The New Michigan Manufacturing Jobs

[geo in mi]

Here's a look at the future. Not much room anymore for non-skilled workers. Heads up, high schoolers!

http://www.fox17online.com/news/fox-...,6596480.story

And if you can combine that with a homesteading style.......

Thoughts?

[blooba]

Ok, so we are supposed to pay $2-5k dollars probably to become trained to become a "battery technician" for the only plant in this country? What ever happened to OJT? Whats next they will expect you to be experienced in this job?

Thats the thing that really bugs me. Everyone wants you to be experienced or have a college degree. If I was independently wealthy to afford college I wouldn't be looking for a job....lol

If I went to college for every job I have had and the company went bankrupt or laid off due to sending the jobs overseas, I would have hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans to pay off.

They need to start investing in their employees and train them and give them enough pay and benefits to retain them. Problem solved.

[gunsmithgirl]

1500 jobs are not much vs. the number of unemployed here in MI.

[blooba]

Originally Posted by gunsmithgirl

1500 jobs are not much vs. the number of unemployed here in MI.

What you talking bout? 1500 outta 3,831,000 is huge.......lol

[Ray]

things have gotten just like the old Soviet Union, in that the STATE screens all applicants and decides whether you even get an interview or not! back in the 80's the states started giving companies tax credits if they would make applicants go through the unemployment office to get an job interview, and refused to talk to anyone unless they were sent by the State. Before that time you could go door to door and apply for jobs. many times if you could get to talk to the company they would hire you because they liked your personality, and ability to communicate and could see that you were the type person they wanted. Not anymore you gotta get a permission slip from the State to even go on the property to get a job interview. The State employment offices have worked their magic to take over employment in america so now you MUST have a slip from them even to talk to someone in most companies. Now a person earning far less than the job you are trying to get an interview for is deciding whether you even get a chance to get an interview. Before long the State will control every aspect of our lives like it or not, just an observation from where I am, best wishes, ray

[salmonslayer]

Now a person earning far less than the job you are trying to get an interview for is deciding whether you even get a chance to get an interview.

I wouldnt count on the fact they earn far less...government employment still pays pretty well and has good benefits.

[blooba]

Originally Posted by salmonslayer

I wouldnt count on the fact they earn far less...government employment still pays pretty well and has good benefits.

Not ALL government employment pays well. My father works for the WVDA and only makes about $9/hr although he does nothing, works from home(closed the office because nobody was showing up) He only really works 2-3 months outta the year and gets paid $20k/yr salary. He has to fill out a daily activity log and the only thing he puts in it on most days is that he filled out the daily activity log. Some of his co-workers have been fired for getting a second job and working it while they are supposed to be working for the state.

On the other hand, I have other relatives that work for OHDC and get paid $80k/yr and earn 2.5 vacation days a week due to their length of employment. It all depends on what agency your working for, when you were hired and how long you've been there. Most new government employees make nowhere near what the old timers used/are getting paid.

[salmonslayer]

My wife is a department supervisor for the state, she has a degree and makes pretty good money but its the benefits and security that are really top of the line (She has less than 3 months to retirement which is the only reason we are still in Alaska).

It is strange how they compensate though, there are many positions that require advanced degrees that pay the equivalent of $15.00 - $18.00 an hour (low for professional jobs in Alaska) while you can have a GED and make $30.00 an hour in others. There are absolutely no jobs where our farm is in Missouri and I can only hope to get a low wage job to supplement the bills.

[Curtis B]

I would be willing to bet that the gov is doing all they are to get business back in the state. It costs a ton of money to hire people, and if the gov is the begining, they are weeding out some of the people to help cut the costs for JCI and the others. I bet the new companies have shelled out very little in the way of land, taxes, and construction. You still can't say much bad about new jobs in Michigan.

[ronbre]

not only is My State, Michigan, attempting to get business, but also providiing the training to the people to upgrade their education to be able to work in those businesses, by helping to pay for the training of unemployed persons.
sure it isn't every unemployed person, but the state has the "no worker left behind" program that offers education to any unemployed person to upgrade their education to get a better job of some kind, if the worker wants to get that education..while still getting unemployment benefits..

i'm not a big fan of our governor..but i am a big fan of the work she has done to bring in these jobs and educational benefits

[michigander]

Michigan is always the first to know when the economy is going bad and the last to know when it gets better! Living close to the now defunked Wurtsmith Air force base I've heard lots of well meaning plans of luring in business to fill the many empty buildings, the few that tried (other than Kelleta Air) have been fly by night with little to offer above min. wage. I've learned to live like po- folk, well time to make sure the rabbits water hasn't froze before I hit the hay!

[7thswan]

Originally Posted by michigander

Michigan is always the first to know when the economy is going bad and the last to know when it gets better! Living close to the now defunked Wurtsmith Air force base I've heard lots of well meaning plans of luring in business to fill the many empty buildings, the few that tried (other than Kelleta Air) have been fly by night with little to offer above min. wage. I've learned to live like po- folk, well time to make sure the rabbits water hasn't froze before I hit the hay!

Hello, Michigander. Welcome to HT.

[Beeman]

I never heard what this highly skilled manufacturing job was going to pay, all 25 positions. It seems more like a pitch for the community college to take your money for a non-credit course so you can get a lottery ticket for a job. How high has MI lifted it's skirt to attract these mythical jobs? How much is it going to cost the MI residents in the long run? These companies are playing all of these desperate states against each other with politicians willing to give away the farm for a photo op.
I'd be willing to bet I could make more with a hot dog stand outside the plant then I could make at the manufacturing job.

[ronbre]

anything is better than nothing at all..our only large factory in our town has been closed down for years..sits empty

[michigander]

Originally Posted by 7thswan

Hello, Michigander. Welcome to HT.

For the welcome- been on HT for a while now as a regular luker but had to chime in on the mich. jobs (or lack of) thread

[Beeman]

Originally Posted by ronbre

anything is better than nothing at all..our only large factory in our town has been closed down for years..sits empty

Actually, no it's not. none of these states or towns seem to have the initiative to get something going on their own. For some reason our states have become a bunch of pimps that prostitute their residents to any and every company that promises jobs. From experience I have seen what these so called jobs become. After the classes at the college and the ribbon cutting all subsidized with fed grant money somehow it quickly turns to garbage. The company starts turning to temp help and abusing the work force, expecially the it's better then nothing crowd. They use and abuse all of the free stuff they can and usually threaten with relocating to a cheaper area that's offering them more free stuff. And down and down we go.

I didn't do the research but are these American owned and operated companies?

[Curtis B]

Originally Posted by Beeman

I didn't do the research but are these American owned and operated companies?

I don't know about all of them, but Johnson Controls is. They are huge, and I believe in most if not all places union (good or bad, your choice). In my experiance, they seem to be a good company to work for, but I have really only dealt with the HVAC, and energy management branches.

[geo in mi]

Thanks for all the comments. I had hoped, though, to find some who could suggest ways that a homesteading lifestyle might ease the problems of those caught in this crunch. The usual, fend for yourself, get frugal, grow and fix your own food, home gardening, self reliance, etc. I somehow get the feeling that many, many, folks may be in a state of denial, or shock, or numbness, or dumbness, still. I'm beginning to think the old frog in the kettle story is true here. The water is getting hotter, but nothing seems to be happening.

I just checked the gardening section of the local library. Doesn't seem to be any increase in circulation, even with "Back to the Basics", or 'Victory Garden" books, the ones you would think to be the 'go to' books. I don't see the seed packets flying off the racks at the BB stores, either--where you could figure 'first timers' would go to as a source.

And, I'm surprised, that there haven't been many positive, "It's doable" kind of remarks. The Johnson Control ad seems to be a harbinger(big word, huh?) of things to come. No more room for the unskilled or uneducated. No more 'ripple effects' like in the old automotive days. The economy and wages will come back at a much lower level than they were in the heyday. Do you think the homesteading kind of lifestyle will be of any help or can be dovetailed into the new economy? And, have you seen any evidence that anyone is doing that? I certainly hope so, but honestly, I'm beginning to think the frog is nearly cooked.

I already know it's Communistic, I already know the politicians are in cahoots with the big corps, I already know these companies are foreign-owned, I know it's unfair to anyone who can't afford the education. I already know someone else is to blame. But that was yesterday. What things can be done now? Anyone? Anyone?

[Curtis B]

People are LAZY now a days. I see it first hand every day as I try to hire people for positions I have available. I have heard it all.... I only want to work first shift.....No, I can't work weekends....... I will take the job if I can make $18 an hour...... Sorry, I can make that much on unemployment and not work..... and on and on. I am begining to believe that people need to be forced into trying to help themselves. I have seen the same as you around here, self reliance and helping yourself rather than holding your hand out have not caught on yet. I have had to fire four people in the last year for STEALING from the company, one of them after two days at work, and they none of them showed regret. I come to HT, because most people here are not the same as what I see day in and day out, they want to help themselves, and others. Too bad society isn't more like that. Can you tell I am a Glass is half empty sort of person.

[rxkeith]

people who are going to get ahead in this economy will be the outside the box thinkers, entrepreneurs who start their own company. very few people will come out ahead competing for the few jobs out there. a friend of mine got fed up with his job and quit. he now has an in home doggie day care, and pet sitting service, and is doing well. much happier too. at an unschooling conference we went to in ohio recently, john taylor gatto spoke of a girl in her early teens selling knitted products that women made. she flew her mom to paris with some of the earnings. see a niche, or create a niche. see a need and fill it.

i think there is a big potential for green technology in this country. europe is way ahead of us in that field. i also read mayor dave bing is going to create some urban farms in detroit. i don't know how big that project will be. the city sure could use the jobs, and the people a source for local produce.

i just don't have a lot of faith in the government creating jobs for us outside of joining the military.


keith