Ryan,
I offer offer a simple IRA, and I match 3%, two weeks paid vacation, paid sick leave, I pay 100% of healthcare through United Healthcare PPO. Monday-Friday 8-5, no weekends, no nights, and holidays are paid. Last year I paid almost 10k in bonuses to warehouse employees.
There are no certificates required, no education required, just a desire to work, show up on time.
I am a small company, and we believe in paying a fair wage, and if we make money, we share the money.
As for physical labor, sure there is some work involved. Occasionally lifting a 70# box to be shipped on UPS, but other than that, most items are a few pounds each. If it's heavy, use the forklift.
The industry that I am in is not much different than the oilfield. Experience is key. Like Eric mentioned, you are paid for your knowledge...
Maybe comparing to my sister, and her being a teacher, might have been an unfair comparison... However, as any teacher, and they will tell you they are underpaid. I can pick any number of jobs that pay less than 50k, and require a BA... Just doesn't make sense to me.
Not that this matters too much, but I was blessed with a fully funded college education by my grandfather when I was born. Even with free college, I didn't want to waste the time it took to get a degree. Instead I finished high school a year early, started a business and I was dealing with payroll and cash flow, while my friends were thinking about what to wear to prom
One thing I will admit about a college degree, and this is probably the most important aspect I can think of relating to it... It shows that you finish what you start, and that is worth something. I'm just not sure it always makes up for 4-5 years of lost wages or time.
I commend you on your success! You are one of very few employers that does treat their employees well. I'm sorry to say though that it is not the norm, and for the majority of people looking and getting jobs they will not have the same luck as you, or for that matter your workers. I also agree that teachers are very underpaid. I wish that I could say that I've had your success, but I haven't. I am happy though, but wish I could get more money for sure. For what I know and do I should be getting paid 50-65 a year, I'm not anywhere close! I guess that is just how the cookie crumbles. There are jobs that I have qualified for recently except that a BA was required, and I don't have that because as you said before school is exspinsive. I ran out of money, and ran out of time to be able to finish it before starting a serious career. One good thing about the new job market is that experience is almost as good as knowledge. On a lot of recs for jobs it says BA or some odd years experience, so either way you have to know your chit.
The biggest problem with education is people trying to play the odds and not having a plan. They come out with a degree, debt, and no plan.
Im ok with a person saying that I want to be a DPS officer. That requires an Associates, ect. So I will get this degree to meet these requirements and accomplish my goal. Or I want to be a CPA and you have to have this, this, and this so that is what Ill do.
This idea that I don't know what I want to do so I will get a degree in XYZ because a large percent of these people earn over this amount is completly wrong.
Im sorry but grammar and degrees are not a measure of income or net worth. Too many people think if I can just get this degree I will be set.
Good luck with that.
I agree 100% that you need to have a plan set if not already underway when starting college. You are right that a lot of kids go get a degree thinking it will just be laid out for them afterwards, not the case.
Circle C, you hiring? Lol!
If you think a good education isn't worth anything go back through this post and check the grammar.
I'm not trying to be gramatically correct right now either. I like being able to just type freely and not have to worry about it.
I didn't realize that we were being graded
Ryan... LOL!
Just messing...
