DOL Video Challenge: "High wage" occupations
I received an email today from the Department of Labor video challenge, stating the following in the email:
"The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has identified 15 high-wage and high-growth occupations DOL is excited to share with the public! Members of the public are invited to produce short videos focusing on the daily activities, necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as the career pathways of one of these 15 occupations."
So when I look at what the ETA says are 15 high-wage and high-growth occupations, I'm somewhat mystified. See the left-side column on this page:
http://dolvideochallenge.ideascale.com/?s=2
Among these occupations are: Boilermakers, Carpenters, A/C & refrigeration mechanics, plumbers, solar/thermal installers, weatherization installers, and computer support specialists.
I don't particularly view these ETA-anointed occupations as high-wage and high-growth. Is it me?
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Comments
That's scarily out of touch
That's scarily out of touch for the DOL. Granted that some of the medical fields may be higher growth opportunities, although not particularly high-wage, a "steamfitter" is dependent on large-scale construction that has been diminishing for many years. Weatherization installers and biofuels techs may be slightly more in demand than in the past, but hardly high-growth, and surely not high-wage.
Wayne C. Vermillion
Instructional Designer/Project Manager
In declining economies
In declining economies people are often forced to make due with old heating, plumbing and A/C systems instead of replacing them so only repair work will flourish. Most of the new construction work these days is done by illegals, and with the Obama administration ready to back-door through amnesty even the repair jobs will be glutted with cheap labor for years.
And computer support specialist jobs are going to be increasingly a thing of the past not because computers are going away... but because computers are now a commodity that is cheap enough when they break people just throw them away and things like setting up simple networks and installing PCs is easy enough and the knowledge is common enough that people will just be expected to fend for themselves rather than calling in an expert.
I'm not saying that any of these jobs will go away, just that there won't be growth in their numbers and even less in their wages -- in fact the opposite, I think they will generally decline.
It's not you, Matt.
It's not you, Matt.