Editorial:
Destruction of K-ply
Sebastian Edgerton
Issue date: 6/11/08 Section: Opinion
The Clallam County Work Source makes available employment counseling, career assessment, job search workshops, assistance and referrals and computer classes; however there are not a lot of short term training programs. The short term programs available are Commercial Driver License, Aluminum Welding and New Chance-- which is about team building and a variety of academic courses.
What the laid-off workers really need are courses in which they can learn something useful in making a living on the Peninsula. These workers are not Running Start students looking for a short cut to a four-year college. These are people who need to make a living right now, right here.
Both the Commercial Driver License and Aluminum Welding program do this by providing good, down-to-earth skills that the re-trainees can implement in the job market.
On the other hand, New Chance is abstract. It's a wonderful concept; team building through the challenge course at Peninsula College and basic academic courses in English and math. It builds study and thinking skills that may not be transferrable into the Peninsula job market. It doesn't transfer into a pay check that'll pay the mortgage.
The retraining workers are in a hard position. With unemployment on the rise, competition for available jobs is going up both nationally and internationally. These workers are at a disadvantage because some have been at K-ply for a long time and have to re-learn how to do other jobs.
Imagine you're an employer. Who would you hire: someone working at K-ply for years, or a new graduate from a top University with top grades and willing to work for less? It comes down to whether you'd like to pay more for experience, or pay less for an ample mind.
What the laid-off workers really need are courses in which they can learn something useful in making a living on the Peninsula. These workers are not Running Start students looking for a short cut to a four-year college. These are people who need to make a living right now, right here.
Both the Commercial Driver License and Aluminum Welding program do this by providing good, down-to-earth skills that the re-trainees can implement in the job market.
On the other hand, New Chance is abstract. It's a wonderful concept; team building through the challenge course at Peninsula College and basic academic courses in English and math. It builds study and thinking skills that may not be transferrable into the Peninsula job market. It doesn't transfer into a pay check that'll pay the mortgage.
The retraining workers are in a hard position. With unemployment on the rise, competition for available jobs is going up both nationally and internationally. These workers are at a disadvantage because some have been at K-ply for a long time and have to re-learn how to do other jobs.
Imagine you're an employer. Who would you hire: someone working at K-ply for years, or a new graduate from a top University with top grades and willing to work for less? It comes down to whether you'd like to pay more for experience, or pay less for an ample mind.
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