[AT] Agricultural Equipment Diagnostic Technicians

[Cecil Bearden]

Here in Oklahoma, where the oil patch has hired most everyone who can 
chew gum and walk at the same time,  finding employees who both work and 
show up 3 days in a row is rare.   The oil patch foreman send out 
requests for contractors.  The ones who show up with the proper PPE and 
can pass a drug test are hired immediately.  As long as they complete 
the job, they don't even have to bid the job, they just send an 
invoice..  That is how bad the labor shortage is here.  Farming is one 
of the professions where there is such a labor shortage some are 
retiring just because they cannot set on a tractor all day and cannot 
find anyone who will.   Back in my day a high school kid could get $2 an 
hour driving a tractor 12-16 hours a day...  The Canadian county 
extension here tells us that a good tractor operator draws $16 an hour.  
Try to find one for that.   The oil patch contractors are paying $25 for 
common laborers.

Personally I think the apprenticeship programs are the way to go.   When 
I graduated high school I could figure out nearly any problem given to 
me.  After college, I was so burned out, I just wanted to pull wrenches 
the rest of my life.   In my opinion, the schools should bring back 
Driver education, Home economics, and automotive shop classes for both 
genders.   Drivers ed and home economics should be required to 
graduate.  So many young people do not have the basic life skills 
needed.  So many are given a driver's license and really cannot drive.   
How many high school graduates are there who can really cook for 
themselves, sew a button on or even patch a shirt or pair of pants?  Run 
a sewing machine without having to call 911???  Change a tire without 
AAA??  It is amazing to me how many young people ( and I mean those in 
their 30's ) have to call someone for the simplest of tasks.

Bringing this back to old tractors.....   I have nearly 25 acres of old 
tractors and trucks and no one to leave it to.  I have collected all 
these neat projects, but I have not found any younger person interested 
in continuing with them.  Scrapping them is just not in my genes.....
Cecil

On 8/26/2019 7:58 AM, James Peck wrote:
> I have probably been drug tested a half dozen times in the last five years.
>
> I believe many underestimate the cognitive skills requirements to be a good diagnostic technician.
>
> [Jim Thomson] <snip> We made a a compromise and he joined the RI Army National Guard as a helicopter mechanic. This turned out well and he grew up overnight. <snip>
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