sure he is preaching to the choir here, but it is good to hear.

[glenn bradley]

Good stuff, Maynard.

[Rod Sheridan]

Glad to hear that it's just not us Canadians who have also fallen into that trap..........I always told my kids that they needed one of the following;

- a trade certificate

- a college diploma

-a university degree

and that it didn't matter which one, as long as they enjoyed their occupation.

Regards, Rod.

[Bruce Page]

I have just become a huge Mike Rowe fan!
Thanks for posting that Lee!

[Keith Outten]

It is time we returned to our roots here in America. Our infrastructure is crumbling and we don't have enough skilled trades to rebuild even if we did have the funds. We have seen a continuos degrade in the perceived value of a skilled workforce for a hundred years, this includes teachers in our primary schools.

I hope that I live long enough to see this trend reversed.
.

[Brian Elfert]

I don't understand how we don't have enough manpower to rebuild our infrastructure? The construction industry has unemployment in excess of 50% right now. Road and bridge projects are generally coming in well under estimates because contractors are hungry for work. The state of Minnesota has a few hundred million in money saved from low bids they may invest in pavement repairs instead.

I wouldn't really blame any high school senior who decided not to pursue a skilled construction trade due to lack of work right now. In five years it might be different as senior citizens retire in droves. then again, it might not be any different if there is no money to fund construction.

[Jason Roehl]

Keith, I know you have a couple decades or so on me, and I hope to live long enough to see the trend reversed. I could probably be the poster child of why it's so wrong to push higher education on everyone. I certainly had every good educational opportunity, some better than most. My parents encouraged it strongly as well--they both were essentially the first ones in their family to "make it". That is, they were both raised on farms, but ended up in college; Dad in chemical engineering, Mom in nursing. Mom became a housewife at some point around the time they became parents, and Dad eventually moved into management. While he often did DIY projects around the house when I was young, what I remember hearing from him was, "Study hard, get a good job, and you won't have to do this." Then he wouldn't let me help.

After over 3 years in college, I finally got kicked out due to grades (lack of interest...), and while I may occasionally have some regrets, I am now self-employed with much more freedom and much less stress than I would have had with the desk job for which I was headed. I may not be rich (far from it), but I have acquired many skills in the arena of self-sufficiency, and certainly hope to pass that on to my children, even if they do go into a more scholarly profession.

I read an article not too long ago that people in the construction and manufacturing sectors who work with their hands building things have a greater sense of productivity and satisfaction at the end of every day. I can attest to the sense of satisfaction one gets when completing a job, knowing it was done well and provided value to the customer.

My hat's off to you, Mike Rowe. Thanks for the advocacy.

[David Helm]

There is a combination of things that make for this problem. Lack of focus on the important things as Mike pointed out so eloquently. There is also a lack of respect for the skilled trades that keeps the pay level down. Many construction workers get paid considerably less than people in "office" work. The skill required is often higher than just about any other occupation.

[Glenn Clabo]

When's the last time you thanked someone for making your life livable? Not just with a check...or a tip...but with a eye to eye thank you?
I believe it's more basic than just "those who work with their hands"...which is a statement I have always hated anyway.
I believe it's simply a lack of respect. When I was young my dad always told me to watch people work...so I could learn how. Not actually what they were doing...but that they were doing something that required some type of skill. He taught me to respect what everyone did. I've learned why he tried to do that...it's because respect is what everyone needs to be human. Today...people take great joy in putting down those who are just trying to do their job. The government worker does nothing but take taxpayers money...police are out to get people...teachers have it easy...professors are people who can't do anything...lawyers are ambulance chasers...and on and on. I've been a carpenter...machinist...sailor...government worker and now a retiree. Through it all...all the vast majority of those around me wanted was to be respected for what they do...or have done.

[David Helm]

You said it well Glenn

[Jay Jolliffe]

We moved from Mass. to Maine eight years ago. Thank you are two words that people don't say to often up here. .....

[Gary Hodgin]

Hope education officials listen to this. Unfortunately, we have far too many young men and women who fall through the cracks of our education system and leave ill prepared for college and with no technical skills to rely upon.

A lot of this stems from our society that views manual level and trades as menial work with little value. Fifty years ago work was honored even if the pay was low. Today, well paid white collar jobs are about all that's honored. Folks with trade skills who earn a good living are still viewed by many as sort of second class. Folks with low paying, low skill jobs are viewed as third class, basically no different from those who won't work. As long as that continues, more will decide not to work.

We're going to need a lot of skilled tradesmen and medical personnel, especially jobs like nursing home attendants and home health attendants. These latter jobs difficult, dirty, and don't pay much, but good workers in these areas mean a lot to the quality of life.

Thanks for the post!

[David Larsen]

Can't we have it all?

I have a degree and a professional job that isn't skilled manual labor. I am able to provide financially for my family and still be able to fix things when they break. My part-time job is skilled manual labor. One job might be building someone a new house. The next might be installing a door knob. It gives me great satisfaction to have attained a professional career. I also get great satisfaction from working with my hands and building things or fixing something that isn't working.

I think part of our failure is making it too easy for our kids. As parents, I think we need to pass along our skills and knowledge. The children can fit this in with their other studies. If we don't teach them, they will lose the ability and will have to "pay the plumber". Yes, it will require manual work on their part, but I think a lot of us have lost the concept of what real work is. I am sure most of you have heard the stories from a parent or grandparent about how hard they had to work growing up. Our kids don't have those memories. If you have to hire someone to fix something everytime it breaks, then you are teaching your kids to do the same thing. Teach the kids to fix it themselves or at least give them enough confidence to at least try.

We have a shops full of tools that can fix or build just about anything, but we still have to teach our kids how to use those tools.

[Neal Clayton]

When's the last time you thanked someone for making your life livable? Not just with a check...or a tip...but with a eye to eye thank you?
I believe it's more basic than just "those who work with their hands"...which is a statement I have always hated anyway.
I believe it's simply a lack of respect

me personally? all the time. admittedly i do most of the work around the house myself. but when i hire someone else, i work around their schedule, they don't work around mine. i usually buy em lunch if i'm home. i never wait for the bill to come in the mail it gets paid the day they leave, and i usually offer to pay cash. if they are struggling to find work they can call me, and i'll check around the neighborhood and find some for them if i can. i call and check on em after they're gone to make sure they're doing ok.

that all seems like common courtesy, but maybe it's just me...

[Karl Card]

Keith, I know you have a couple decades or so on me, and I hope to live long enough to see the trend reversed. I could probably be the poster child of why it's so wrong to push higher education on everyone. I certainly had every good educational opportunity, some better than most. My parents encouraged it strongly as well--they both were essentially the first ones in their family to "make it". That is, they were both raised on farms, but ended up in college; Dad in chemical engineering, Mom in nursing. Mom became a housewife at some point around the time they became parents, and Dad eventually moved into management. While he often did DIY projects around the house when I was young, what I remember hearing from him was, "Study hard, get a good job, and you won't have to do this." Then he wouldn't let me help.

After over 3 years in college, I finally got kicked out due to grades (lack of interest...), and while I may occasionally have some regrets, I am now self-employed with much more freedom and much less stress than I would have had with the desk job for which I was headed. I may not be rich (far from it), but I have acquired many skills in the arena of self-sufficiency, and certainly hope to pass that on to my children, even if they do go into a more scholarly profession.

I read an article not too long ago that people in the construction and manufacturing sectors who work with their hands building things have a greater sense of productivity and satisfaction at the end of every day. I can attest to the sense of satisfaction one gets when completing a job, knowing it was done well and provided value to the customer.

My hat's off to you, Mike Rowe. Thanks for the advocacy.

I have done construction work from simple houses to fancy houses to firehouses. Yes I agree with you that most people that are involved in building something like that take alot of pride and it is neat to be with wife/girlfirend/spouse/children and be able point out that "I built that" etc... Money is good but self esteem and pride sure do feel great too..