The Invisible Job Market

People struggle to find job and career opportunities in the Berkshires. We keep hearing about a high job vacancy rate, a low unemployment rate and all these available jobs, but finding them does not seem so ...

[Bob]

This article is clearly written by someone with no grasp of economics or, for that matter reality in the Berkshires. I did my time in college, got my paper (Bachelor of Science), moved back home, and worked a series of menial jobs (despite my network) until I finally got a job in my field. I now own a consulting firm in New Hampshire. I miss the Berskshires every day but there is NOTHING there to hold educated professionals. No transportation infrastructure, no manufacturing, and no REAL jobs for an educated professional that isn't a teacher or municipal administrator. The service industry is no way to put food on the table with only one 40+ hour a week job. WAKE UP!

[Allen]

Bob wrote:

This article is clearly written by someone with no grasp of economics or, for that matter reality in the Berkshires.

I did not remember seeing this article in the paper Eagle, so I clicked the link to see that it is a 200 article by then-head of Pittsfield PEDA, Tyler Fairbank.

I didn't even read the article, because I knew immediately that Bob was right on target with his opening message.

[Swinson]

What a joke, Fairbank giving anyone advice on actually getting a job based on their merit and education.

[Bob]

Thank you!

[Barley]

A simple solution - legalize drugs in Berkshire County - unemployment would drop to zero the next day.

[Just Looking Here]

Bob wrote:

This article is clearly written by someone with no grasp of economics or, for that matter reality in the Berkshires. I did my time in college, got my paper (Bachelor of Science), moved back home, and worked a series of menial jobs (despite my network) until I finally got a job in my field. I now own a consulting firm in New Hampshire. I miss the Berskshires every day but there is NOTHING there to hold educated professionals. No transportation infrastructure, no manufacturing, and no REAL jobs for an educated professional that isn't a teacher or municipal administrator. The service industry is no way to put food on the table with only one 40+ hour a week job. WAKE UP!

I agree 100%....How long ago was it that NA claimed to be "The All-American City?"

[New Nona]

Just Looking Here wrote:

<quoted text>
I agree 100%....How long ago was it that NA claimed to be "The All-American City?"

1974, and It was a joke then too!!!

[Paul]

North Adams! All-American City! Holy sheeeeet you have got to be kidding. Did they not have the highest incest rate,teenage pregnancy rate, alcoholism rate, child/spouse abuse rate and muder rate PER CAPITA in the country at one time?

[Uncle Fester]

Paul wrote:

North Adams! All-American City! Holy sheeeeet you have got to be kidding. Did they not have the highest incest rate,teenage pregnancy rate, alcoholism rate, child/spouse abuse rate and muder rate PER CAPITA in the country at one time?

That was then this is now. And now the torch has been passed to good old Cracton or Pissfield if you will. Who is laughing now Cractonites? Hee hee hee.

[Just Looking Here]

New Nona wrote:

<quoted text>1974, and It was a joke then too!!!

Thank you for telling us that the joke is now 34 years old.

[CLD]

I am completely Agreeable!! I was a product of what this Article is stating I left the Area and I realized for my three yrs in that other state, that it makes no difference where you are. The job market is soooo... competitive that you have to make it happen not just think that it will fall on your lap.

I spent time in New York, Connecticut, and California I am from Massachusetts does not matter what state it is you need a graduate degree.

For those of you out here and giving up , ready to move away don't because this area Berkshire County willl become a lost area if individuals who are young intelligent and filled with great ideas are needed in a small community to make positive things flourish.

Remember no matter where you are it is The Education, Experience and skills that will gove you the career you want in a city or a town. Good Luck to all readers.

[Paul]

Uncle Fester wrote:

<quoted text>
That was then this is now. And now the torch has been passed to good old Cracton or Pissfield if you will. Who is laughing now Cractonites? Hee hee hee.

What is Cracton? Ask Cousin It.

[Paul]

CLD wrote:

I am completely Agreeable!! I was a product of what this Article is stating I left the Area and I realized for my three yrs in that other state, that it makes no difference where you are. The job market is soooo... competitive that you have to make it happen not just think that it will fall on your lap.
I spent time in New York, Connecticut, and California I am from Massachusetts does not matter what state it is you need a graduate degree.
For those of you out here and giving up , ready to move away don't because this area Berkshire County willl become a lost area if individuals who are young intelligent and filled with great ideas are needed in a small community to make positive things flourish.
Remember no matter where you are it is The Education, Experience and skills that will gove you the career you want in a city or a town. Good Luck to all readers.

I agree with everything you said but you need a State that makes businesses WANT to come to Massachusetts. Like tax breaks and incentives. If that does not happen how can you expect anyone to stay where there are no good paying job opportunites. States are competing for company's to come to their state.

[watching you]

Uncle Fester wrote:

<quoted text>
That was then this is now. And now the torch has been passed to good old Cracton or Pissfield if you will. Who is laughing now Cractonites? Hee hee hee.

Someone hit a nerve Fester?

NA is still there. You haven't done much yet. If you have the time to read this forum, you have time to read the news. Perhaps, NA will progress when you leave your position.

[ramdan]

Over four hundred thousand new claims filed for unemployment in the last quarter!
American companies are shipping a lot of the best jobs overseas,and the government condones it!

[Allen]

ramdan wrote:

American companies are shipping a lot of the best jobs overseas,and the government condones it!

I'm not arguing for or against this comment, but I'm curious why you believe that the government condones it?

In the long run I think it's a great thing for global growth, but I get the sense you aren't talking about the economic merits...

[ramdan]

Allen wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm not arguing for or against this comment, but I'm curious why you believe that the government condones it?
In the long run I think it's a great thing for global growth, but I get the sense you aren't talking about the economic merits...

I say the government condones because they make no effort to dissuade corporations from doing so!
If anything the government policies encourage it by their inaction and tax policies!
Global growth be damned,American job growth should be the goal of every politician and patriot!

[jassy303]

so the government should be "persuading" corporations into doing things ? controlling industry? that doesn't sound very american.

[Eric]

ramdan wrote:

<quoted text>
I say the government condones because they make no effort to dissuade corporations from doing so!
If anything the government policies encourage it by their inaction and tax policies!
Global growth be damned,American job growth should be the goal of every politician and patriot!

Nice theory, but impractical. I suppose it is theoretically possible to stop export and imports and be self sufficient, but our standard of living would definitely fall. It's called the law of comparative advantage. Some foreign countries do some things, unsophisticaed manufacturing in particular, better than we do. On the other hand we do some things, such as aerospace and pharmeceuticals, better than most countries in the world. We're definitely better off selling 777's and wonder drugs abroad and importing T-shirts and rocking chairs than if we limited out exporters to the domestic market, and deprived our consumers of less expensive imported goods.

[AFAR]

Eric wrote:

<quoted text>Nice theory, but impractical. I suppose it is theoretically possible to stop export and imports and be self sufficient, but our standard of living would definitely fall. It's called the law of comparative advantage. Some foreign countries do some things, unsophisticaed manufacturing in particular, better than we do. On the other hand we do some things, such as aerospace and pharmeceuticals, better than most countries in the world. We're definitely better off selling 777's and wonder drugs abroad and importing T-shirts and rocking chairs than if we limited out exporters to the domestic market, and deprived our consumers of less expensive imported goods.

The theory of comparative advantage falls apart when you introduce mobile input factors. If capital was restrained at the border as it was in the 19th century world economy when this idea was first floated, it would make sense. In 2008, not so much.

The wonder-drugs and airplanes you cite may produced by companies majority owned in the United States, but these goods and/or many of their component parts are already built over-seas. There is no inherent financial advantage in the current system where labor-inputs are static but capital-inputs are not.