During the recent presidential campaign, much was made of bringing jobs back from overseas, particularly from China. Both candidates opposed the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement the Obama administration worked out with several key countries in the Pacific region.
One of the main goals of TPP was to counter the influence of an emerging Chinese economic juggernaut. Without TPP to fill the void, the door may now be open for China to step in and offer its own trade deal to those same countries. If this does, in fact, come to pass, it will not be in the United States' best interests. We need trade deals with our trading partners.
As the U.S. continues to pull back from the world scene, China, as well as other nations, will step in to take our place in leading the global economy. As this process takes place before our eyes, we are also witnessing the outsourcing of many of our best-paying jobs to cheaper labor markets in China, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and other places. Of course, much of this trend is due to consumers seeking ever cheaper goods. We are the driving force behind the outsourcing of jobs as we shop for bargains in the marketplace. Manufacturers of goods seek to deliver lower prices at the retail level by greatly reducing their cost of labor. In many cases, they have reduced their tax burden as well because many countries offer lower taxes as an incentive for companies to locate within their borders.
The bottom line is that the U.S. has lost its competitive edge when it comes to labor costs and the taxes companies have to pay in order to do business here. Much of this is due to faulty governmental policy and labor unions that don't seem to care if they put a company at a competitive disadvantage. It seems to be all about money and is, oftentimes at least, guided by an unnaturally short-term view of the future.
The whole trend to outsource jobs may soon be slowed by Trump's victory, and, even more importantly perhaps, the tax structure may change to one more favorable to domestic manufacturers. This would be welcome news if it turns out to be true.
But I am not writing this to focus on jobs leaving this country to cheaper locales. Rather I would like to point out that there is an entire class of work that will probably never leave our shores and, because of this, I believe these jobs should be held out as desirable and worthy of pursuit for the young person just considering entering the labor market.
The work I am talking about is the trades. Jobs such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics, masons and such like. I honestly can't see outsourcing the wiring of a new house, can you? Or the framing of said house. Or the laying of the bricks, or the pouring of the sidewalks. The truth is we have many such jobs that are unlikely to be lost due to outsourcing. That is not the problem we have when it comes to the trades. But that is not to say we do not have a problem with the trades.
The fact is there is a problem with the trades in this country and it has to do with our society and the expectations of parents and the entire educational system. The sad truth is that we are raising our children to think they are too good to do the trades. After all, aspiring to be a plumber isn't all that sexy. But everyone knows it pays well. What we have here in America is a generation of new workers who think they must be doctors or lawyers or some other white collar professional. These young people have been indoctrinated to look down on the trades and to avoid pursuing a job in the trades at all cost. For them the trades are a place they may work in the summer while attending school to become a professional. That, or maybe something to be made fun of at cocktail parties.
One of the problems that comes with discounting the trades as permanent occupations is that not all of our young people are suited to become doctors or lawyers, etc. In fact, I think it is a cruel system that forces young folks to pursue professions for which they are notably unsuited or which they are unable to do well. Many of these students aren't even suited to do well in the educational aspects of the professions. That isn't to say they are not intelligent or smart enough to be a lawyer or whatever. It is more of an issue of aptitude. And this aptitude thing works both ways.
We all know many professionals who would never be able to do carpentry or welding or bricklaying. No one seems to have a problem acknowledging such a situation. But, when it comes to our children, we seem to want them to be protected from the real world of having to fix leaky pipes or the dangerous activities that come with some of the trades. But, many of our children may be more suited to fixing a leaky pipe or framing a house or laying bricks. And, best of all, these jobs pay well and probably won't be getting outsourced any time soon.
What we need is an educational system that highlights a path to the trades that allows those who are best suited to the trades a path through school to trade school to work that best equips them for their future careers. I'm hoping our new president has a vision that helps create or restore such a path.
Sam Byrnes is a Gentry-area resident and weekly contributor to the Eagle Observer. He may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
General News on 01/11/2017