The main event

[Deleted]

So, for the second day on the trot, the Chinese have devalued their currency. Markets have tumbled across the globe, and as I look from my desk I can see the DAX heading downwards. The Chinese must be in real trouble.

[aghast]

Aug 12, 2015 15:25:06 GMT @nobbygas said:

So, for the second day on the trot, the Chinese have devalued their currency. Markets have tumbled across the globe, and as I look from my desk I can see the DAX heading downwards. The Chinese must be in real trouble.

Chinese economy in trouble.  UK manufacturing companies licking their lips at the prospect of recapturing the home market.

Oh sh*te.  There's none left.  Just estate agents and coffee shops.  

I blame the unions/the incompetent bosses/the Tories*


*delete as you see fit

[Deleted]

Lack of investment in apprenticeships means there are no manufacturing skills left in this country.

YTS was one thing the Tories did get right.

[Deleted]

There are still lots of things manufactured in the UK. For example, are you aware that more cars are produced in the UK than in Germany?

[Deleted]

I'm a precision engineer and its been in decline for some time now.

Hardly any apprenticeships being done anymore.

Its a shame.

[Deleted]

Aug 13, 2015 5:35:44 GMT @hugotheelder said:

I'm a precision engineer and its been in decline for some time now.

Hardly any apprenticeships being done anymore.

Its a shame.

But is that more the result of modern efficient manufacturing? For example, I believe there is now just the one Iron Smelting/Steelworks (not sure what it's called) in the UK (Tata?) yet that place produces more than when we had the complete British Steel UK in operation.
Also look at Rolls Royce in Bristol. Once a huge plant employing maybe 15,000, now it's much smaller, with a much smaller workforce, but producing more than before?

[Deleted]

Aug 13, 2015 8:03:39 GMT @nobbygas said:

Aug 13, 2015 5:35:44 GMT @hugotheelder said:

I'm a precision engineer and its been in decline for some time now.

Hardly any apprenticeships being done anymore.

Its a shame.

But is that more the result of modern efficient manufacturing? For example, I believe there is now just the one Iron Smelting/Steelworks (not sure what it's called) in the UK (Tata?) yet that place produces more than when we had the complete British Steel UK in operation.
Also look at Rolls Royce in Bristol. Once a huge plant employing maybe 15,000, now it's much smaller, with a much smaller workforce, but producing more than before?

No, they produce much much less. They assemble parts that are sourced elsewhere.

[inee]

Aug 13, 2015 5:35:44 GMT @hugotheelder said:

I'm a precision engineer and its been in decline for some time now.

Hardly any apprenticeships being done anymore.

Its a shame.

Tis a shame, when i was at school boys did more practical based subjects , so they could use their hands as there was always work for people who were practical, over the years this has changed with less emphasis on practical subjects, and for those who take em , there's far less stuff they are allowed to do, imo there's far too much use of computers in schools these days, as the vast majority of kids learn more real world computing at home,  so when they try to find work in manufacturing ,they are already way behind others in previous years, the upshot is that it costs more to train people into jobs than it used too ,as people had a good grasp of the base skills required,  
What does astound and annoy me more than anything these days is the amount of men who have absolutely no practical skills whatsoever ,and simple things like car/bike servicing and repair, plumbing wiring etc they have no grasp of, or even basic skills like maths as an example lots of kids young adults cant work with either fractions or imperial weights and measurements, and can't grasp why some materials are not exactly a metric measurement. 

Yes computers etc have their places but people really need to get back to basics in education, something that really made me laugh was when i was first told that kids take calculators into exams, i mean wtf is that all about.
How many times have you been told on the phone that nothing can be done as the computers are down, i've seen many places decend into chaos when the networks gone down,  ffs pick up a pen and paper and get on with stuff

[inee]

Aug 12, 2015 15:25:06 GMT @nobbygas said:

So, for the second day on the trot, the Chinese have devalued their currency. Markets have tumbled across the globe, and as I look from my desk I can see the DAX heading downwards. The Chinese must be in real trouble.

Hopefully it wont totally crash till all my bits n bobs arrive

[Deleted]

Aug 13, 2015 16:06:18 GMT inee said:

Aug 12, 2015 15:25:06 GMT @nobbygas said:

So, for the second day on the trot, the Chinese have devalued their currency. Markets have tumbled across the globe, and as I look from my desk I can see the DAX heading downwards. The Chinese must be in real trouble.

Hopefully it wont totally crash till all my bits n bobs arrive

inee please use Hugos emporium! Do not settle for cheaper Chinese imitations when buying for that special lady in your life.

[Deleted]

Aug 13, 2015 5:35:44 GMT @hugotheelder said:

I'm a precision engineer and its been in decline for some time now.

Hardly any apprenticeships being done anymore.

Its a shame.

Hugo - a precision engineer.........is that like, big mallet small mallet ?

[Deleted]

Aug 13, 2015 5:35:44 GMT @hugotheelder said:

I'm a precision engineer and its been in decline for some time now.

Hardly any apprenticeships being done anymore.

Its a shame.

Can only hope it means more money for us young uns in the game later in life. Worked in a few places now and it's frightening how many old boys near retirement age there are. Makes me wonder if there will even be engineering in Bristol when I'm older as companies can't replace the blokes that are leaving as it is.

[inee]

Aug 14, 2015 14:21:03 GMT teanbiscuits said:

Aug 13, 2015 5:35:44 GMT @hugotheelder said:

I'm a precision engineer and its been in decline for some time now.

Hardly any apprenticeships being done anymore.

Its a shame.

Can only hope it means more money for us young uns in the game later in life. Worked in a few places now and it's frightening how many old boys near retirement age there are. Makes me wonder if there will even be engineering in Bristol when I'm older as companies can't replace the blokes that are leaving as it is.

good point you make, a while back one bristol company had to go to europe to hire staff as skilled machine operators were thin on the ground, for good reason the workers went loopy about it as the company knew they were going to be short but were unwilling to train yung un up

[inee]

forgot to say a few years back someone said that in germany they treat tradesmen with respect (public), but over here you are looked down on by the general public if you are in a engineering/service trade people do tend to look down on you. not sure how thrue the germany bit was but i do notice the job/trade snobbery in this country

[pirateman]

Aug 14, 2015 14:40:26 GMT inee said:

forgot to say a few years back someone said that in germany they treat tradesmen with respect (public), but over here you are looked down on by the general public if you are in a engineering/service trade people do tend to look down on you. not sure how thrue the germany bit was but i do notice the job/trade snobbery in this country

Jealousy. Most intellectual type jobs could be dome online anywhere in the world. If you are a plumber or a chippy you have to be there in person. I would pick a trade over a degree anytime.

[Deleted]

I first posted about trouble on the Chinese market on July 7th.............just saying :-)

[inee]

Aug 13, 2015 19:15:35 GMT @roscoe said:

Aug 13, 2015 16:06:18 GMT inee said:

Hopefully it wont totally crash till all my bits n bobs arrive

inee please use Hugos emporium! Do not settle for cheaper Chinese imitations when buying for that special lady in your life.

fer £3 they give the duracell bunny a run for its dosh