Who is going to build the roads?

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Duke of Marmalade

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The Irish Times reports today on a longitudinal survey by the CSO of children since they were 9. They are now 25. The survey finds that "8 out of 10 have full-time jobs and most work in well-paid skilled roles in areas such as professional services, science and technology, industry health and education". Oh, and "more than 60% have a university degree or equivalent".
Hence the question.
 
When we realise that lots of people who "work in well-paid skilled roles" also get their hands dirty and ditch the ridiculous middle-class educational snobbery that sees parents push their kids into pointless and worthless third level courses we might stand a chance of training the people we need.

I've heard it said here that we should force refugees and immigrants to work in construction. You may as well force them to work in IT. It is equally pointless to force unskilled people to try to do jobs that require a high level of skill and construction work requires skill. It's also dirty, hard and relatively dangerous when compared to safe and comfortable jobs such as working in administration or education or healthcare.
 
"well-paid" is a relative term. Would we call people earning below the median well-paid? I don' think so. That suggests that the sample chosen by the CSO are, by definition, not representative.
 
I decided to look for myself. The median income is €25K p.a. and the IT reports that 80% are well-paid! I need a piece of cardboard to write a stiff letter to the IT. And another thing. Half earn less than €25k and yet three quarters save on a regular basis.
 
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If you're living with your parents and have few bills then €558 a week is a good income. My 21 year old daughter is in college and works part time, earning about half that amount, and she saves every month.

That said a 25 year old with a construction trade qualification is getting paid way more than €558 a week.
 
Bear in mind as well that someone on the median wage in Leitrim could have a much more affordable lifestyle then someone in Dublin.

As to who is going to build the roads?. Immigrants. The wheel has turned full circle from the days of the Irish navvie
 
Peanuts20 said:
As to who is going to build the roads?. Immigrants
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There's an international shortage of heave vehicle operators and engineers etc and the other highly skilled people required to build roads. Why do you think those people are going to immigrate here?

...or do you think we should go back to the 1950's and have teams of unskilled men with shovels "digging the roads"?

As I pointed out above suggesting that unskilled labour is the answer to building houses and roads is like suggesting that the same people can fill roles in IT or healthcare.

In fact the perception that jobs in construction are low skilled is probably a big part of the reason why there's a shortage of people in those sectors.
 
My youngest is in second year, I have been talking with him about what he wants to do and of course he doesn't know.

Will gently steer him toward an apprenticeship as an Electrician and see if he bites.

He will be the first in my family not to go to university if he goes down this path.
There are far more opportunities as an Electrician, than with a degree.

A degree is now the new leaving cert and unless it's a Financial or Medical the returns from it aren't what they used to be.
 
Duke of Marmalade said:
well-paid" is a relative term. Would we call people earning below the median well-paid? I don' think so. That suggests that the sample chosen by the CSO are, by definition, not representative.
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I think that is the case with alot of these "surveys", while a majority of 25 year olds may have third level qualifications, most are not highly skilled, only a minority would have skills like medicine, engineering, computer science etc. Most would be working in relatively low skill jobs such as administrative etc where the skill level rises with work experience and some with third level degrees may end up actually building the roads as those jobs pay well. I think it is a myth that we are all highly educated and highly skilled. We are just lucky to have an economy with so much foreign investment and that's what flatters all the statistics
 
Persia said:
Will gently steer him toward an apprenticeship as an Electrician and see if he bites.
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And with a Trade qualification if he wants a change in jobs he can always do a H-Dip and become a secondary school teacher.
 
Persia said:
My youngest is in second year, I have been talking with him about what he wants to do and of course he doesn't know.

Will gently steer him toward an apprenticeship as an Electrician and see if he bites.
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Same as although in my case I'm trying to encourage plumber as a route. Try and get a plumber these days, it's almost like the HSE waiting lists. Not to mention that anyone you do get is as old as myself so it certainly looks like the current shortage will become even more of an issue in the future.
 
It's more physically demanding work than being as electrician and it can be dirty but the money is good.
 
Firefly said:
Agree. I was chatting to our plumber a few years ago and he said this. Going up into attics in your 50s/60s is no fun.
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Retrofitting a down pipe through solid walls in an old house requires a reasonable level of physical strength and fitness.
 
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