Are you looking for Great Maintenance Technicians? Check this out.

 Are you looking for Great Maintenance Technicians? Check this out.

 

What I am about to say may upset some people and I am sorry if it does and pray for you. If you want to hire the right people for our skilled jobs who will be dedicated to your company then read on. 

In early 1998 I was upset when I found out that many of the rural industrial plants, whom I consulted to improve the skill level of their maintenance technicians, were being blocked by our government (this problem is not a racial problem but a financial problem by a few selfish people) and the way we view people who are not like us. I did not care about any of this, I had to solve a maintenance technician shortage in the company I was employed, my manager had two PhDs, Education and Phycology, whom I learned a lot and was challenged by him many times. 

 

What I found was many economically disadvantaged people were stuck in a culture where they will never achieve a great job with great pay and living the American Dream. I am not a “Liberal” or die hard “Caring Person” but I learned that by helping someone become successful equals to growing a successful, dedicated person who will stay with your company forever.

I heard all the excuses why certain “types” of people could not progress however I knew better. After serving 3 years in the US Army as Maintenance Technician from 1972-1975 I learned that all people are the same no matter their ethnic background, race, or gender.  So why do some people think one race, races, or gender of people cannot be successful in certain skilled jobs?I am not a social scientist and could not effectively answer that question however I can provide you with what I know based on my experience which has proven successful.

Facts: (based on my experience) 

• God created all of us equal.         
• Knowledge is critical to performing any skill to a specific standard or specification.      
• Hiring someone without a job can have a long term effect on a company’s success such as truly dedicate employees.

 Here is data taken from a recent study and I think the data speaks for itself and I agree with it 100% based my 40 years of experience.  Adult literacy can change everything  Health, Gender equality, Poverty, Every important social issue is impacted by low literacy. When individuals learn how to read, write, do basic math, and use computers, they have the power to lift themselves out of poverty, lower health care costs, find and keep sustainable employment, and ultimately change their lives. 

Poverty

Of adults with the lowest literacy levels, 43 percent live in poverty, and 70% of adult welfare recipients have low literacy levels. There is a clear correlation between more education and higher earnings, and between higher educational scores and higher earnings. 

Unemployment/Workforce 

Individuals at the lowest literacy and numeracy levels have a higher rate of unemployment and earn lower wages than the national average. Low literacy costs the U.S. at least $225 billion each year in non-productivity in the workforce, crime, and loss of tax revenue due to unemployment.

Education 

Every year, one in six young adults—more than 1.2 million—drop out of high school. Recent data show that nearly 30 percent of adults with household incomes at or below the federal poverty line do not have a high school credential. The key to financial success is a viable career path and adequate education to seek meaningful, family-supporting wages. The value to our economy in additional wages and the reduction in costs for various support programs is estimated at more than $200 billion a year.

About 50 percent of the 2 million immigrants that come to the U.S. each year lack high school education and proficient English language skills. This severely limits their access to jobs, college, and citizenship and increases their vulnerability to living in poverty.

Corrections

Seventy-five percent of state prison inmates did not complete high school or can be classified as low literate. Ninety-five percent of those incarcerated are reintegrated into our communities. Research shows that inmates who are educated are 43 percent less likely to return to prison.

Government Funding and Programs in Jeopardy 

Adult education is in critical need for services. A decline in federal and state funding in the past 10 years has resulted in programs serving only a fraction of the adults in need. Currently, two-thirds of adult education programs are struggling with long student waiting lists. At the present levels of public funding, less than 10 percent of adults in need are receiving services.  Investing in people is the best place to secure a future for your company.

The Author: Ricky Smith CMRP, CMRT, CRL

About:

To all my friends, The Maintenance Community on Slack is an incredible free space where over 1,500 maintenance and reliability professionals like myself share real life experiences with each other.   

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