There may be a glimmer of hope!

Date 06-14-2009 16:35

Read this today. Lack or the shortage of skill sets required in the oil industry.
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/558742-skills-shortage-may-hit-oil-projects---expert

Even though this deals with the Arabian gulf states, the same can be said for the US. THe only problem is getting the old timers back to train the new people. If this downturn goes on two years, a lot of the older skilled workers will be gone and will never be back.
Bun never bet on oil companies keeping older talent when they can hire less skilled and pay them less.
BABRT's

By CWI555

Date 06-14-2009 19:30

I consider myself to be very very fortunate in that respect. I learned from a lot of old timers. One of the unfortunate parts is I believe it's already to late. Oil companies and for that matter energy companies inclusive will hire on the cheap if they can. That leads to another unfortunate matter, the energy sector as a whole will have to relearn what has been forgotten. That is prevention is far cheaper than explosions and rebuilding.

By rfieldbuilds (**)

Date 06-15-2009 03:28 Edited 06-15-2009 03:32

I recently watched a tv program where "rocket scientists" from NASA were buying scrap rocket parts from boneyards and trying to recreate the technology of the 50's and 60's in regards to space travel. They were looking at engines and intake and exhaust portals trying to figure out WHY the engineers designed them in the way they did. The tough part was trying to figure out the why of the proportions used on engines and the like. Appearently, few notes survived the R&D of the cold war era. Now the scientists are left to devise through experimentation, the technology to move from the how and why into the future of space travel.
In this downturn, a lot of talent is being lost in almost all sectors. My buddy in the wine business (I live in Ca) has told my of the loss of great talent and tremendous experience in the cuts made in his industry and particularly in his company.
I too am left to wonder, who is left that will have the know how to fuel the next expansionin construction. Now, I may be stirring up a bees nest, but (especially here in CA) there are already a lack of qualified english speaking journeymen in so many trades.

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 06-15-2009 11:40

That's funny to hear. Back when I was turning wrenches this young 20 something kid was working on a 70's cadillac and one of the older techs(older than me) said it's probably in the carb and the kid said what?? Me and the other guy rambled off some stuff between us as the kid stood there and told us that one of us should work on it. He had no clue. At that point I thought to myself, how? For me a carb rebuild is, ho hum, but he did'nt want anything to do with it. I can see from that how we are loosing things over the generations, seems a lot of the trades/skilled jobs are running into the same issues.