Hawaii Business [November 2006] “Editors Desktop” quotes Ron Taketa of the Hawaii Carpenter’s Union as saying that the main problem of recruitment of qualified workers for the construction trades is the influx of Generation Y who are described as self-confident and into instant gratification. He says that is due to parenting and a system that teaches to the test.

Interesting. What makes for a qualified worker as opposed to a productive worker? It would seem if given that choice, most would want a productive worker. I certainly would.

He blames parenting and school for workers who are not “qualified.” It would seem to me that neither parents nor government school, should be turning out qualified and/or productive carpenters. Instead they should be turning out graduates who read, write, do arithmetic well, and have good moral character including a sense of personal responsibility and accountability. Making those who are so inclined into carpenters should be the work of themselves, aided by the industry, the union and perhaps Community Colleges. I view Taketa’s beef as “bull.”

Richard O. Rowland is president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. He can be reached via email at dick@grassrootinstitute.com. This Letter to the Editor was published on hawaiibusiness.com on 1/11/07.