A disappearing trade? real toolmakers

[JROM]

I finished my apprenticship in 1980.
I am in southern Ca. (read alot of people)
Only 14 people gradutated in my class, and the numbers have gone down from there. My question is, who out there is training new people in the trade? We all know how hard it is to find people who know what they are doing. It seems to me that no one is training any more. It worries me alot. If we as Americans can't build things anymore all is lost I fear. Your coments please!

[5axisguy]

We are a moldmaking shop in the midwest, we notice the same trend, the technical school I came from has had very poor attendence the last few years, it seems as if all the youngsters are going into nursing or some part of the medical field. Our shop is very busy now and it's really hard to get a good toolmaker, try to find one on second shift is almost impossible. It is very disturbing to not see the young apprentices apply for jobs like they have in the past.

[Switcher]

When large corp. relocate jobs, the training also relocates (China, Mexico, India, etc...)

Not much of an incentive for young Americans to search out training, If the jobs are in the process of being sent over seas.

My plant just moved 20 jobs, another 20 in late Sept., the rest in mid July 2008.


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[Karl_T]

You have to speak Chinese to be a toolmaker today.

Considering what quality of equipment those folks are working with on the other side of the world, there must be some seriously skilled people in China. When they start to get a decent infrastructure going (and they will) they will kick our butt.

All that will be left here is fast food service, cleaning, accounting, laywers, etc.

Karl

[DareBee]

I still train the occosional Tool & Die Maker but I have WAY more demand for Millwrights.
I am also being bombarded with resumes from mouldmakers, huh, I wonder why? (not).

[dertsap]

there must be some seriously skilled people in China. When they start to get a decent infrastructure going (and they will) they will kick our butt.

All that will be left here is fast food service, cleaning, accounting, laywers, etc.

Karl

no theres not seriously skilled labour in china ,just lots of labour in china ,

there is good reason why parts that were pulled from our shop then sent to china came back in our door to be reworked and fixed (at a heavy premium)