Leading way in workforce training and development

[rdean]

Plastics Today

Through a series of innovative and collaborative internship programs, apprenticeships and internal training solutions, GW Plastics is working toward ensuring a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers. These innovations allow the company to remain competitive in the global marketplace while providing high-paying jobs for Vermonters.

For students who may not have thought college and a rewarding career path were financially attainable, this can be life changing. We are fortunate to have built a strong partnership with Vermont Technical College, a leader in applied technical education for manufacturing."

---------------------------------

As Obama recently said, there simply aren't high paying low skilled jobs being created anymore. The direction of the US economy is service and skills.

The divide between productive Blue States and stagnant Red States will only grow unless Republicans catch up. Otherwise, they will be replaced with Immigrants who have skills. Business wants those immigrants. Republicans feel business can do no wrong. So their choice is "education" or "cave living"

 

[Sunni Man]

Nothing to see here folks...........just another Deanie boy troll thread. .....

 

[Sonny Clark]

Plastics Today

Through a series of innovative and collaborative internship programs, apprenticeships and internal training solutions, GW Plastics is working toward ensuring a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers. These innovations allow the company to remain competitive in the global marketplace while providing high-paying jobs for Vermonters.

For students who may not have thought college and a rewarding career path were financially attainable, this can be life changing. We are fortunate to have built a strong partnership with Vermont Technical College, a leader in applied technical education for manufacturing."

---------------------------------

As Obama recently said, there simply aren't high paying low skilled jobs being created anymore. The direction of the US economy is service and skills.

The divide between productive Blue States and stagnant Red States will only grow unless Republicans catch up. Otherwise, they will be replaced with Immigrants who have skills. Business wants those immigrants. Republicans feel business can do no wrong. So their choice is "education" or "cave living"

Do you remember when most skills were handed down from generation to generation? Do you remember plants and factories on almost every street corner? Do you remember those plants and factories having "on the job" training that kept a steady supply of skilled workers available? Do you remember when we had textile mills, steel mills, electronics plants, tool plants, appliance factories, furniture factories, toy plants, farm equipment plants, automotive parts factories, and housewares plants? Do you remember moms staying home and taking care of the house and kids while dads went to work? Do you remember the abundance of living wage self-supporting jobs? Do you know what happened to our skilled workers? Have any idea?

 

[rdean]

Plastics Today

Through a series of innovative and collaborative internship programs, apprenticeships and internal training solutions, GW Plastics is working toward ensuring a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers. These innovations allow the company to remain competitive in the global marketplace while providing high-paying jobs for Vermonters.

For students who may not have thought college and a rewarding career path were financially attainable, this can be life changing. We are fortunate to have built a strong partnership with Vermont Technical College, a leader in applied technical education for manufacturing."

---------------------------------

As Obama recently said, there simply aren't high paying low skilled jobs being created anymore. The direction of the US economy is service and skills.

The divide between productive Blue States and stagnant Red States will only grow unless Republicans catch up. Otherwise, they will be replaced with Immigrants who have skills. Business wants those immigrants. Republicans feel business can do no wrong. So their choice is "education" or "cave living"

Do you remember when most skills were handed down from generation to generation? Do you remember plants and factories on almost every street corner? Do you remember those plants and factories having "on the job" training that kept a steady supply of skilled workers available? Do you remember when we had textile mills, steel mills, electronics plants, tool plants, appliance factories, furniture factories, toy plants, farm equipment plants, automotive parts factories, and housewares plants? Do you remember moms staying home and taking care of the house and kids while dads went to work? Do you remember the abundance of living wage self-supporting jobs? Do you know what happened to our skilled workers? Have any idea?

Electronics handed down generation to generation? That's ridiculous.

The majority of most work done in Textile, steel, tool, appliance, equipment, automotive plants and so on is automated these days. Much of the technology isn't even a generation old. How can you not know that?

That's the entire point of having skills. You need people to program the automation, make fixes, replace and design units and so on.

Do you see why you can't argue with right wingers? They don't know anything relevant. Point out something obvious and they either call you a troll without backing it up, like that fuckhead Sunni man. Or they prove they don't know anything like SC.

It's like they simply can't be taught.

 

[Sunni Man]

Do you see why you can't argue with right wingers? They don't know anything relevant. Point out something obvious and they either call you a troll without backing it up, like that fuckhead Sunni man. Or they prove they don't know anything like SC.

I am a mechanical engineer and have worked in many production factories during my life. From producing OE tires, to electrical energy plants, to FDA medical devices, to food processing, and several other fields.

Sure there is automation and people who design the machinery.

But the vast majority of the people on the factory floor are still low to medium skilled workers.

And that ain't gonna change......

 

[Sonny Clark]

Plastics Today

Through a series of innovative and collaborative internship programs, apprenticeships and internal training solutions, GW Plastics is working toward ensuring a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers. These innovations allow the company to remain competitive in the global marketplace while providing high-paying jobs for Vermonters.

For students who may not have thought college and a rewarding career path were financially attainable, this can be life changing. We are fortunate to have built a strong partnership with Vermont Technical College, a leader in applied technical education for manufacturing."

---------------------------------

As Obama recently said, there simply aren't high paying low skilled jobs being created anymore. The direction of the US economy is service and skills.

The divide between productive Blue States and stagnant Red States will only grow unless Republicans catch up. Otherwise, they will be replaced with Immigrants who have skills. Business wants those immigrants. Republicans feel business can do no wrong. So their choice is "education" or "cave living"

Do you remember when most skills were handed down from generation to generation? Do you remember plants and factories on almost every street corner? Do you remember those plants and factories having "on the job" training that kept a steady supply of skilled workers available? Do you remember when we had textile mills, steel mills, electronics plants, tool plants, appliance factories, furniture factories, toy plants, farm equipment plants, automotive parts factories, and housewares plants? Do you remember moms staying home and taking care of the house and kids while dads went to work? Do you remember the abundance of living wage self-supporting jobs? Do you know what happened to our skilled workers? Have any idea?

Electronics handed down generation to generation? That's ridiculous.

The majority of most work done in Textile, steel, tool, appliance, equipment, automotive plants and so on is automated these days. Much of the technology isn't even a generation old. How can you not know that?

That's the entire point of having skills. You need people to program the automation, make fixes, replace and design units and so on.

Do you see why you can't argue with right wingers? They don't know anything relevant. Point out something obvious and they either call you a troll without backing it up, like that fuckhead Sunni man. Or they prove they don't know anything like SC.

It's like they simply can't be taught.

I never said nor implied that electronics was handed down from generation to generation. But, I did imply that many skills were handed down from generation to generation, and they were. So, please don't twist what I did say, around to mean something that I did not say, thanks.

Yes, we have many operations in manufacturing that are now done via automation, technology, and innovation, and it's been evolving for many decades now. And, today's skills and operations will continue to evolve, improve, and require the constant training of workers. It's been that way for hundreds of years now. Man will always discover and develop better ways to perform task, especially in the work place. Just look how far we've come since Henry Ford. I have said this many times on this forum, and have said this many times over the years. Yes, people need the training and skills to keep up with innovations, technology, and automation, it goes without say.

As far as the other comments in your response, I have absolutely no idea as to who you are addressing. Also, you don't know me, know anything about me, and certainly don't know what I know and what I don't know. Your personal slam ( attack ) is very silly and childish, and it says a lot more about you than it does about me. I would suggest that you learn to discuss issues in a civil and adult manner, and refrain from the childish personal attacks and name calling. It only serves to reflect back on you as being immature and not able to have a conversation without school yard personal attacks and name calling. Although you didn't call me a name, you did say that I didn't know anything, which is almost the same thing. For your information, not that it's any of your business, but my working career covered over forty years in many industries, and I held many titles, some of which were in upper management.

Again, please don't twist what I say around to mean something that I did not say. If you're going to quote me, please do so as I have said something, and not as you would like to take it to mean. Also, re-read what I said and see if you can find where I said that electronics skills were handed down from generation to generation. Thanks.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

the truth is nobody can train a worker like the company that will employ him. This is because they know exactly what he needs to know. IBM, for example, grew to be the biggest company in the world, long before govt and schools knew anything about computer science, thanks to internal training.

 

[Moonglow]

Plastics Today

Through a series of innovative and collaborative internship programs, apprenticeships and internal training solutions, GW Plastics is working toward ensuring a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers. These innovations allow the company to remain competitive in the global marketplace while providing high-paying jobs for Vermonters.

For students who may not have thought college and a rewarding career path were financially attainable, this can be life changing. We are fortunate to have built a strong partnership with Vermont Technical College, a leader in applied technical education for manufacturing."

---------------------------------

As Obama recently said, there simply aren't high paying low skilled jobs being created anymore. The direction of the US economy is service and skills.

The divide between productive Blue States and stagnant Red States will only grow unless Republicans catch up. Otherwise, they will be replaced with Immigrants who have skills. Business wants those immigrants. Republicans feel business can do no wrong. So their choice is "education" or "cave living"

Do you remember when most skills were handed down from generation to generation? Do you remember plants and factories on almost every street corner? Do you remember those plants and factories having "on the job" training that kept a steady supply of skilled workers available? Do you remember when we had textile mills, steel mills, electronics plants, tool plants, appliance factories, furniture factories, toy plants, farm equipment plants, automotive parts factories, and housewares plants? Do you remember moms staying home and taking care of the house and kids while dads went to work? Do you remember the abundance of living wage self-supporting jobs? Do you know what happened to our skilled workers? Have any idea?

Electronics handed down generation to generation? That's ridiculous.

The majority of most work done in Textile, steel, tool, appliance, equipment, automotive plants and so on is automated these days. Much of the technology isn't even a generation old. How can you not know that?

That's the entire point of having skills. You need people to program the automation, make fixes, replace and design units and so on.

Do you see why you can't argue with right wingers? They don't know anything relevant. Point out something obvious and they either call you a troll without backing it up, like that fuckhead Sunni man. Or they prove they don't know anything like SC.

It's like they simply can't be taught.

I taught my eldest electronics...

 

[rdean]

Plastics Today

Through a series of innovative and collaborative internship programs, apprenticeships and internal training solutions, GW Plastics is working toward ensuring a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers. These innovations allow the company to remain competitive in the global marketplace while providing high-paying jobs for Vermonters.

For students who may not have thought college and a rewarding career path were financially attainable, this can be life changing. We are fortunate to have built a strong partnership with Vermont Technical College, a leader in applied technical education for manufacturing."

---------------------------------

As Obama recently said, there simply aren't high paying low skilled jobs being created anymore. The direction of the US economy is service and skills.

The divide between productive Blue States and stagnant Red States will only grow unless Republicans catch up. Otherwise, they will be replaced with Immigrants who have skills. Business wants those immigrants. Republicans feel business can do no wrong. So their choice is "education" or "cave living"

Do you remember when most skills were handed down from generation to generation? Do you remember plants and factories on almost every street corner? Do you remember those plants and factories having "on the job" training that kept a steady supply of skilled workers available? Do you remember when we had textile mills, steel mills, electronics plants, tool plants, appliance factories, furniture factories, toy plants, farm equipment plants, automotive parts factories, and housewares plants? Do you remember moms staying home and taking care of the house and kids while dads went to work? Do you remember the abundance of living wage self-supporting jobs? Do you know what happened to our skilled workers? Have any idea?

Electronics handed down generation to generation? That's ridiculous.

The majority of most work done in Textile, steel, tool, appliance, equipment, automotive plants and so on is automated these days. Much of the technology isn't even a generation old. How can you not know that?

That's the entire point of having skills. You need people to program the automation, make fixes, replace and design units and so on.

Do you see why you can't argue with right wingers? They don't know anything relevant. Point out something obvious and they either call you a troll without backing it up, like that fuckhead Sunni man. Or they prove they don't know anything like SC.

It's like they simply can't be taught.

I taught my eldest electronics...

Over generations no doubt.

 

[Moonglow]

Plastics Today

Through a series of innovative and collaborative internship programs, apprenticeships and internal training solutions, GW Plastics is working toward ensuring a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers. These innovations allow the company to remain competitive in the global marketplace while providing high-paying jobs for Vermonters.

For students who may not have thought college and a rewarding career path were financially attainable, this can be life changing. We are fortunate to have built a strong partnership with Vermont Technical College, a leader in applied technical education for manufacturing."

---------------------------------

As Obama recently said, there simply aren't high paying low skilled jobs being created anymore. The direction of the US economy is service and skills.

The divide between productive Blue States and stagnant Red States will only grow unless Republicans catch up. Otherwise, they will be replaced with Immigrants who have skills. Business wants those immigrants. Republicans feel business can do no wrong. So their choice is "education" or "cave living"

Do you remember when most skills were handed down from generation to generation? Do you remember plants and factories on almost every street corner? Do you remember those plants and factories having "on the job" training that kept a steady supply of skilled workers available? Do you remember when we had textile mills, steel mills, electronics plants, tool plants, appliance factories, furniture factories, toy plants, farm equipment plants, automotive parts factories, and housewares plants? Do you remember moms staying home and taking care of the house and kids while dads went to work? Do you remember the abundance of living wage self-supporting jobs? Do you know what happened to our skilled workers? Have any idea?

Electronics handed down generation to generation? That's ridiculous.

The majority of most work done in Textile, steel, tool, appliance, equipment, automotive plants and so on is automated these days. Much of the technology isn't even a generation old. How can you not know that?

That's the entire point of having skills. You need people to program the automation, make fixes, replace and design units and so on.

Do you see why you can't argue with right wingers? They don't know anything relevant. Point out something obvious and they either call you a troll without backing it up, like that fuckhead Sunni man. Or they prove they don't know anything like SC.

It's like they simply can't be taught.

I taught my eldest electronics...

Over generations no doubt.

Just one...My dad was a drunk, er soldier....

 

[rdean]

Do you see why you can't argue with right wingers? They don't know anything relevant. Point out something obvious and they either call you a troll without backing it up, like that fuckhead Sunni man. Or they prove they don't know anything like SC.

I am a mechanical engineer and have worked in many production factories during my life. From producing OE tires, to electrical energy plants, to FDA medical devices, to food processing, and several other fields.

Sure there is automation and people who design the machinery.

But the vast majority of the people on the factory floor are still low to medium skilled workers.

And that ain't gonna change......

You've worked in many production factories? Can't keep a job?

The vast majority of the people on the factory floor are still low to medium skilled? Depends on the product and the quantity. You wouldn't want to build an automated factory to make toasters. But you would if you want to bottle beer. Because you will sell many times the amount of beer. And the jobs that are most vulnerable are the low skilled jobs because they are generally repetitive. To keep track of all the steps to make the beer, you pretty much have to be a chemist. To keep the automation from shutting down, you need to be a qualified technician.
When you build an automated factory, it doesn't start off fully automated. The equipment is expensive. It has to be designed, built, validated and fit in with the existing equipment.
But even jobs like packaging the beer, putting it on a palate and wrapping it in plastic can eventually be automated. Some factories even have little sweep up gadgets that roam the floor sweeping up and cleaning up dirt and oil. They run in the dark, don't need much heat, but they do require a technician to keep them running. Imagine, one technician to keep the floor of a huge factory clean. A "skilled" technician.
So a company that has lots of unskilled labor, like a company that makes toasters, probably has a couple of design engineers here, but the toasters are made in China because they will work for $200 a month without benefits. We can't compete with that.

I'm always amazed how Republicans argue AGAINST education. No wonder the entire world laughs at them. Something so obvious and they don't get it. How can that be? Very strange. And how can anyone these days believe you can learn skilled jobs from dad?

 

[Sunni Man]

You've worked in many production factories? Can't keep a job?

I work for a Fortune 500 company for 20 years and got a vested retirement. Then I did contract work for various companies until I retired last year.

Rdean you live in a liberal fantasy land.

I can tell by your posts on the topic that you are some kind of IT tech desk jockey with manicured fingernails..

And have no idea about the down to earth nuts and bolts of manufacturing. .....

 

[rdean]

Plastics Today

Through a series of innovative and collaborative internship programs, apprenticeships and internal training solutions, GW Plastics is working toward ensuring a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers. These innovations allow the company to remain competitive in the global marketplace while providing high-paying jobs for Vermonters.

For students who may not have thought college and a rewarding career path were financially attainable, this can be life changing. We are fortunate to have built a strong partnership with Vermont Technical College, a leader in applied technical education for manufacturing."

---------------------------------

As Obama recently said, there simply aren't high paying low skilled jobs being created anymore. The direction of the US economy is service and skills.

The divide between productive Blue States and stagnant Red States will only grow unless Republicans catch up. Otherwise, they will be replaced with Immigrants who have skills. Business wants those immigrants. Republicans feel business can do no wrong. So their choice is "education" or "cave living"

Do you remember when most skills were handed down from generation to generation? Do you remember plants and factories on almost every street corner? Do you remember those plants and factories having "on the job" training that kept a steady supply of skilled workers available? Do you remember when we had textile mills, steel mills, electronics plants, tool plants, appliance factories, furniture factories, toy plants, farm equipment plants, automotive parts factories, and housewares plants? Do you remember moms staying home and taking care of the house and kids while dads went to work? Do you remember the abundance of living wage self-supporting jobs? Do you know what happened to our skilled workers? Have any idea?

Electronics handed down generation to generation? That's ridiculous.

The majority of most work done in Textile, steel, tool, appliance, equipment, automotive plants and so on is automated these days. Much of the technology isn't even a generation old. How can you not know that?

That's the entire point of having skills. You need people to program the automation, make fixes, replace and design units and so on.

Do you see why you can't argue with right wingers? They don't know anything relevant. Point out something obvious and they either call you a troll without backing it up, like that fuckhead Sunni man. Or they prove they don't know anything like SC.

It's like they simply can't be taught.

I never said nor implied that electronics was handed down from generation to generation. But, I did imply that many skills were handed down from generation to generation, and they were. So, please don't twist what I did say, around to mean something that I did not say, thanks.

Yes, we have many operations in manufacturing that are now done via automation, technology, and innovation, and it's been evolving for many decades now. And, today's skills and operations will continue to evolve, improve, and require the constant training of workers. It's been that way for hundreds of years now. Man will always discover and develop better ways to perform task, especially in the work place. Just look how far we've come since Henry Ford. I have said this many times on this forum, and have said this many times over the years. Yes, people need the training and skills to keep up with innovations, technology, and automation, it goes without say.

As far as the other comments in your response, I have absolutely no idea as to who you are addressing. Also, you don't know me, know anything about me, and certainly don't know what I know and what I don't know. Your personal slam ( attack ) is very silly and childish, and it says a lot more about you than it does about me. I would suggest that you learn to discuss issues in a civil and adult manner, and refrain from the childish personal attacks and name calling. It only serves to reflect back on you as being immature and not able to have a conversation without school yard personal attacks and name calling. Although you didn't call me a name, you did say that I didn't know anything, which is almost the same thing. For your information, not that it's any of your business, but my working career covered over forty years in many industries, and I held many titles, some of which were in upper management.

Again, please don't twist what I say around to mean something that I did not say. If you're going to quote me, please do so as I have said something, and not as you would like to take it to mean. Also, re-read what I said and see if you can find where I said that electronics skills were handed down from generation to generation. Thanks.

Please don't cry. It makes me so sad.

Here is your post with comments:

Do you remember when most skills were handed down from generation to generation?

Most skills? Everything but electronics? Shoeing horses. Making butter. Sewing. Hoeing. Cooking on a wood stove. Those were the skills handed down from generation to generation.

Do you remember plants and factories on almost every street corner?

No.

Do you remember those plants and factories having "on the job" training that kept a steady supply of skilled workers available?

No. Companies hired workers when they needed them. They weren't schools or charities. And most unskilled jobs can be learned in a day or two.

Do you remember when we had textile mills, steel mills, electronics plants, tool plants, appliance factories, furniture factories, toy plants, farm equipment plants, automotive parts factories, and housewares plants?

Uh, we still have those things. Just not as many. Seems more than 40,000 of those places were closed from 2001 to 2008 under Bush and the GOP. The links have been posted many, many times. We know that to be a fact.

Do you remember moms staying home and taking care of the house and kids while dads went to work?

Both my parents always worked. Staying at home bored my mother.

Do you remember the abundance of living wage self-supporting jobs?

Like I said, from 2001 to 2008. Republicans like to blame that on Democrats, but they were in charge and did nothing to stem that tide.

Do you know what happened to our skilled workers? Have any idea?

The truly skilled are still here. Many are retiring. Without education, they can't be replaced except with immigrants. That's why business wants skilled immigrants instead of unskilled and lazy Republicans. Republicans cut education everywhere they can. They understand that the educated tend to vote Democrat.

There, I treated your post seriously. But considering how shallow it was, it didn't take much effort.

 

[rdean]

You've worked in many production factories? Can't keep a job?

I work for a Fortune 500 company for 20 years and got a vested retirement. Then I did contract work for various companies until I retired last year.

Rdean you live in a liberal fantasy land.

I can tell by your posts on the topic that you are some kind of IT tech desk jockey with manicured fingernails..

And have no idea about the down to earth nuts and bolts of manufacturing. .....

Actually, I'm a senior design engineer and I work in a highly specialized niche market.
I used to work with "cone calorimeters" Here is a picture of one:

Some years ago, I spent weeks at NASA, White Sands, installing one and upgrading an older one. They were purchased after astronauts died in a fire in a capsule with an oxygen enriched environment. Inside the glass chamber to the right, specimens sit on a very sensitive weight cell that keeps track of the material as it's burned determining the rate of solid material as it's converted to effluence which travels along the top. Temperature is measured, the density of the smoke is checked with a laser, and effluence is skimmed and goes through two gas analyzers one of which checks for toxic fumes and the other checks the amount of oxygen that's depleted and converted to gases like dioxide and monoxide. You can see them on the left hand side below a large square black panel. Behind that panel are boards connected to the computer interface. Analog to digital so the data can be captured by the computer and stored. The printer on the lower right is used for quit check printouts. You couldn't actually print out an entire data set. That would take reams of paper.

Inside the chamber is the actual cone which is a heating element coiled into the shape of a cone. The square box is what sits on the weight cell and holds the specimens, solid or liquid or even grains. The wires coming out of the top are actually thermocouples that keep track of the cone's output so it can be precisely regulated. Not shown here is the spark ignition located on the opposite side of the cone. Without that, the material being tested would heat up, create effluence and explode. The spark ignitor safely sets the material on fire the moment it becomes flammable. That moment is also recorded. While I was at NASA, I was offered a job. Partly for my technical expertise and partly because of the clearance I held when I was in the military. But I politely told them that I just couldn't live out in the desert. I need the city. But the offer was very flattering.

I know that right wingers in the USMB laugh because a "liberal" couldn't possibly be that accomplished, but anyone with any technical expertise will understand from what I wrote that I know exactly what I'm talking about. That means only a very, very few conservatives would understand. Most conservatives, as we all know, simply aren't into science or engineering. That can't be denied. And they mock anyone who is.

The equipment I work on now is much more complicated than a cone calorimeter. And it's also a niche market. I admit I never worked at a large manufacturing company. Because I worked in niche markets, the number of units is usually less than a couple of hundred a year. But each one cost a couple of hundred thousand. The actual money is made from the supplies. Filters, ascrite, drierite, other chemicals and service contracts.

There are only about a hundred people working at the company and only about 20 of those actually assemble the equipment. And even those people are skilled. They don't simply assemble. They also calibrate some of the different units that are installed. But there is a final test line and the larger equipment goes through a couple of weeks of testing before it's shipped to automotive and aerospace and other large companies all over the world. More than 60% of the equipment is sold overseas. I've seen knock offs, but other country's don't have the expertise and their equipment is low quality.

But there are certainly unskilled people working where I work. The guy from purchasing has fewer skills than the janitor. The other day, he asked what all the plaques are on the wall next to my desk. I told him they were patents from equipment I had designed. Then he asked me "What's a patent?" Hilarious. Of course, I didn't smile or mock him. I told him they were awarded to keep others from stealing a design. I don't talk politics at work, but I assumed the guy is a Republican. Turns out, he is.

Well, that's all the typing for tonight. I have to go to bed. But is has been fun writing this. Naturally right wingers will scream "liar". It's to be expected. In fact, there was a guy who was hired and who didn't last long. One day I came out to look at an issue one of the assemblers was having. That guy asked what I did there. I told him I worked in engineering. He asked what engineering was. I told him we design the equipment he was building. He actually told me I was full of shit. I told him someone has to design it, where do you think it comes from? He said "I don't know, but not you guys". Even before he started telling everyone to vote for Romney, I somehow knew he was a Republican. And he was.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

You've worked in many production factories? Can't keep a job?

I work for a Fortune 500 company for 20 years and got a vested retirement. Then I did contract work for various companies until I retired last year.

Rdean you live in a liberal fantasy land.

I can tell by your posts on the topic that you are some kind of IT tech desk jockey with manicured fingernails..

And have no idea about the down to earth nuts and bolts of manufacturing. .....

Actually, I'm a senior design engineer and I work in a highly specialized niche market.
I used to work with "cone calorimeters" Here is a picture of one:

Some years ago, I spent weeks at NASA, White Sands, installing one and upgrading an older one. They were purchased after astronauts died in a fire in a capsule with an oxygen enriched environment. Inside the glass chamber to the right, specimens sit on a very sensitive weight cell that keeps track of the material as it's burned determining the rate of solid material as it's converted to effluence which travels along the top. Temperature is measured, the density of the smoke is checked with a laser, and effluence is skimmed and goes through two gas analyzers one of which checks for toxic fumes and the other checks the amount of oxygen that's depleted and converted to gases like dioxide and monoxide. You can see them on the left hand side below a large square black panel. Behind that panel are boards connected to the computer interface. Analog to digital so the data can be captured by the computer and stored. The printer on the lower right is used for quit check printouts. You couldn't actually print out an entire data set. That would take reams of paper.

Inside the chamber is the actual cone which is a heating element coiled into the shape of a cone. The square box is what sits on the weight cell and holds the specimens, solid or liquid or even grains. The wires coming out of the top are actually thermocouples that keep track of the cone's output so it can be precisely regulated. Not shown here is the spark ignition located on the opposite side of the cone. Without that, the material being tested would heat up, create effluence and explode. The spark ignitor safely sets the material on fire the moment it becomes flammable. That moment is also recorded. While I was at NASA, I was offered a job. Partly for my technical expertise and partly because of the clearance I held when I was in the military. But I politely told them that I just couldn't live out in the desert. I need the city. But the offer was very flattering.

I know that right wingers in the USMB laugh because a "liberal" couldn't possibly be that accomplished, but anyone with any technical expertise will understand from what I wrote that I know exactly what I'm talking about. That means only a very, very few conservatives would understand. Most conservatives, as we all know, simply aren't into science or engineering. That can't be denied. And they mock anyone who is.

The equipment I work on now is much more complicated than a cone calorimeter. And it's also a niche market. I admit I never worked at a large manufacturing company. Because I worked in niche markets, the number of units is usually less than a couple of hundred a year. But each one cost a couple of hundred thousand. The actual money is made from the supplies. Filters, ascrite, drierite, other chemicals and service contracts.

There are only about a hundred people working at the company and only about 20 of those actually assemble the equipment. And even those people are skilled. They don't simply assemble. They also calibrate some of the different units that are installed. But there is a final test line and the larger equipment goes through a couple of weeks of testing before it's shipped to automotive and aerospace and other large companies all over the world. More than 60% of the equipment is sold overseas. I've seen knock offs, but other country's don't have the expertise and their equipment is low quality.

But there are certainly unskilled people working where I work. The guy from purchasing has fewer skills than the janitor. The other day, he asked what all the plaques are on the wall next to my desk. I told him they were patents from equipment I had designed. Then he asked me "What's a patent?" Hilarious. Of course, I didn't smile or mock him. I told him they were awarded to keep others from stealing a design. I don't talk politics at work, but I assumed the guy is a Republican. Turns out, he is.

Well, that's all the typing for tonight. I have to go to bed. But is has been fun writing this. Naturally right wingers will scream "liar". It's to be expected. In fact, there was a guy who was hired and who didn't last long. One day I came out to look at an issue one of the assemblers was having. That guy asked what I did there. I told him I worked in engineering. He asked what engineering was. I told him we design the equipment he was building. He actually told me I was full of shit. I told him someone has to design it, where do you think it comes from? He said "I don't know, but not you guys". Even before he started telling everyone to vote for Romney, I somehow knew he was a Republican. And he was.

so dear, if you're intelligent please say one intelligent thing in defense of liberalism or admit you lack the IQ to be here. Thanks