Hacker News Reader

Somebody's gotta weld pipe, turn metal, and crank wrenches. I don't see Ivy leaguers applying. A guy who chose the wrong parents and learned to make bad decisions instead of good ones can get these jobs because no one else wants them, and they don't require that much skill.

View on HN

Not quite. They do require just enough skill and just enough technical learning to filter out most of the non-college educated population, but not enough to attract any college grads. So you end up hiring the people with the skill who are generally intelligent but don't always (as you said) make smart life decisions. Usually pretty awesome people with a few issues.

Disclaimer: Family business (that I am not part of, but do tend to frequent) is a machine shop.

> require just enough skill and just enough technical learning to filter out most of the non-college educated

Ok, fair enough, although I submit that is pretty much the lowest working definition of a tradable skill.

I was, am, in the Navy. Have had to go to the jailhouse with sailors, and have had contract work finished late because the pipe fitters, welders, etc, put valves in backwards, forget to weld before charging the system, etc.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com