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Posted by daclark on July 14, 2006, 11:43 pm
Man has been working wood since the genesis of time. Working wood is
one of the inherent occupations of man, a living trade; whereby, a man
may do well by applying common sense and manual dexterity to the basic
materials found at hand.
Working with wood, metal and soil are fundamental to living trade; yet,
no two men have ever had the same set of tools or the same set of
experiences; therefore, no two men will ever have the same knowledge or
understanding of living trade; the material remains infinite as each
man must find his own way; thus, we are apprentices all of our lives.
Apprenticeship for our Future
In the fourth century BC, Plato recognized that the majority of any
population needed to be working class citizens contributing to the
tangible product of their nation; and that the decay of that nation
could be gauged by the percentage of people who are essentially
contributing nothing. We are a nation in distress.
Education has failed in its fundamental responsibility to provide the
working class with marketable skills. Serving only the higher
motivations, education has become an obtuse bureaucracy that many
cannot and will not respond to. With higher education costing tens of
thousands of dollars, the working class is excluded, left to the mercy
of an ownership society. Apprenticeship is the missing ingredient, and
only apprenticeship can fulfill the responsibility and our obligation
to future generations.
Apprenticeship must overcome the conventional wisdoms of academia,
while becoming part of the academic woodwork. A program of
apprenticeship must contain the same integrity systems of higher
education, but requires much more participation than just listing tools
available in a tool chest. Apprenticeship must involve each individual
in practical, financially responsible activities.
Conventional apprenticeships are negative and narrow, concentrated only
upon the needs of a particular trade or industry. True apprenticeship
is a lifelong, intellectual pursuit; that endows the 'journeyman'
with an immutable purpose, and creates equanimity between the
'artisan' and his material. In discussing apprenticeship, we are
talking about the individual and the entire concept of apprenticeship
is oriented towards that thought.
Apprenticeship is not geared exclusively to preparing the individual
for paid employment but to contribute to a more enterprising work
force. Apprenticeship encourages the development of skills and
attributes that employers are looking for, such as teamwork, commitment
and flexibility, but also develops a realistic knowledge and
understanding of business and the working life. Apprenticeship sets
the standard for quality.
The survival and competitiveness of all companies, small and large,
depend increasingly upon the quality of their workforces. Employees
need to be able to work autonomously, to take responsibility and make
decisions; to work in small teams and units, to be flexible and
creative, and to update their skills continually. Employees need to be
enterprising, and qualities like planning and decision making are ones
that count.
The labor market is changing. Apprenticeship takes the initiative to
help the working class to deal proactively with an unpredictable world.
Apprenticeship develops in the individual the necessary enterprise
skills and an awareness of how their community, including business and
industry in a global economy, works. The individual and the whole
working class needs to be 'opportunity ready'.
The need for apprenticeship in this scenario is clear. People need to
be able to package skills and knowledge into working livelihoods;
become contractors rather than employees; see opportunity in job
change, override periods of unemployment; recognize the ongoing need
for learning and training; be creative rather than passive; capable of
self-initiated action rather than dependent; know how to learn rather
than expect to be taught; and they need to be enterprising, not think
or act like an 'employee' or a 'client'.
This I sincerely believe; apprenticeship is the key to our future
prosperity, and the only key available to unlock a new age of
renaissance.
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Posted by Phil Scott on July 15, 2006, 3:11 pm
thanks, good points..
I'm copying it an email for one of my clients..who is wishing
to solve its problems in the face of declining cultural norms
.... and a severe shortage of talent, while producing low
rent work.
it seems that training a doper how to use a screw driver falls
a bit short...
Any company that is honest enough itself, in its own
management or ownership to see the value in what you have
written will do well... management that is not able to see
these issues themselves will not do well of course... these
think they can run such a program on staff, while at the same
time pushing to get work done sooner than it can be.... and
still maintain quality and the workmans life, health and
integrity.
The bind comes when they raise prices to do it right, in a
world that hires the low bidder most of the time .... then the
mess is covered by lying to management who wouldnt know a
good job from a bad job if it bit them in the ass... thats the
driver actually... or at least one of the primary drivers.
Will an apprenticeship approach as you describe fix that?
only if it is pervasive across all sectors of the trades...and
..management...including government. Corrupt special
interests, down to the small sole owner operation will
preclude that imo...yet, your advice remains as the only
viable way to live life and operate long term....unless one
can justify lying and destructive construction practices.
I have seen quality operations successful though.... but only
with reputations built in decades past... those still hang on
with a select client base... new companies generally must
compete into a market that doesnt know or value quality...and
in the trades to people that plan to flip the building, so
dont care about quality as long as it looks good.
I was successful in my engineering career for a time by means
of offering high end solutions.. those days are fading fast
with the advent of 2 dollar an hour engineering from India
that will produce at least a functional facility in most
cases... the others limp by. Management then goes broke
because of its buggy systems... they have no clue of the
cause...
Thats the bulk of the business these days unfortunately.
What I will do with my client is steer them into drop in/
modular construction...and a high end service business
charging absolute top rates available on their terms to
customers who want to pay to straighen their mess out ..
lacking that, good tradesmen are not anxious to work on hashed
up junk... thats a big part of the problem also...only the
dead heads will stay.
The high end business exists though.. but its not attainable
unless one is totally dedicated to operating at that level for
a decade or longer to build the reputation... thats a high
overhead deal... then any slows in the economy eat those
alive.
None the less, the best of the best can do well that way.. a
1% minority.;;that contingent is currently being taxed to
death by our government ...a government with much more
important things to fund, such as bombing for peace in the
middle east and training our press corp to lie...that all
takes money..
Phil Scott
> Man has been working wood since the genesis of time.
> Working wood is
> one of the inherent occupations of man, a living trade;
> whereby, a man
> may do well by applying common sense and manual dexterity to
> the basic
> materials found at hand.
> Working with wood, metal and soil are fundamental to living
> trade; yet,
> no two men have ever had the same set of tools or the same
> set of
> experiences; therefore, no two men will ever have the same
> knowledge or
> understanding of living trade; the material remains infinite
> as each
> man must find his own way; thus, we are apprentices all of
> our lives.
> Apprenticeship for our Future
> In the fourth century BC, Plato recognized that the majority
> of any
> population needed to be working class citizens contributing
> to the
> tangible product of their nation; and that the decay of that
> nation
> could be gauged by the percentage of people who are
> essentially
> contributing nothing. We are a nation in distress.
> Education has failed in its fundamental responsibility to
> provide the
> working class with marketable skills. Serving only the
> higher
> motivations, education has become an obtuse bureaucracy that
> many
> cannot and will not respond to. With higher education
> costing tens of
> thousands of dollars, the working class is excluded, left to
> the mercy
> of an ownership society. Apprenticeship is the missing
> ingredient, and
> only apprenticeship can fulfill the responsibility and our
> obligation
> to future generations.
> Apprenticeship must overcome the conventional wisdoms of
> academia,
> while becoming part of the academic woodwork. A program of
> apprenticeship must contain the same integrity systems of
> higher
> education, but requires much more participation than just
> listing tools
> available in a tool chest. Apprenticeship must involve each
> individual
> in practical, financially responsible activities.
> Conventional apprenticeships are negative and narrow,
> concentrated only
> upon the needs of a particular trade or industry. True
> apprenticeship
> is a lifelong, intellectual pursuit; that endows the
> 'journeyman'
> with an immutable purpose, and creates equanimity between
> the
> 'artisan' and his material. In discussing apprenticeship,
> we are
> talking about the individual and the entire concept of
> apprenticeship
> is oriented towards that thought.
> Apprenticeship is not geared exclusively to preparing the
> individual
> for paid employment but to contribute to a more enterprising
> work
> force. Apprenticeship encourages the development of skills
> and
> attributes that employers are looking for, such as teamwork,
> commitment
> and flexibility, but also develops a realistic knowledge and
> understanding of business and the working life.
> Apprenticeship sets
> the standard for quality.
> The survival and competitiveness of all companies, small and
> large,
> depend increasingly upon the quality of their workforces.
> Employees
> need to be able to work autonomously, to take responsibility
> and make
> decisions; to work in small teams and units, to be flexible
> and
> creative, and to update their skills continually. Employees
> need to be
> enterprising, and qualities like planning and decision
> making are ones
> that count.
> The labor market is changing. Apprenticeship takes the
> initiative to
> help the working class to deal proactively with an
> unpredictable world.
> Apprenticeship develops in the individual the necessary
> enterprise
> skills and an awareness of how their community, including
> business and
> industry in a global economy, works. The individual and the
> whole
> working class needs to be 'opportunity ready'.
> The need for apprenticeship in this scenario is clear.
> People need to
> be able to package skills and knowledge into working
> livelihoods;
> become contractors rather than employees; see opportunity in
> job
> change, override periods of unemployment; recognize the
> ongoing need
> for learning and training; be creative rather than passive;
> capable of
> self-initiated action rather than dependent; know how to
> learn rather
> than expect to be taught; and they need to be enterprising,
> not think
> or act like an 'employee' or a 'client'.
> This I sincerely believe; apprenticeship is the key to our
> future
> prosperity, and the only key available to unlock a new age
> of
> renaissance.
>
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Posted by daclark on July 15, 2006, 7:29 pm
Phil Scott wrote:
> thanks, good points..
> I'm copying it for one of my clients...
Thank you, sir...
> it seems that training a doper how to use a screw driver falls
> a bit short...
It is my premise that society fell short in not training the individual
to use a screw driver in the first place. Dope is a replacement for
self-esteem, purpose, and hope.
> Any company that is honest enough itself, in its own
> management or ownership to see the value in what you have
> written will do well...
You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it...
> The bind comes when they raise prices to do it right, in a
> world that hires the low bidder most of the time .... then the
> mess is covered by lying to management who wouldnt know a
> good job from a bad job if it bit them in the ass... thats the
> driver actually... or at least one of the primary drivers.
Apprenticeship will develop generations of better architects and
engineers, builders and manufacturers. I anticipate that going on to
higher education will become natural to a large percentage of
journeymen. Learn how to swing a hammer first, then go to college to
learn how to use that skill. Apprenticeship promotes a greater
understanding of the basic materials...knowledge that may only be
derived in time on the job.
> Will an apprenticeship approach as you describe fix that?
> only if it is pervasive across all sectors of the trades...and
> ..management...including government. Corrupt special
> interests, down to the small sole owner operation will
> preclude that...
A national movement in apprenticeship will build to a force to be
reckoned with. We are a majority...I anticipate a return to a guild
society, representing the political interests of the working classes.
The unions sold out decades ago...
> I have seen quality operations successful though.... but only
> with reputations built in decades past... those still hang on
> with a select client base... new companies generally must
> compete into a market that doesnt know or value quality...
If the journeyman only produces quality work, then quality work will
become the standard. Learning how to get paid for your work is part of
the apprenticeship.
> I was successful in my engineering career for a time by means
> of offering high end solutions.. those days are fading fast
> with the advent of 2 dollar an hour engineering from India
> that will produce at least a functional facility in most
> cases... the others limp by. Management then goes broke
> because of its buggy systems... they have no clue of the
That only makes me curious as to what you are building....
Thank you for your generous words.
I have a plan for a four year program of apprenticeship. If you are
interested in discussing it, you may write to me personally at
senior-apprentice@hotmail.com
daclark
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Posted by Phil Scott on July 16, 2006, 1:36 am
> Phil Scott wrote:
>> thanks, good points..
>> I'm copying it for one of my clients...
> Thank you, sir...
>> it seems that training a doper how to use a screw driver
>> falls
>> a bit short...
> It is my premise that society fell short in not training the
> individual
> to use a screw driver in the first place. Dope is a
> replacement for
> self-esteem, purpose, and hope.
>> Any company that is honest enough itself, in its own
>> management or ownership to see the value in what you have
>> written will do well...
> You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created
> it...
>> The bind comes when they raise prices to do it right, in a
>> world that hires the low bidder most of the time .... then
>> the
>> mess is covered by lying to management who wouldnt know a
>> good job from a bad job if it bit them in the ass... thats
>> the
>> driver actually... or at least one of the primary drivers.
> Apprenticeship will develop generations of better architects
> and
> engineers, builders and manufacturers. I anticipate that
> going on to
> higher education will become natural to a large percentage
> of
> journeymen. Learn how to swing a hammer first, then go to
> college to
> learn how to use that skill. Apprenticeship promotes a
> greater
> understanding of the basic materials...knowledge that may
> only be
> derived in time on the job.
>> Will an apprenticeship approach as you describe fix that?
>> only if it is pervasive across all sectors of the
>> trades...and
>> ..management...including government. Corrupt special
>> interests, down to the small sole owner operation will
>> preclude that...
> A national movement in apprenticeship will build to a force
> to be
> reckoned with. We are a majority...I anticipate a return to
> a guild
> society, representing the political interests of the working
> classes.
> The unions sold out decades ago...
>> I have seen quality operations successful though.... but
>> only
>> with reputations built in decades past... those still hang
>> on
>> with a select client base... new companies generally must
>> compete into a market that doesnt know or value quality...
> If the journeyman only produces quality work, then quality
> work will
> become the standard. Learning how to get paid for your work
> is part of
> the apprenticeship.
>> I was successful in my engineering career for a time by
>> means
>> of offering high end solutions.. those days are fading fast
>> with the advent of 2 dollar an hour engineering from India
>> that will produce at least a functional facility in most
>> cases... the others limp by. Management then goes broke
>> because of its buggy systems... they have no clue of the
> That only makes me curious as to what you are building....
I started as an HVAC refrig mechanic with 4 years college, 2
year degree..then hung out my own shingle, built that to 27
men, we did industrial HVAC and Refrig systems in LA calif,
some aerospace facilities.. I sold that in 1986 and spent the
next 12 years consulting in semi conductor, petrochem and
nuclear weapons production facilities...I was good at
debugging troubled projects...I was not a sweetheart, I
reacted badly to the corporate mish mash but never failed to
get to the root of the problem and impliment a fix...it was
starting to get bad re the tradesman and engineering skills
then...today it is exponentially worse..
Im semi retired now, consulting a few contractors and misc
hands on work, controls etc.
> Thank you for your generous words.
> I have a plan for a four year program of apprenticeship. If
> you are
> interested in discussing it, you may write to me personally
> at
> senior-apprentice@hotmail.com
> daclark
I will probably email you via my yahoo account.
Phil Scott
>
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> Working wood is
> one of the inherent occupations of man, a living trade;
> whereby, a man
> may do well by applying common sense and manual dexterity to
> the basic
> materials found at hand.
> Working with wood, metal and soil are fundamental to living
> trade; yet,
> no two men have ever had the same set of tools or the same
> set of
> experiences; therefore, no two men will ever have the same
> knowledge or
> understanding of living trade; the material remains infinite
> as each
> man must find his own way; thus, we are apprentices all of
> our lives.
> Apprenticeship for our Future
> In the fourth century BC, Plato recognized that the majority
> of any
> population needed to be working class citizens contributing
> to the
> tangible product of their nation; and that the decay of that
> nation
> could be gauged by the percentage of people who are
> essentially
> contributing nothing. We are a nation in distress.
> Education has failed in its fundamental responsibility to
> provide the
> working class with marketable skills. Serving only the
> higher
> motivations, education has become an obtuse bureaucracy that
> many
> cannot and will not respond to. With higher education
> costing tens of
> thousands of dollars, the working class is excluded, left to
> the mercy
> of an ownership society. Apprenticeship is the missing
> ingredient, and
> only apprenticeship can fulfill the responsibility and our
> obligation
> to future generations.
> Apprenticeship must overcome the conventional wisdoms of
> academia,
> while becoming part of the academic woodwork. A program of
> apprenticeship must contain the same integrity systems of
> higher
> education, but requires much more participation than just
> listing tools
> available in a tool chest. Apprenticeship must involve each
> individual
> in practical, financially responsible activities.
> Conventional apprenticeships are negative and narrow,
> concentrated only
> upon the needs of a particular trade or industry. True
> apprenticeship
> is a lifelong, intellectual pursuit; that endows the
> 'journeyman'
> with an immutable purpose, and creates equanimity between
> the
> 'artisan' and his material. In discussing apprenticeship,
> we are
> talking about the individual and the entire concept of
> apprenticeship
> is oriented towards that thought.
> Apprenticeship is not geared exclusively to preparing the
> individual
> for paid employment but to contribute to a more enterprising
> work
> force. Apprenticeship encourages the development of skills
> and
> attributes that employers are looking for, such as teamwork,
> commitment
> and flexibility, but also develops a realistic knowledge and
> understanding of business and the working life.
> Apprenticeship sets
> the standard for quality.
> The survival and competitiveness of all companies, small and
> large,
> depend increasingly upon the quality of their workforces.
> Employees
> need to be able to work autonomously, to take responsibility
> and make
> decisions; to work in small teams and units, to be flexible
> and
> creative, and to update their skills continually. Employees
> need to be
> enterprising, and qualities like planning and decision
> making are ones
> that count.
> The labor market is changing. Apprenticeship takes the
> initiative to
> help the working class to deal proactively with an
> unpredictable world.
> Apprenticeship develops in the individual the necessary
> enterprise
> skills and an awareness of how their community, including
> business and
> industry in a global economy, works. The individual and the
> whole
> working class needs to be 'opportunity ready'.
> The need for apprenticeship in this scenario is clear.
> People need to
> be able to package skills and knowledge into working
> livelihoods;
> become contractors rather than employees; see opportunity in
> job
> change, override periods of unemployment; recognize the
> ongoing need
> for learning and training; be creative rather than passive;
> capable of
> self-initiated action rather than dependent; know how to
> learn rather
> than expect to be taught; and they need to be enterprising,
> not think
> or act like an 'employee' or a 'client'.
> This I sincerely believe; apprenticeship is the key to our
> future
> prosperity, and the only key available to unlock a new age
> of
> renaissance.
>