When I was a kid, I had a friend named Kirk. Kirk idolized the garbage men. He would follow the truck up and down the alley. On rainy days, he would watch for the garbage truck from his bedroom window. Kirk thought everything about the garbage men was fascinating. I think Kirk grew up to be an accountant or something...I really don't know. I do know that he is not a garbage man.
I can remember the adults in my neighborhood seemed almost envious of the garbage man. At the ballfield or in the backyard, the dads would say things like, "Who do you have to know to get a job on the garbage truck?" or, "Do you know how much money those guys must make an hour?"
Garbage man used to be a coveted position. What happened? I recently met with a Waste Management recruiter who told me that they are struggling to find drivers or drivers' helpers. I logged onto the company website (www.wm.com/careers) only to find dozens of vacant positions in and around the Pittsburgh region. I talked with a friend of mine who runs a staffing agency. They staff positions at a Waste Management recycling facility. He told me that they have open positions on a daily basis that they cannot fill. Now granted, these may not be the most glamorous positions within the company, but they are entry level positions into one of America's largest businesses!
When and how did America become a top down nation? Remember when you had to start at the bottom and work your way to the top? Jobs that were once classified as 'good jobs' are now looked down upon. It's almost as if CEO's and top execs are envied to the degree that everybody thinks they should be one regardless of education, job experience, talent and ability. This line of thinking has left a void in the value of work.
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