Dear Mr. Bush: What ARE the jobs of the 21st Century?

Bush keeps saying we need to retrain at community colleges for the jobs of the 21st Century. But what are they?

Besides "services," I can't really think of a field that could be considered "American jobs of the 21st century."

The only IT that's left in the United States is maintaining Windows systems, and with a one-weekend MCSE you can get into that field--a MCSE with a BSCS or MSCS is too expensive for a company that considers IT an expense and not an investment, and that's most of them.

Manufacturing, including printing, has basically gone away.

Logging? That's still around, but I can take you to the port of Lewiston, Idaho, so we can watch the American logs being loaded on barges to go to overseas mills. (Yes, Mr. Bush, there is an ocean port in Idaho.)

Agriculture has gone to shit--whereas an American could once go to work in a food plant or on a farm and live fairly well for the rest of his or her life, ag is now the province of immigrants who don't mind working for sub-minimum wage.

There's still some research being done, but you need a Ph.D. to do that. Community colleges are not accredited to grant the Ph.D.

So! Mr. Bush, after you have given tax break after tax break to encourage outsourcing, offshoring and otherwise moving American jobs to China, India, Vietnam, Burma, and every other third-world country there is, what are the jobs of the 21st Century? Must I learn to speak Chinese to be competitive? Must I speak Hindu? Give me an indication here.

Also "Forest Harvester"

after the debate has 3 degrees and no job..and bush "wants him to go to cc...how demeaning and out of touch with reality is this former pres.

and went back for an associates in Graphic Design. Higher education paying off.

"Burger manufacturer" and "Wal-Mart associate"

People just need to stop being so negative and learn to enjoy cardboard box living.

You mentioned agriculture... at this point it may be too late to save the small farm unless we're prepared to heavily subsidize the smaller farms so they can compete with the big ones.

Only other possibility I can see is legalizing marijuana and hemp production. Even then, I'm not sure how much farm equipment is sitting idle or how much capital outlay would be needed to start up smaller farms again... if anyone is even willing to risk going into farming anymore.

I've only lived in the Carolinas for ten years, but many of the people I worked with when I was a printer grew up here.

They liked to tell me stories of the Grand Strand (the area around Myrtle Beach) back in the day. Most of it was farmland, and then you got to the ocean and the beaches which were the tourist/oyster digging area. You went down there the week before your 'bacca or your cotton ripened, sucked oysters all day and shagged all night (in the Carolinas, the shag is a beach dance, not sex), then went home and worked your ass off.

Now? It's all golf courses. There are probably eighty golf courses in the area in and surrounding Horry County. The oyster beds got tore up in one of the hurricanes and they haven't come back; it's rare to eat a South Carolina oyster when you go to South Carolina's beach communities.

Which makes me wonder: if the economy collapses far enough that people can't afford to travel all the way to Myrtle Beach to golf, what happens to that area?

Gas Station Attendant, Convenience Store Clerk, Janitor, Maid, Retail Salesperson, Waiter/Waitress, Cook, Truck Driver, Home Health Aide, Secretary (Administrative Assistant), Member of the Armed Forces, Yard Maintenance Worker. Mortgage Closer, and many more exciting fields, none of which pay worth a damn.


Ironically, the IT industry currently is pressuring Congress to eliminate the cap on bringin in foreign H1B tech workers, claiming there aren't enough IT professionals in the US. Like there aren't thousands of unemployed IT professionals all over the country, The WashPost business section had an article about it today.

What the IT industry wants is CHEAP tech workers willing to work for far less than American tech workers.

CHEAP IT worker.Cheap is the watchword.If they cannot get somebody cheap here, they are going to get them overseas.If they need to they will get them on H1B visas to come here.There is going to be no jobs where a living wage is going to be paid.

And making Bush cronies richer.

Dammit! Those engineers were NOT properly edumacated!!!!! :hi:

"INDENTURED SERVITUDE"

It's where the 21st century is at!!!

The Army will be hiring thousands if Bush is reselected! They will make you an offer you can't refuse! As in,

"GREETINGS, from your local selective service board # 13, mister Freeper! Please give your heart to Gawd Mister Freeper, because your A$$ is Ours!"

As many lies as Bush has told and been caught up in, do you honestly believe that he is telling you the truth about the draft? Please go and sign this petition, NOW!

http://petition.democracyforamerica.com/page/p/nodraft

Don't know why it takes a community college degree to say that.

Foxy News may be looking for a few O'Really sex slaves! "Factor" that into your work search!

"Jobs is on the way!"

"Where there's smoke there's work!"

"Shoes for industry!"

college so they can get those good jobs of the 21st century. Amazing!