The totally off-topic thread

[Flashback]

Granada - Alhambra is the draw card here.....not much going on beyond that. Alhambra, is well worth seeing!

That matches what I was told by an American chap I met in Bergen, who had been studying there. Definitely on the list then!

 

[medhead]

1) I don't think the "average" teacher or cleaner earn $218,784.40 per annum

Plumbers are certainly likely to earn that much.




2) Very clever - I have little doubt that would have an interesting taxation position given what I know about you.

1) looks like you can deconstruct the tax table better than me. Agreed it is ludicrous to think teachers and cleaners earn that much. Especially when the average wage is about $70000.

2) that's based on the amount deducted for tax in my payg payslip. The timeframe would increase further based on my tax return.

 

[markis10]

And Penegal is totally correct that the closure of technical schools was a part of the loss of knowledge about the importance of trades. IMHO it was a perfect storm of the closure of tech schools and the privatisation fad which has lead to the current situation.

IIRC secondary tech schools were a product of the Victorian system only in terms of being more prevalent than the odd one in the capital city, pretty sure they didnt exist elsewhere and that was the purpose of TAFE to train trades post secondary?

You might be surprised to learn most of the SEC trained electricians from the mid to late eighties no longer practice their trade and have not done so since the nineties, having grown up in the Latrobe Valley I know a few.

 

[medhead]

My grandmother went to Commerical High in Brisbane, I guess in the 1930s sometime. I guess that was some kind of trade school, as in preparing student to work in commercial 'trade' roles. Not sure about my grandfather or father's school options. Both went to Brisbane grammar. I gather my grandfather had the choice of grammar or a trade school. But he left at a low form for a trade.

It certainly seems there were 2 choices way back when with most leaving school early to pursue trades. But then we had the industry to support it.

 

[docjames]

Congrats markis10.

The question now: how are you going to keep up with all the mod'ing now you're working again????

 

[markis10]

Congrats markis10.

The question now: how are you going to keep up with all the mod'ing now you're working again????

There are five of us and the workload seems to balance regardless, and to be frank there's not much mod work generally.

 

[whatmeworry]

IIRC, there was an article which argued the TAFE system had been distorted by awarding diploma's and argued that TAFE's should stick to trades and vocations rather then being quasi Uni's.

 

[whatmeworry]

There are five of us and the workload seems to balance regardless, and to be frank there's not much mod work generally.

Must make it easier when there is no politically threads.

 

[medhead]

IIRC, there was an article which argued the TAFE system had been distorted by awarding diploma's and argued that TAFE's should stick to trades and vocations rather then being quasi Uni's.

Yet the current round of uni deregulation includes the idea of letting tafes issue degrees. It is an interest question, how does someone who has done IT at tafe show they've passed without a diploma, it isn't a trade?

I also recall a big push in the early 90s for all the military tradies to get civilian recognised papers. That was pretty confronting to find that the guy looking after a 13 tonnes lump of metal wouldn't be recognised to do an oil change at a car service business.

 

[penegal]

...having grown up in the Latrobe Valley I know a few.

Didn't realise you grew up in the DPRV?

I thought you were initially from SYD for some reason...

 

[JohnK]

I must be the most underpaid person in Australia

No. You are doing quite alright.

I am the most underpaid person in Australia. I have just reached the salary I was on 14 years ago. :shock: Just keep hiring cheap labour and when they do nothing say it doesn't matter as we are paying them peanuts. True words from management.

Very sad and totally demoralising.

 

[OATEK]

No. You are diing quite alright.

I am the most underpaid person in Australia. I have just reached the salary I was on 14 years ago. :shock: Just keep hiring cheap labour and when they do nothing say it doesn't matter as we are paying them peanuts. True words from management.

Very sad and totally demoralising.

That is a sad state of affairs. These days I definitely qualify in the workplace as a "grumpy old man". But they keep me on because all the younger recruits are unable to write decent reports. I spend half my life trying to turn what others do into something the client will be happy to receive. But happily my salary has gone up by the CPI every year for the last 8 years, despite the upturns/downturns, so I can't complain on that front.

 

[Deleted User]

While being involved in trades in my younger years, I really should have got into the mining more and aspired to be a Jumbo operator, long hours and restricted working conditions but oh the money they earn...!

 

[JohnK]

Yep, I will most most of the delays

Did you mean you will get most of the delays?

 

[anat0l]

... all the younger recruits are unable to write decent reports. I spend half my life trying to turn what others do into something the client will be happy to receive.

This is not supposed to offend, so I am sorry if it does... but that sounds like rather dubious grounds to keep you in the organisation!

I have no idea who you work for, but you'd think that the recruitment people could do a better job finding people who are suited for the role who can write decent reports.

 

[penegal]

Education is a strange beast - and I don't pretend to have all the answers.

Forget university or TAFE for a moment - I am concerned with the decline of literacy and numeracy in the general populace. Linguistically we can argue about language evolution, but I believe there is a clear decline in our most basic forms of education.

Perhaps I am old and cynical, but I think the rush for everyone to go to university is rather ironic when assignments and exam papers are full of basic spelling & grammar, or arithmetic mistakes.

Whenever you buy something with cash you should always check your change as the cashier may not be able to handle the basic math required to count out your change. But of course they are qualified to tweet about it...


< / cynic >

 

[medhead]

While being involved in trades in my younger years, I really should have got into the mining more and aspired to be a Jumbo operator, long hours and restricted working conditions but oh the money they earn...!

The issue with that is the years required in the services or development crew before even getting a look in for production.

 

[Deleted User]

The issue with that is the years required in the services or development crew before even getting a look in for production.

Correct, but the end prize is $2k a day 2 weeks on and 1 week off (Between $250k & $350k per annum...!)

 

[markis10]

Did you mean you will get most of the delays?

I did mean to say I will miss most of the delays.

 

[Buzzard]

1) looks like you can deconstruct the tax table better than me. Agreed it is ludicrous to think teachers and cleaners earn that much. Especially when the average wage is about $70000.

2) that's based on the amount deducted for tax in my payg payslip. The timeframe would increase further based on my tax return.

I need to to find an average job to replace the below average one I have now :shock: