Germany joblessness lowest in two decades!

[Dondilion]

Despite the economic weeping and wailing around her, Germany reports her lowest joblessness in two decades.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/bu...o-decades.html

[Bigerik]

In a socialist country yet!

[doucanoe]

I wonder if they calculate their unemployment figure the same way we do?

Exhausted your unemployment insurance have you, well, you must be employed then.


RC

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by doucanoe

I wonder if they calculate their unemployment figure the same way we do?

Exhausted your unemployment insurance have you, well, you must be employed then.


RC

Read up on their unemployment and retraining benefits. It's miles ahead of ours (as is their trades/craft training).

[Twodogs]

Originally Posted by doucanoe

I wonder if they calculate their unemployment figure the same way we do?

Exhausted your unemployment insurance have you, well, you must be employed then.


RC

Just a guess, but I'd put the "real" number here in the US closer to 16% or so, truth be told.

[Rex E.]

Originally Posted by finnbow

(as is their trades/craft training).

Isn't that the truth.

[Twodogs]

Originally Posted by Rex E.

Isn't that the truth.

Maybe that's why everything they ever build is of excellent quality. Look at the printing presses, pocket knives, watches, and Mullard tubes. I think their steel recipe is actually better than ours for some things. Japanese tool steel is getting pretty good too. I think China is still using pot metal for tools.

[doucanoe]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Read up on their unemployment and retraining benefits. It's miles ahead of ours (as is their trades/craft training).

Miles ahead I tells ya!

We don't promote the trades here anymore and thats quite a shame. Better to get a degree in something useful like American or Womens Studies.




RC

[Rex E.]

Originally Posted by doucanoe

Miles ahead I tells ya!

We don't promote the trades here anymore and thats quite a shame. Better to get a degree in something useful like American or Womens Studies.


RC

Man...so true.....lot of worthless paper out there. We got "corporate culture" from it though and where would we be without that

Originally Posted by Twodogs

Maybe that's why everything they ever build is of excellent quality. Look at the printing presses, pocket knives, watches, and Mullard tubes. I think their steel recipe is actually better than ours for some things. Japanese tool steel is getting pretty good too. I think China is still using pot metal for tools.

Yup!

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Twodogs

Maybe that's why everything they ever build is of excellent quality. Look at the printing presses, pocket knives, watches, and Mullard tubes. I think their steel recipe is actually better than ours for some things. Japanese tool steel is getting pretty good too. I think China is still using pot metal for tools.

As an engineer who lived and worked in Germany for 11 years, I have the highest regard for their engineering know-how as well as the workmanship of their workforce. Their mechanical engineering is the best in the world; civil engineering excellent, particularly their precast and prestressed concrete technology, though the electrical engineering prowess failed to impress me a lot. Their machine tools, manufacturing/packaging equipment and robotics are second to none.

Plus, it's a great place to live. My son is doing engineering work there now and has no immediate plans to come back to the US. He went on a three year contract and will likely stay for 7-8 years.