How to prepare for the upcoming labour shortage?

[JLM]

Right on the kids get out of school at 3 PM- no reason why they can't put in a good 4-5 hours before bedtime doing something constructive,instead of being perched in front of the T.V. or computer or out in the neighbourhood getting into mischief, smoking pot or breaking things and being a general nuisance and threat to law abiding tax paying citizens. You have the right attitude, S.F.

 

[Machjo]

We could lower the working age. In BC it's 12.

Maybe bring in Mexicans and get the 6 year olds working? School is over rated when there are chimneys to be swept and rugs to be knitted. Childhoods are for those that can afford them.

When I lived in BC, I couldn't work till I was 15, so I guess they lowered it later. As far as I'm concerned, 15 is early enough. And even then, if you're suggesting 15 year olds dorpping out of school to work full time, if we expect them to earn a decent wage down the road, we'd better improve his education up to that time first. That would mean eliminating summer holidays and winter holidasy and maybe go to a 6-day school week. I'd be all for that, and would be more than willing to pay the extra tax for something like that. It would create jobs now while we're in recession and would ensure a highly qualified labour pool when the labour crunch comes. Actually, it wouldn't be such a bad thing if a person could complete his compulsory education by the age of 15. Then he could work earler to get the money to pay for his university by the time he's 18. So then when he enters university not only woud he have a high school diploma, but three years full time work experience to boot.

 

[Machjo]

A good thing with the idea above would be that it would create jobs for teachers during the recession while preparing for a more qualified workforce when the crunch comes, essentially killing two birds with one stone, solving a short-term problem and a long-term one at the same time. It would also help th epoor by giving them a headstart; if they can graduate from high school by the age of 15, that would give them an extra few years to earn a living to get work experience and extra cash that coud be used for university or whatever.

 

[JLM]

When I lived in BC, I couldn't work till I was 15, so I guess they lowered it later. As far as I'm concerned, 15 is early enough. And even then, if you're suggesting 15 year olds dorpping out of school to work full time, if we expect them to earn a decent wage down the road, we'd better improve his education up to that time first. That would mean eliminating summer holidays and winter holidasy and maybe go to a 6-day school week. I'd be all for that, and would be more than willing to pay the extra tax for something like that. It would create jobs now while we're in recession and would ensure a highly qualified labour pool when the labour crunch comes. Actually, it wouldn't be such a bad thing if a person could complete his compulsory education by the age of 15. Then he could work earler to get the money to pay for his university by the time he's 18. So then when he enters university not only woud he have a high school diploma, but three years full time work experience to boot.

That would be an excellent idea, double the school day from 5 to 10 hours, that would keep them out of mischief until they are 12 and can graduate, then they could work full time, Dad could retire and beweeen the kids and the mother working the Dad could have time for things like character enhancement & personality improvement.

 

[Machjo]

That would be an excellent idea, double the school day from 5 to 10 hours, that would keep them out of mischief until they are 12 and can graduate, then they could work full time, Dad could retire and beweeen the kids and the mother working the Dad could have time for things like character enhancement & personality improvement.

Are you crazy. The brain needs a rest. I wouldn't necessarily recommend lengthening the school day though.

And just to clarify, I still think students should get at least bank holidays off too.

Another point about job creation. If students have to go to school throughout the summer, this would also help to create jobs for the rural unemployed looking for work in the fields since th efarmers' children would be busy at school at lest until th e age of 15.

 

[Machjo]

What I could possibly agree to though would be to leave ths school library open later into the day so that poorer students who lack a healthy study environment at home (either physical such as no bedroom of their own and loud TV, or social such as bickering parents or separation, divorce, neglect, etc.) could choose to stay behind and go to the school library to study in a more decent environment. Either that or some study room.

But no I wouldn't agree to more daily classtime. More school days, yes, but that's because they can come back rested every day.