Real Diversity Issue

I agree.

If every tradesmen can get employment in a union state and eventually start their own business, it’ll be great.

 

I certainly thought that was the case.

Friend of ours, a former nurse, took an 18-month set of classes to become an MRI tech. Spent $30,000. Has to keep paying, taking tests to remain certified.

Cannot find a job in the field.

 

As is often the case in a "changing" economy, a lot of these jobs will require relocation.

Hallmark of the American middle class over the years has been a willingness to go where the work is.

I don't envy anyone who has to uproot themselves to do it.

 

That's the question I ask whenever I come across Instagram feeds of some of the younger people I know who have to live in swanky condos in the heart of downtown Toronto, which is one of the most expensive housing markets on the continent. They rack up daily bar and restaurant tabs, hefty monthly gym fees and the office is nothing more than a place to go between vacations. Where will this group be in five years? Ten years?

 

As opposed to all those journalism, communications and sales jobs that people who pour money in humanities or lib arts degrees that have all those things plus the student debt.

Thats the hook. There’s a vast lack of explaining economic reality at the high school level. Its “get a degree, any degree, get rich” when the reality is unless its law or medical in many cases you make less than trade jobs.

 

I'd like to go back to the top and hear some ideas for closing the racial wealth gap.

Any thoughts?

 

What is this "union state" you refer to?

 

It does not have to be that way, though. When I did the mid-life career change and got an associates in radiography and passed the registry to become an x-ray tech, I went to a local community college that had a great program. It cost maybe $6k in late 90's dollars. Same program at UAB would have cost two to three times more. Half of my class was hired by UAB Hospital right out of school, and they had their own program.

If I'd gone MRI (or CT or Angio), I would have done it by getting a radiography job in a hospital, making friends in the MRI or CT department, and working my way in. If you start out in such a narrow specialization, your odds are extremely slim. MRI's are damn expensive, there are a very limited number (and thus MRI jobs) in a given city. If that town has a tech school pumping out MRI techs, the market will remain flooded with applicants. Sounds like it was a high dollar for profit school as well, although I can't know that. Far more practical to start at the base of the pyramid where there are more jobs, gain medical experience, and then work your way into your chosen specialty.

I know that when I was first looking at what I was going to take, I thought very hard about physical therapy. I then found out that it was the most popular of the allied health degrees in town and ungodly competitive to get into school for and get a job in, so I took a different path. I also was thinking about working with injured athletes and the like, not realizing that most PT's are working with car wreck aftermath in ordinary joes or with incontinent stroke victims. You've got to do your research, find out about the market, not just pick something and go for it blind.

 

I goofed up. It was sonography she was training for. Your observations probably still apply, though.

 

Ultrasound is a much more widespread specialty, but it is also on the low end of the pay/respect scale. There are absolutely many more jobs than for MRI, but otherwise most of it still applies. Probably the most critical is finding out what the market realities of your local area are, because that will vary according to the number of local schools pumping out grads in a given field. You're far better off going for one that isn't overrun with other applicants, forcing those grads to move to find a better market for their skills.

 

Was an RN? In NJ or NY, don't know too many RNs who'd leave to become an MRI tech.

edit: saw your other post. Even for sonography though, not sure why you'd make that
move, unless it was an LPN. Most RNs in NJ, NY are making at least 70k. After a few
years at least 80k.

https://www.topregisterednurse.com/salary/new-jersey/

 

Had to be an LPN or similar, as that would be half the income otherwise... although RN is a very tough job nowadays. Used to be that a a hospital floor unit would have maybe three RN's supervising six or eight LPN's each. Now that same unit likely has one RN who is responsible for all that happens on the floor. LPN's and patient care techs do the work, but it is equivalent to teaching a class of 42 sixth graders instead of 24, with people's lives and health being at stake. There are reasons that the RN get the big bucks.

Add in that the academic load to get an RN is very tough indeed. You have to be very smart, organized, and motivated to graduate.