Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

1) Are you from Australia?

I'm not, so those numbers looked high to me, until I remembered that Aussie dollars are worth about half of American dollars.

2) People, in general, don't spend their money wisely.

3) Unlike a college grad, tradesmen work during their training, so they are productive for the company from day one. It is a win-win situation that should be a model for jobs everywhere, not just technician jobs.



The AUD is worth more than the USD: http://www.google.com/finance?q=CURRENCY%3AAUD


Since when did people going to college not "work"? Have you even been to college?


My point is that apprentice technicians and tradesmen offset the cost of their training by working for the company that trains them. Maybe not entirely, but if not, they make it up by being more productive after training than someone who was trained elsewhere. Ultimately, these companies wouldn't invest in training if there wasn't a return on that investment.


> Ultimately, these companies wouldn't invest in training if there wasn't a return on that investment.

Possibly, but its hard to see a ROI in this situation considering they are paying for training and giving the kids a full-time job, possibly with benefits. That's a couple thousand a person in training + 44,000 salary + a couple thousand in benefits and possibly a union membership. I don't see how there is cost offset over converting engineers who have a base knowledge. Not only that, where are they going to go if they lose their job?

We're also talking about high school students here. They've had stuff taken care of for them all their life (baring extenuating circumstances). Not exactly the most responsible bunch I would guess.


Dude, they aren't "giving" away jobs. This isn't a charity. You don't hire people unless you need them to make money, and then you do whatever it takes to help them make you money. If it wasn't in the best financial interests of the employer, they wouldn't do it.

Why would you prefer engineers take a pay cut to do technician work rather than the engineering they are trained for and experienced in? If an engineer can do it, I bet it would be even easier to transfer VPs and executives to these lucrative technician jobs, right?


Because, if you look at it from a business standpoint, why would you hire more employers if you have employers that can convert. Unlike some people, I don't need $90k to make a living. But then again, when has ethics ever been a problem right? Its all about wanting more and more. Not to mention, some engineers are really crappy and since getting a new job isn't particularly easy, especially with a family, pay cuts are an option.

I've seen a lot of things done at the company I work for that wasn't exactly in the companies "financial interest". Its amazing how much money is used for things that aren't needed because a manager felt they couldn't wait an extra month, or something wasn't "moving" fast enough, or other poor excuses that justify spending 50k on a system of which they probably don't even use the majority of the features.


Depends where you go to school. At many private schools, parents simply pay all the kids' living expenses. Sure, some people work, but I would say more than half simply have money deposited in their checking account by family. I know many people from my years at college who had never worked a job until their first job after graduation.


That isn't the work I'm talking about. I'm talking about assignments and exercises. The things you're suppose to be doing in college.


I should mention that I looked it up, and Australian dollars are almost 1:1 with US dollars. So, yeah, those numbers are high. Good for your nephew.


The stupidity hurts.




Consider applying for YC's Fall 2026 batch! Applications are open till July 27.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: