Plant Services - August 2007 - (Page 11) BACKTALK It’s frustrating to watch good people leave W e have to look at other ways to solve the shortage of maintenance technicians as Joel Leonard described in “Wake up the suits” (May, page 25). I believe that we’ll have to fill the top of the maintenance profession from transitions from professional or other oversupplied educated work forces – like excess English, philosophy or history majors – not from technical schools. is provides a different challenge and an opportunity. e individuals would need to have a path through a faster program with quicker earning potentials to help drive the transition. But as knowledge workers and learners, their learning pattern would be shorter with less demand for tactile, kinetic and repetitive motion learning. e elementary and secondary education system is letting us down by continuing to limit kinetic and tactile courses and learning experiences. Just as we’ve destroyed the last generation’s math skills because primary school teachers “don’t like math,” we’re doing the same to craft skills because they’re dirty, take up room and use materials that pull from other parts of the education budget. But school administrators always seem to find ways to improve the football stadium! e technical schools and community colleges are letting us down – as their deans believe and behave as if basic skills and technical learning are beneath the “college level,” and keep trying to expand to be part of the traditional “university system.” Ultimately the marketplace will respond to the problem, but it sure is frustrating watching the stupidity develop. It’s frustrating watching good people leave good organizations because the management is insensitive to the market. Je Overbey, manager craft services Tyco Electronics, Winston-Salem, N.C. After reading Paul Studebaker’s response to William Vanek’s letter, “Chilled about global warming” (June, page 11), I felt compelled to reply. However much it pains me, I agree that we must accept the current and essentially political situation as it relates to the theory of man-made global climate change. e evidence to support the theory isn’t complete and has been used in an alarmist fashion for political purposes. My world view, as an engineer, tells me that many bad decisions are made for political reasons and that it’s my duty to speak out where I see them despite the politics. Science is science and politics is politics. When one is used to support the other, things often go wildly astray. I’m always of the opinion that good engineering is finding the proper balance between cost and effectiveness. Studebaker says, “ and using less energy is always better engineering ” I’m not certain that we would agree. How much additional cost in a product or service comes with a reduction in energy usage? I’m sure that for 100 times the cost, I can reduce the energy usage of any device or service by at least 1%, but I doubt anyone would buy or use it even with the “better engineering” moniker behind it. Saying that less energy usage is always better engineering is incorrect, or at least a dramatic oversimplification. Why did Studebaker throw in the comment “ and have no concern for our children ?” Was it to make Mr. Vanek feel that if he didn’t agree with him that he obviously didn’t A Global warming is a hot topic care about our children? It has become standard practice of many with political agendas to use the battle cry of “it’s for our children” to justify their agendas. ey then use it, as Studebaker did, to attack anyone who doesn’t agree with them as cold-hearted and out to hurt children. For any current social or political issue, I can give you a way that children can be used as a basis to support or defend it. I believe that this comment had no place in his response except to attack those who disagree with him. I enjoy and will continue to read Plant Services. I look forward to reading Studebaker’s “From the Editior” column. I also greatly appreciate “In the Trenches.” Many times, it’s the fi rst section that I read! I suffer from that most typical engineering failing of not remembering the human element in many situations and this section has been very helpful to remind me how painfully important those considerations are. James Lynch, technical projects manager The Andersons Inc., Maumee, Ohio Paul Studebaker responds: James, when I read a letter as concise, literate and accurate as yours, I have regrets about my transition from practicing engineer to magazine editor. It has changed my perspective and not always to the good. I am guilty of all you say – abandoning principles, oversimplification, even sensationalizing. I will keep your comments in mind, and knowing you’re out there reading will inspire me to be more careful. 11 .PLANTSERVICES. http://www.plantservices.com
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