The boss didn't mention the TruckDriver.com plug we inserted last issue about the Press Release RSS Feed, so we won't bother plugging anything this time around. We'll just get straight to the e-Report, brought to you by TruckDriver.com
Here's an article we found when we were googling Red Sovine (that will make sense to you shortly) and we thought we would share it.
America's 10 Most-Wanted Workers
Mary Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com writer
As more workers from the baby boomer generation retire, millions of jobs are opening up across a variety of industries; unfortunately, hiring managers are having trouble filling these vacant positions.
The reason? In some instances, there is simply a lack of interest in certain industries, such as manufacturing. Many of today's young professionals are focusing on jobs that require computer and analytical thinking skills, rather than ones that require working with their hands. In many cases, however, especially for hiring managers looking to fill management positions, the problem isn't a lack of candidates, but a lack of qualified candidates.
In order to resolve this problem, some employers are offering incentives to older workers who are willing to delay retirement for a few years. Others are offering hiring bonuses to attract new, more-qualified workers. Still, other companies are going right to the source of the problem, setting up courses with colleges and universities that train skilled workers or to pay students' tuition to prepare them for specialized work. Companies like Exelon and General Electric are providing research grants and scholarships for power engineering programs at four-year colleges. And the Natural Association of Manufacturers recently established the "Dream It. Do It." program to train young professionals and garner interest in manufacturing careers among students.
According to Manpower, Inc.'s 2007 Talent Shortage Survey, the following jobs are most in need of qualified workers right now. Due to high demand, pursuing a job in one of these fields could mean increased pay and more benefits for those willing to take the plunge.
1. Sales representatives
Qualifications: A four-year college degree with courses in marketing, leadership, communication, business and advertising, or a high school degree and a proven record of successfully selling other products. Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills are just as important as education and training.
Average salary:* $40,868
2. Teachers
Qualifications: Educational qualifications for postsecondary teacher jobs range from
expertise in a particular field to a Ph.D., depending on the subject being taught and the type of educational institution.
Average salary: $45,281
3. Mechanics
Qualifications: Complete a formal training program in high school, or in a postsecondary vocational school or community college. Some service technicians, however, still learn the trade solely by assisting and learning from experienced workers.
Average salary: $43,760
4. Engineering technicians
Qualifications: An associate degree in engineering technology from a technical institute, vocational school or community college, creativity and good communications skills.
Average salary: $47,759
5. Management/Executives
Qualifications: Vary widely, depending on the size of the organization, but usually include several years of experience within an organization, a bachelor's degree and, oftentimes, advanced degree.
Average salary: $90,913
6. Truck Drivers -- Freight
Qualifications: Valid driver's license, clean driving record and demonstrated ability to handle machinery.
Average salary: $43,053
7. Drivers -- Delivery
Qualifications: Valid driver's license, clean driving record.
Average salary: $29,870
8. Accountants
Qualifications: Professional certification or licensure, a master's degree and proficiency in accounting and auditing computer software.
Average salary: $52,940
9. Construction Laborers
Qualifications: On-the-job training or completion of a formal apprenticeship programs.
Average salary: $40,658
10. Machine Operators
Qualifications: Completion of an apprentice program, on-the-job training or participation in a vocational school, technical school or community college program.
Average salary: $30,176
*Salary information provided by CBsalary.com and includes benefits and bonuses.
Interestingly enough, we also ran across this article, which on the surface appears to be a bit of good news, but by the end they start singing the old refrain about the coming driver shortage.
ATA reports that large truckload carrier driver turnover rate dips 11 percent
Jeff Berman, Senior Editor
Logistics Management
ARLINGTON, Va.—Taking a time-out from the ongoing trend of rising truck driver turnover rates, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) announced yesterday that annualized turnover rates for truckload line-haul drivers saw its first in the second quarter of this year saw its first quarterly decline in a year.
The ATA reported that turnover for large truckload carriers—or fleets with at least $30 million in annual revenue—came in at 116 percent, representing an 11 percent decline from the 127 percent rate seen during the first quarter. These statistics, noted the ATA, are for employee, over-the-road, line-haul drivers and do not include local drivers for port trucking.
ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said in a statement that a fair amount of the turnover rate can be attributed to soft freight volumes and looser capacity that occurred during the quarter, which, in turn, drove down the quarterly turnover rate. But he added that despite this decrease, the turnover rate is still high and has not dipped below 100 percent since the fourth quarter of 2002.
It is worth noting that the 116 percent figure during the second quarter is a step in the right direction, considering that the rate peaked during the fourth quarter of 2005 at 136 percent. The ATA also said yesterday that the quarterly turnover rate for small truckload carriers—with less than $30 million in annual revenue—dropped to 90 percent, which represents its lowest annualized rate in two years. And it noted that this marks the first time that the small fleet turnover rate has been below 100 percent since the third quarter of 2005.
In an interview with Logistics Management earlier this year regarding the ongoing truck driver shortage, Costello said more progress needs to be made to get the turnover rate to decrease on a regular basis.
“Things are not getting better and there is no silver bullet to solve the problem,” said Costello. “This problem is multi-tiered, and a lot of different things need to happen [to make the situation better], including augmenting pay and lifestyle issues associated with the profession.”
According to an often-sited May 2005 report that economic consultancy Global Insight prepared for the ATA, there is a projected need for another 320,000 long-haul drivers between 2004 and 2014.
We made a note to research when the phrase 'driver shortage' first came into use, we're
certain it was sometime in the early eighties, and as the boys from Led Zeppelin once sang, The Song Remains the Same.
Speaking of songs, some sales guy showed up at the office the other day and we overheard him trying to make small talk with the receptionist, he asked her if truckers still listened to Red Sovine. She said she didn't know.
And, we when got to thinking about it, we decided we didn't know either. The more we thought about it, the more we got to wondering about the last time any of us heard a Red Sovine song. It wasn't long before we forgot about researching the 'driver shortage', and we started googling Red Sovine. Google turned up 132,000 hits on Red Sovine, one of those hits was this hit.
Do truckers still listen to Red Sovine? We're sure they do.
We're going to pretend like we didn't notice that no one responded to our question about the history of the title to the It's the Economy, Stupid Survey, we're just going to go ahead tell you the really bad news.
Only around eighteen percent of you thought the economy was stable and strong. Another eighteen percent thought the economy is on the verge of collapse. The rest of you weren't very optimistic either, thirty-three percent think the economy is in trouble and thirty-one percent think it's weak and getting weaker.
Don't you think the presidential candidates should hold a debate at a truckstop? Maybe take some questions from some real people? Take the TruckDriver.com Truckstop Debate Survey and let us know what you think?
Until next time, keep on truckin' and please drive safely out there.
Your Comments Are Always Welcome
We do like to hear from you and invite you to let us know how we can improve the e-Report. Please send your ideas and suggestions to: jobs@truckdriver.com
