I thought this video is on point.. we’ve had many discussions and threads about getting the younger generation involved. I put it in the off topic section because of some of the video contents. Thoughts?
While I agree with a lot of what he said, the huge thing is income to spend on hobbies, which he mentions at the beginning. Another in that same line is work space. Yes, I worked on my first few cars out on the street. It's a lot tougher now, you should read through some apartment bylaws. The stakes are just so much higher now. It's one thing to buy something for $500 and ruin it then have it hauled off for s****. It's a big jump to do that at 6-7 grand. As far as the grumpy old man thing, I try to encourage as much as possible, but some people just won't follow basic do this, don't do that , be careful not to instructions. Same can be said about people that are my age back in the day, it's not generational. Edit: I will also mention that regs on newer stuff is tougher and getting worse over time. For those who used to get away with a lot of stuff, doing the same now with a modern vehicle isn't as easy.
I run into a lot of kids who would really love to build a car. Money is one issue, but not insurmountable. The are still a lot of really cheap cars out there. The bigger problems are that they don't have a place to work on it (apartment, HOA, no parking space), they have very limited access to tools (millennial dad has a claw hammer and two screwdrivers), and their friends and family have zero automotive skills so there's nobody to teach them how to do anything. So what happens is, they roll up in their old Honda, Toyota, or Buick and I try to help. But they are very enthusiastic! They watch, listen, and learn. There's hope for the future.
Well Dan, not to be the Debbie downer here but there's a fine line between the rich and all those poor. Not to say I hold a looking gl*** to the future, but quite frankly, in my opinion, it's all downhill from here. As with most things it can be explained with physics. The object that was in motion hit an equal or greater opposing force. That force is called life. My thoughts are exit stage left and do so as soon as possible, and efficiently as possible to preserve the value to be gained from it's sale. But that my strategy. I live in Edmonton Alberta. A 6 months of the year winter city. Want to talk opposing force? The city spent 100 million on bike lanes... Want to hear about the electric bus fleet? Now the "get kids involved" buddy was speaking of...I gave your question/post a like not actually for that video you posted, but the question. Those kids, selling them on the idea of spending to have fun, on who's minimum wage dime? Hey, not saying but, if you got it going great, but he's a dad not a gen z trying to launch. You know what it costs to live up here? One bill away from taking the bus. Let's be real for a minute, this is disguised entertainment competing as a way for you me them or they to spend money. Equal or opposing forces, we grew to work, they grew to survive. SEMA sells. A really big show, although I've never been. They show/sell stuff, which is a choice to buy into, the new gen doesn't want it, they want experiences if not a roof over their heads at night? So again, just my opinion, as the crowds to watch grows, you'll see those who do getting fewer and further apart. Opposing forces at play. you won't even know it's happening until one day you ask, what happened to paper bags, plastic straws, and people who pumped gas for you.
Hmmm…lots of young people coming through our cl***es that play with cars. Been awhile since a “the sky is falling” thread. Neat.
Not getting personal here, but if there are a lot of young people coming through your cl***es, why are you going to be out of work at the end of the school year? Who is going to teach those young people when your not there? Around here, work space is the biggest issue (tools are the next issue). I have work space (and some tools and experience) that I could use to help a younger man but, this stuff is expensive. Even with great enthusiasm, waiting for the next part to be funded, ordered, and delivered, can side line a project for weeks. If the young man's project has to sit for a few weeks, or longer, my space is occupied with his stalled project. What happens if he looses interest when the project stalls? His project, at my space, becomes my problem. Then work hours these days, for most young people are not regular. I'm retired and I'm getting pretty used to my free time being mine. What happens when his free time does not match up with my schedule? I no longer have much desire to be in my shop at 8 pm to start on a 4 hour project.
They are moving the programs two hours away. The young people will still be taking the cl***es. I’m just not willing to move or commute two hours each way. The sky is not falling.
I used to work at NAIT, and if you haven't figured out what's happening with the programs well, let me explain. Apprenticeship numbers are down and the international students are gone so the money has dried up to offset financial support to aid programs that don't generate but are costly to operate. They merge, as they drop programs and 2 hours away, sounds like Fairview is getting the student numbers to boost their shop numbers. No, the sky isn't falling, but you must know that there are limits to what those students can afford, and want to do with their spare time and spare money and you're delusional to think it's build old cars. I'm sure you must see that the same cars are advertised for sale and what isn't in the same breath, selling. The answer to why is because no one has the cash money to buy. No one has the education to fix, and no one can afford to pay the price for others to do it. Sure, some do. Those with rich parents with oil money, farmers who sold off a quarter or three. But not the younger generation, in small town Alberta or big for that matter, no. They want transportation to get to school. Get out and visit friends, drive to the city for a show. I'm not saying it isn't happening, that some of those farm boys aren't turning wrenches, slapping on body filler and spraying on the tremclad, but not as you suggest, or they wouldn't be moving programs because the interest would be there to support them. I guess time will tell when the snow melts and we see what's running on the streets.
I’m well aware of what’s happening with our ins***ution, there is far more to it than interest, none of which matters for our conversation. I stand by my statement based on actually seeing what the students are doing despite you clearly thinking you know more from there. There are plenty of young people playing with old cars. Oh and our apprenticeship numbers are way up the last couple years…
Why would "we" want to do that Dan...? That's the question I asked myself. Get young people more involved? I watched the video and had some thoughts. Why? Only thing I could come up with was sell them on something and make money. We collectively have been blowing up a nostalgia old car balloon and are tired of blowing and now want another generation to blow in to it for us? Why, so we don't lose money. You , me them and they. So we don't see another collector lose value on what's he's hoarded and can't find buyers for? Cry because a s**** yard closes with a large over priced inventory of rusted hulks with good parts that didn't sell? Why? Because by getting them involved in something the trickle down into our genre of car ripples and eventually we can sell something and make a buck. As popular as it is to share our nostalgic past, what we did, had done, still do, those days are past and the future is changing. They may enter into the game with a cheap used car and a few repairs, but eventually more leave for a new car payment and an experienced based lifestyle as responsibilities add up. But I guess a car based experience will sell. That said, I stuck with it. 1975 to 2026. Started driving , started fixing... thought I could, realized I couldn't, but did keep it as life progressed. But... I wasn't sold it. I chose it. Repairing out of necessity, learning as I grew up maybe, but that's how it unfolded. A hobby I stuck with. So...do we want young people to keep blowing up the balloon? I say no. Do I want them to have the basic knowledge and ability to feel comfortable with understanding how to service and maintain stuff, absolutely. I remember when they had shop cl***es. How much further into it do we need than that? The conversation is do we sell the kids on something that rightfully so is an old man nostalgic hobby they will need to spend to enter into, spend to support, and continue to fund at the expense of...? So, students are interested? More than what, taking a Foods and Nutrition cl***? Math, English? Let me guess, Building Construction? If you do your job as an educator you should be inspiring interest. Interest to learn, to do, and to discover. I'm sure there are lots playing with old cars. Just as I'm sure there are more that don't. Speaking to the numbers... Apple stock had at one time risen to almost $300 a unit when the "T man tariffs were announced and it dropped to $197. Presently the price is $271, down a few $ and about 0.31% from yesterday's close. So, are the numbers up or down? Walmart advertises a sale on TV's and sells a few more this month then last month, does that mean you'll see more people making Movies and TV shows? No, it's means they sold more TV's. My last statement to the matter is this, a hobby is a good thing if you can afford it. What doesn't kill ya makes you stronger right? And this hobby comes like most things, highly advertised. I again ask why? And my answer is to convince you to buy what you can't afford to spend.
Maybe stuff isn’t selling because people are asking stupid prices, trying to use a hobby as a business. Anyways I will continue to do my part and my thing and could give two ****s what anyone else thinks.
The Jalopy Journal
