Addressing two ballot issues at the same time - skilled trades training and RTA

[dguy4evr]

Regarding the transportation issue on the ballot and the lack of skilled trade schools:
I attended Wilbur Wright Trade School in the 60's. At the time it was the best automotive training school in the country! The big three donated so much equipment to these schools. I have posted many threads about the lack of training available to Detroit kids now days.
In order to get to Wilbur Wright from my home on Canfield and Springle, I had to take two busses. I took the Gratiot bus to the end of the line on Farmer behind Hudsons and walked over to State and Griswold to catch the Grand River bus to 12th street.

To me these are very important issues that need to be addressed. I never received a college education but I made very good money. There are so many unfilled jobs for the skilled trades. Electricians, Carpenters, Tool and Die, etc. etc.
You would think that the Gilberts, Penske's, and Illitches would come on board and fund some of these schools. It would be in their own best interest.
So many people depend on public transportation to get to school and work. Hope the issue passes. They need more than a ride down Woodward to the arena district.

[emu steve]

Regarding the transportation issue on the ballot and the lack of skilled trade schools:
I attended Wilbur Wright Trade School in the 60's. At the time it was the best automotive training school in the country! The big three donated so much equipment to these schools. I have posted many threads about the lack of training available to Detroit kids now days.
In order to get to Wilbur Wright from my home on Canfield and Springle, I had to take two busses. I took the Gratiot bus to the end of the line on Farmer behind Hudsons and walked over to State and Griswold to catch the Grand River bus to 12th street.

To me these are very important issues that need to be addressed. I never received a college education but I made very good money. There are so many unfilled jobs for the skilled trades. Electricians, Carpenters, Tool and Die, etc. etc.
You would think that the Gilberts, Penske's, and Illitches would come on board and fund some of these schools. It would be in their own best interest.
So many people depend on public transportation to get to school and work. Hope the issue passes. They need more than a ride down Woodward to the arena district.

Amen.

Even though I never read the book, there is a book "Dow 36000." I believe the theme was that we are in a new knowledge-based economy and we will win by having the best and brightest while collar employees and therefore blue collar and manufacturing jobs could be done cheaper overseas [[or by robots). Kind of an intellectual revolution.

And apparently they forgot that we still need skilled trades employees here at home.

As we've seen with the arena project is the difficulty finding trained skill trade employees.

I don't understand it. We have too few skilled trades employees, too few nurses, etc.

Can't we train people for the good jobs which are out there and need to be filled for for the employees' interests [[a good paying job) but also to meet society's needs?

My guess the problems at VA isn't lack of money [[budget), but finding enough doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmicists, etc. Instead of being treated seriously as a human capital issue [[which is larger than simply VA) it gets demogogued politically.

[Jimaz]

I heard a recent story about the skilled trade shortage in California. It's so bad that California is picking up the tab to train new workers. One problem is that the older workers who lost their jobs during the great recession have moved on to other fields. They don't want to go back for fear that those jobs will vanish again. All this is causing wages to soar to the level that only luxury construction projects can afford to pay. This in turn is creating a shortage of more modestly priced housing. What a mess.

Another story said the shortage of truck drivers is causing truckers to keep working into their 70s. There are growing safety concerns there.

On the one hand it's great to see that recession behind us. On the other its after-effects still linger on!

[ABetterDetroit]

I have a question on the proposals to raise the millage in Detroit by 3.2 mills in a few weeks.

How much does everyone think landlords will get to pocket for themselves by being the de facto "tax collector" for this increase on their tenants? I figure they will bump rents twice what they need to cover it. A dollar for the state, a dollar for them. Taxes go up, after all. Everyone understands and will know about it. Anyone think otherwise? If so, why?