ARE YOU READY FOR LIFE ARE YOU READY FOR WORK

Pampered 20-somethings who can’t get a job should set their sights lower, says Tom Elliot. 

Are you aged in your 20s and armed with a degree yet can’t get a job? The chances are your expectations are set far too high.

Just because you’ve attended university doesn’t mean you instantly qualify to be a CEO. Entry-level positions in manual trades paying a decent wage are out there — so long as you’re prepared to get your hands dirty.

Unemployment statistics paint an allegedly grim picture for young Australians. Whereas the overall jobless rate currently sits well below 6 per cent, twice that proportion of people aged 15-24 can’t find work.

As a consequence the 2016 federal budget has created a new program entitled “PATH” (Prepare, Trial and Hire) designed to move young Australians off the dole. The initiative will subsidise employers who give young people a go at the employment coalface.

Nice idea, but it won’t succeed.

Recently I’ve spoken to several potential employers who all sing a similar tune.

Entry level jobs in sectors like roof tiling, painting and decorating, concreting and building are available — but potential applicants are thin on the ground.

And those young people who do respond to job ads have a bad habit of sabotaging their prospects.

According to many business proprietors, Gen Y employees demonstrate some terrible work habits.

These include failing to turn up to work at the agreed time; staring at their mobile phones for much of the day; calling in sick when hung-over after a big night; and feigning injury or fatigue when hard physical labour is required.

                                                    

Frankly it’s a wonder younger workers impact the paid-employment numbers at all.

So why are so many 20-somethings afraid of work? Three institutions are to blame.

First, the family home has become an unreal refuge from the outside world. Far too many parents overindulge their precious offspring.

These days it’s not uncommon to see children aged in their late 20s and early 30s still living with mum and dad.

Such “kidults” enjoy cooked meals each evening, have their clothes washed and folded and pay rent only when the entertainment budget allows.

Plenty of excuses are trotted out to justify this unnatural arrangement: house prices are too high, rents remain very expensive in nice areas, young Jack/Chloe has a crippling credit card debt to repay and we’re a loving family who want to remain close. Blah, blah, blah.

The end result is young men or women unable to fend for themselves beyond the white picket fence.

Second, modern schools hand out praise far too easily.

When children compete in a running race, no longer are they awarded medals solely for finishing in the top three. Rather, all participants are given “achievement” ribbons just for completing the course.

Such socialistic tokens imbue a false sense of worth among secondary students who’ve never known failure. Everyone’s a winner; therefore no one can lose.

The competitive post-school workplace where only a talented minority receive promotion must generate an enormous shock.

                            

Third, contrary to popular belief university isn’t for everyone.

Until the late 1980s possession of a degree virtually guaranteed its holder a comfortable and reasonably well-paid white collar job.

This was because tertiary places were then limited to just one in five high school graduates. Only the most academically able were awarded a place.

Thanks to well-meaning but misguided higher education reforms over the past three decades, however, more than 50 per cent of school leavers now enter the tertiary sector.

As a result, there now exist many more university graduates than there are appropriate jobs.

Such well-qualified applicants won’t settle for employment in a manual trade.

After all why should a 22-year-old graduate with a Bachelor in Business Communications (whatever that means) strain his-or-her back laying concrete on a building site?

Here are the harsh realities of the present-day employment market.

Living at home for an extended period will not assist the transition into independent adulthood; even if it causes a drop in short-term living standards, departing the family nest will do wonders for a 22-year-old’s eventual maturity.

Attendance at a good school or university no longer guarantees a well-paid career.

But a part-time teenage job delivering papers or flipping burgers suggests a willingness to work that’s highly sought-after by employers.

              

And when it comes to manual labour, be prepared to roll up the sleeves and get stuck in.

Yes, many once-local vocations like bookkeeping and car-making are now being outsourced to Asia. But basic and irreplaceable trades like painting, plastering and plumbing remain highly sought-after.

And the good news is that such professions don’t require a university degree accompanied by a $50,000-plus HECS debt.

Finally, the dole should always be regarded as a last resort for the desperate.

There’s nothing noble about taking money from fellow citizens while entry-level jobs remain unfilled.

Tom Elliott  Herald Sun

May 12, 2016

After some years of our company delivering team and leadership school programs the first people to educate were teaching staff. They were shocked that we “don’t compromise” don’t give second chances and we don’t build elite teams to achieve success. They soon realised this was the best grounding for real life and a great start for young students setting out in life.

If you would like to learn more about Canoe Image programs call Stan for information.

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SILO ART A TALL ORDER FOR VICTORIAN TOWN OF BRIM

Was it a well planned strategy or accidental success?

Sometime you grab the opportunity when it presents and that looks like what happened with the small community of Brim in the Nth West of Victoria.

Brisbane based artist Guido van Helten said he had always had an interest in painting street art on silos. “They’re quite beautiful surfaces and perfect for something like this” he said. He approached street artist management company Juddy Roller to locate silos in Victoria. They settled on Brim when Grain Corp came up with the disused silo standing tall on the west side of the Brim township. Van Helten mapped the work onto a computer knowing the visual challenge was allowing for the curved surface of the silos.

Brim wheat silos located and ready for Guido. Silos like this became obsolete as farming operations grew bigger and were unable to handle the very large haulage trucks delivering grain to rail sidings. 

 Van Helten is no stranger to this type of project with works around the world in Belarus, Ukraine, Norway, Italy, Denmark, London and Iceland. He worked up to 10 hrs a day in heat frequently reaching 40 degrees.

President of the Brim Active Community Group Shane Wardle along with the towns 100 population quickly recognised the opportunity. They put $10,000 toward the project and were backed by grants from the Yarriambiack Shire and Regional Arts  Victoria. Paint was donated from Taubmans and Loop Paints with the local publican providing the artist with meals and the town caravan park providing accommodation.

The town has been abuzz. Shane Wardle a farmer in the area for 22 years reckons it’s the biggest thing to ever happen in the town with travelers coming from all around the world to see the 30 m artwork for themselves. A makeshift car park has been quickly put in to cater for traffic stopping to admire and take photos of local identities painted onto the silo.

The work complete and impressive as the sun sets over the local legends.

Congratulations to Brim for their efforts in seeing an opportunity and taking advantage of the imagination of a wonderful artist Guido van Helton. This is leadership on display by a small town of 100 people. Brim Victoria. 

Just a One Eyed View.

Impressed with our Service Men & Women

I have always admired young people who have served their country and if I have a chance, shake their hand and thank them. I found this article on Linked In and while it is American it also reflects on our Australian Service people as real and experienced leaders. (The One Eyed View)

Why You Should Hire Military Veterans

By Gregory Pings

Leaders do more than point. They are as much a part of the journey as are the men and women entrusted to their care. Followers do more than obey. Their ability to improvise keeps projects (and missions) on target and on budget. Teams are more than a group of people with a label. Teammates instinctively understand that success is assured when they are able to rely upon each other.

Even if these traits describe your employees, it’s likely that you could use a few more. The next time you sort through a pile of job applications, be sure to flag the resumes that include military service.

Military veterans understand the value of good leadership as well as the value of good followership. They also understand the paradox of the great leaders who serve the people they lead.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs notes that veterans display these intangible traits, and a few others that are quite a bit more tangible:

“Veterans have been trained in multiple types of occupations that involve information technology, customer service, business management, sales, operations, and many more. Military experience fosters great respect for procedures, and Veterans are never afraid to tackle tough problems to reach results.”

The next time you talk to a veteran, present the following questions: “What is the one big lesson you learned from serving your country? How does it help you in business?”

I put those questions to some military veterans who work at Xerox. Here are their answers.

· One big lesson: Work hard and stay physically fit. This helps me in business because I strive to get the job done right the first time by putting in the time and effort to do so. And I rarely have an unscheduled day off due to illness. (Craig Siefert, U.S. Air Force – Risk Credit Analyst)

· I have been a lot of places, and what I have learned is not to take ANYTHING for granted. I appreciate the smallest gestures, I am thankful for what I have, where I have been and who I have met along the way. It makes me keep a smile on my face even when I don’t feel like smiling. I can type for days so I will leave it at that. (Annette VanNoy, U.S. Army – Trainer, Learning and Development)

· Teamwork. You count on the person next to you, and know they are counting on you. (James D. Feliciano,U.S. Marines – Service Engagement Manager)

· Lessons learnt – Take pride in what you do, your cog in the big machine matters! Value teamwork, and have the courage to face challenges with gusto! All of these lessons transfer to business and family and friends and … (Andy Machin, Royal Engineers, British Army – Learning and Development Manager)

· Teamwork matters. People matter. Trust matters. ‘Would you trust your life to the people you work with?’ ‘I do so every day. What’s your point?’ (Steven Tryon,Rotary Wing Aviator, U.S. Army – Quality Assurance)

· I learned leadership. I also learned that no matter what obstacles you face, keep going. (John Smigle, Combat Medic, U.S. Army – Senior Help Desk Agent)

· I have been to multiple global destinations. (Hot spots, not of a vacation nature.) Worked in a few commercial enterprises during my civilian career, and have learned many things over the years. As Marines, our mantra is, and will always be, Honor, Courage, Commitment. I have to say though, that the one thing that I carry with me in business is the drive to provide solid leadership and always strive for mission accomplishment. (Jim Mangus,U.S. Marine Corps – Cloud Sales Executive)

· If I had to pick the one big lesson learned during my service to our country and Corps, it would be the tradition of “accomplishing the mission at all costs” and then “taking care of your people.” This helped me tremendously in my civilian transition and work performance, by allowing me to display genuine concern and empathy for those employees under my trust and care. To this day I try to walk the walk and talk the talk of accomplishing the mission, and then rewarding employees for an excellent job. (Joseph C. Chiles, U.S. Marine Corps – Director, Compliance and Governance)

· Loyalty, Duty, Honesty, Respect and Integrity aren’t mere words. These are fundamental traits of who I strive to be in life, and in business. (Mark Christman, U.S. Army Reserves – Senior Solutions Architect)

· I served as an officer in the Marine Corps in the 80′s and early 90′s. The thing I’ve carried with me from my time in the service is that a leader’s No. 1 job is to take care of the people they are responsible for, and treat them as well as they possibly can. Coach, don’t criticize, and lead by example. If leaders can do those few things well, their team will almost always come through for them on every task that’s put in front of them. (Craig Deaton, U.S. Marines Corps – Assistant Vice President, Recruiting Operations)

To all the men and women around the world who have served in their countries’ uniformed military services: May the life lessons you’ve learned serve you well today, and all the days of your life.

What Inspires Me: Flawed People and Underdogs

From time to time I will be reposting articles that I like because it reflects Canoe Images' philosophy. Here's the first of many. Enjoy.
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What Inspires Me: Flawed People and Underdogs

By: Shane Snow, Chief Creative Officer of Contently. He writes about media and technology for Wired, Fast Company, Ad Age, and more.

I don't like Superman. He can't lose. Whenever I'm watching a Superman movie all I can think about is He's invincible. I'm not worried and I'm not impressed when he inevitably wins. To me, that's not inspiring. 

The fact that you're able to read this — and I'm able to write it — on a computer with Internet means we've all hit humanity's jackpot in some regard. We're literate. We live in a time where technology has improved the quality of life dramatically over any other period in history. And we can afford to instantly access the greatest trove of information that ever was.

At a high level, we're all outrageously lucky. But despite our great fortune, we're all unlucky at times. We've all got problems.

Personally, I'm inspired by people who overcome bad fortune or circumstance to fulfill their dreams. Professionally, I'm inspired by people and businesses that do incredible things despite glaring flaws or environmental disadvantages. These people remind me that, despite the things I complain about (setbacks, bills, stress, whatever) and what I consider personal setbacks (growing up relatively poor in a small town, my wife becoming mentally ill, being 5'9" not 6'2" (as superficial as that sounds), infuriating neuroses, etc.), someone else has had things worse and still became massively successful. That's why I like flawed people and underdogs. They can't just work hard to overcome their obstacles, they have to work hard and smart. And that leads to amazing things.

None of us are Superman, and that's ok. Batman had his demons, and he was mortal. And he became awesome. Here are some of my favorite flawed people and underdogs who inspire me in my work as a journalist and entrepreneur:

   

                                                                   

                         

If you want to be inspired that you can overcome your problems, just look at this list of incredible people who have Major Depressive Disorder.

Say what you like about their personal lives or politics or mistakes, people like the above remind me that when life gives you lemons, you can stuff them in your pockets (with help, if necessary), get back out there, and change the world.

What flawed people or underdogs inspire you?

What helps you overcome your setbacks?