I agree; now you pretty well have to have college or university education to get your foot in the door anywhere. Also, not very many of today's young people are willing to work menial jobs in factories. Everybody wants to start at the top. When I was done high school, I was tired of education, and just wanted to get out there and have a job. I had an interview and filled out a job application form at Canadian Timken on a Wednesday, was offered a job that Friday, and started working there on the following Monday. On the strength of my high school mathematics, I was offered a job in their Tool Inspection department, measuring completed tools and gauges made by the in-plant and outside tool rooms. This department was also responsible for the set up, calibration and maintenance of all production gauging. I completed an apprenticeship to become a Tool and Die Inspector. This job eventually lead to an Inspection Supervisor post for me.
I was offered a Supervisory position at a small plant that supplied thermostatic switches to the appliance industry and thermostatic/vacuum smog controls to the automotive industry. Because of the nature of the product, the entire factory was air conditioned, and was kept very clean. This was quite a change of environment from working at Timken! Due to the type of light assembly, and the very good work environment, the workforce was predominantly female. After a few years as a supervisor, I decided that a change of work was needed, where I only had to worry about ME.
I applied and was accepted for a job very similar to the hourly Tool Inspection position I had had at Timken. This was at Clevite, which eventually became GKN Sintered Metals, a supplier of powdered metal parts to the automotive industry. Again, this department was responsible for production gauging for the production floor, as well as tool and die inspection. This was a skilled trades job, and I enjoyed the same pay as toolmakers, electricians, mechanics, etc. This was a straight day shift job in a climate controlled inspection lab; a job I appreciated as the best one in the factory. I spent over 25 years there before retiring. There are no longer very many of these well paying factory jobs left in the area.