If we're to believe an article in Personnel Today last week - Vocational staff set for hefty wage rises (Michael Miller) - then it may be time to reassess whether school children in particular should be considering, for example, becoming an electrician or working in the building trade instead of heading down the university route and many, many years of deferred gratification, etc.
According to the report mentioned in the article, by 2020, the fortunes of many more vocations will improve as their earnings climb at a faster rate than for most Britons, due partly to increasing demand for their skills.
Personally, I got out of working in a vocation around ten years ago and have little regret, despite suffering a great deal of financial hardship and lost earnings in the meantime. The pay for CNC machine setters was stagnant for over 5 years (no inflationary rise), requests for flexibility meant you had to do anything your boss said or get another job, nearly all new jobs suddenly became "temporary" and new starts excluded from pension schemes, training was virtually non-existent, etc. I am in no doubt that a vocation can offer very rewarding work, may offer more pay than some professions, etc. but I'd be cautious about rushing into a vocation unless you have a get out clause, i.e. make sure it comes with an opportunity to study for a degree or even more.
According to the report mentioned in the article, by 2020, the fortunes of many more vocations will improve as their earnings climb at a faster rate than for most Britons, due partly to increasing demand for their skills.
Personally, I got out of working in a vocation around ten years ago and have little regret, despite suffering a great deal of financial hardship and lost earnings in the meantime. The pay for CNC machine setters was stagnant for over 5 years (no inflationary rise), requests for flexibility meant you had to do anything your boss said or get another job, nearly all new jobs suddenly became "temporary" and new starts excluded from pension schemes, training was virtually non-existent, etc. I am in no doubt that a vocation can offer very rewarding work, may offer more pay than some professions, etc. but I'd be cautious about rushing into a vocation unless you have a get out clause, i.e. make sure it comes with an opportunity to study for a degree or even more.
1 comment:
I can assure you, my plumber isn't poor...or my mechanic...or any carpenter I know...
You get the picture.
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