Shakilya Dorsey
40682
February 4, 2016
Making It in America It’s your high school graduation day and you are sitting in your chair, with feelings of accomplishment. Your parents have told you that the clock is ticketing on your current living space and you don’t want to go to college or the military. You have been told by your parents, teachers, and friends that life will be a struggle without a college education or military background. Therefore, you will be placed in the category of “The unskilled laborer.” During the 19th century, the American economic engine made the transition from an argricultltural based economy to one of industrialization. Factories sprung up and fueled an age of prosperity for many that were considered “unskilled laborers.”
Throughout much of the 20th century, simultaneous technological improvements in both agriculture and industry happened to create conditions that were favorable for people with less skills. The development of mass production allowed low- skilled farmers to move to the city, get a job in a factory and typically make more money than they ever had on a farm. What economist deemed the “Great Compression” – (the time when the income of the unskilled came closest to the income of the skilled), raised the standard of living for unskilled laborers. A few things have changed since the dawn of the 21st century. America is walking the transition from an Industrial/ manufactory based economy to that of information and knowledge. The duel edger sword, we are experiencing now is globalization. The computer aided industrial productivity. This shift economic direction has had is an opposite impact on the American standard of living. Whereas the “Great Compression” equalized the living between the skill worker and the unskilled worker. Globalization and computers aided industrial productivity as it has widened the income gap between the skill and unskilled laborers. How to “Make it in America” in the 21st century has drastically change. Our economy has shifted from industrial factories to information/technology. Unskilled laborers are finding it very difficult to remain employed at a respectable wage. For example, Madely Parlier, employed at standard Motor Products out of Greenville South Carolina. “I’m smart”, Madely told a journalist while being interviewed. “There’s no other way to say it. I am smart. I am”. Madely fit the characteristics of many American workers. A single mom that had plans and ambitions to go to college, but starting a family right out of high school, unable to see eye to eye with the father. Having to give up here dreams of going to school and get a job all led to the only option for many local residents and that was the old factory plant. High tech equipment must be monitored. High tech equipment is also different from the past. She must be skilled in operating highly advanced nullity million dollar pieces. Luke Hutchins, of Standard Motors Products, in Greenville South Carolina. Luke attempted the college to better his chances of landing a well-paying job. After spending a semester and a half in college, Luke decided that college was not for him. A friend told him he could make a good wage, if he knew how to run factory machines. Luke did not know to operate factory machines, but he was willing to learn for thirty dollars an hour. Luke enrolled in the Machine Tool Technology program. The program lasted for two years, shortly after he graduated, he landed the job at standard. Luke and Madley both did not have a traditional college education, but Luke did evaluate his status to skilled laborer by attending and graduating from a machine tech school. Madley, had ambition to go to college, but she got side track by choices that made it difficult to accomplish her goals. Madley knows that an education beyond high school is needed in the 21st century in order to sustain a good standard of living. The shift in trend direction of the American economy from manufacturing to information technology has demanded a much smarter, well trained, educated laborer. Companies cannot afford to risk damaging million dollar machines by allowing unskilled, low educated laborers to educate.

Works Cited
Davidson, Adam. "Makiting It in America." Literacy Reference Center (2012): 58-70.