Gold - What Happened?

My dad was a wireman for Westinghouse in the aerospace division. We did many things like wire an airplane wingtip to wingtip and nose to tail. He built computers when they occupied an entire room and did less than your desktop.

He built the first set of space walkie-talkies on the Gemini missions. He also worked on lunar cameras from the Apollo missions. Even way back then he had to show and explain to engineers how the thing worked. Most engineers are overpaid and have very little knowledge of how to do the job.

 

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Yeah, my VPs used to ask me how I put together such a strong team of engineers in my department of 100 people.

I said I simply picked smart, capable, motivated individuals and provided them the tools and support to do their job well.

I know, a novel concept these days.

 

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Where I worked in engineering, many "older" workers were targeted for attrition, in favor of cheap H1B engineers. These "engineers" couldn't change a burned out tail light bulb.

If there's a shortage of engineers, then maybe our education system isn't working?[/QUOTE]

Due to shortages my company is offering an incentive to older engineers (and new parents) to keep them by offering the ability to go down to 20 hours a week (half time) and still retain benefits (health, holidays, etc). In about 5 years I will take advantage of this program and begin a phased transition to full retirement over 4 more years - Health willing.

As for the education system - its clear that engineering is a very difficult program and not glamorous or trendy. Students would rather go into other easier fields of study or ones with higher "status".

 

I've often said I'd gladly take a 50% pay cut in exchange for a 50% hours cut -- as long as the health-care benefits remain the same. Which, of course, they don't, unless your company goes above and beyond. It's been far more common for companies to cut back your hours "some" -- just enough to take you out of eligibility for those benefits.

 

Such a novel concept. Kinda like hiring a cement truck driver to do your dental work.

 

Where I worked in engineering, many "older" workers were targeted for attrition, in favor of cheap H1B engineers. These "engineers" couldn't change a burned out tail light bulb.

If there's a shortage of engineers, then maybe our education system isn't working?[/QUOTE]

Due to shortages my company is offering an incentive to older engineers (and new parents) to keep them by offering the ability to go down to 20 hours a week (half time) and still retain benefits (health, holidays, etc). In about 5 years I will take advantage of this program and begin a phased transition to full retirement over 4 more years - Health willing.

As for the education system - its clear that engineering is a very difficult program and not glamorous or trendy. Students would rather go into other easier fields of study or ones with higher "status".[/QUOTE]

Well said and understood.

However, our understanding of "older" workers might differ. I'm referring to the well seasoned 50s folks.

Literally, unhirable...

 

?

 

To me that's my idea of retirement. It's been 5 years since I retired and I don't miss anything about my old job or skill set. I spent too much of my time thinking about my job instead of all the wonderful things around me that I took for granted. I look at retirement as being a time to reinvent ones self without looking back.

 

People that can’t do the job but are hired to do it anyway.

 

I sense the sarcasm but the end result seems pretty ugly!

 

You got it!

 

Wow, I also took an early retirement 5 years ago, and I can't say I miss the metro Detroit rat race.

That's why I got re engaged with numismatics and the outdoors!

 

Damn, $1730 right now! How do we stop the bleeding?? j/k Honestly, I'm not that worried about it, not yet anyways!

 

Me too! But it's getting there!

 

Hopefully, @CamaroDMD isn't also in the concrete business!

 

Let’s hope not. I’ve of my cousins married an engineer and while being a very nice and likable person, he’s dumber than a door nail.

 

Yep, I've found there's not a lot of middle ground with engineers, they either have it or they don't!

 

Confucius say, When the rollercoaster starts to look more like a tsunami...

 

And that’s exactly what I mean.

 

One of my best guys is a retired engineer. He is older than me and has an attitude and work ethic I don’t get from my younger employees…. I love his coffee cup. It says, “I am an engineer. Let’s just assume I am right”…. Cracks me up.