The number of active business prospects for the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition went from nine at the beginning of 2004, to 25 at the start of last year, to 43 this year. That growth is encouraging, as is the coalition’s success in helping add and retain nearly 2,600 jobs in south-central Kansas last year — even though many of those new jobs pay less than the metropolitan wage average. Add in Boeing Co. setting a record last year with 1,002 net orders of commercial jets, and projections of strong sales growth in the general aviation industry, and Wichita’s economic outlook for 2006 is bright.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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21 Comments
I’ll hold my comments on the economic state in Wichita a little longer.
First I want to watch how the outsourcing of jobs at one of the aircraft companies goes this year. Many of the people being hired are going to work in this department.
The people who are being outsourced are promised retraining in a limited area but not specifically job placement.
The economic outlook may be bright, but if the people lose jobs that pay a living wage and only have “jobs pay less than the metropolitan wage average” then is it really getting better for the average joe?
A job is a job. And I’m pretty optimistic about Wichita. It’s going to be a big powerhouse of economic growth in the mid-west region. Things are looking good, Wichita growing by leaps and bounds, unemployment is low, and most everybody is happy and the future looks bright.
Joe, slaves had jobs.
The economic picture in Kansas is clearly improving. (gasp) as is the economic situation nationally. Lowest unemployment in years, vastly improved GDP. 16 quarters of steady growth–best in over 50 years.
But…nobody will ever speak those words. (sigh)
Joe, While I agree that any job is better than no job, “A job is a job”? I don’t think so. A couple of years ago, I ran into an engineer friend who got laid off. He was sacking groceries. What a waste of talent!
I don’t think we’re gaining if we’re replacing high-pay jobs with positions as burger flippers.
The only thing worse than a bad job is no job.- True for all Americans.
A job is a job.- False for most Americans, True for all Cubans.
XXX! That seems so unbelievable. A talented degreed engineer has no problem finding a position anywhere in the country, including Wichita. You look at any job site or any manufacturing company in town and they always have positions open for engineers.
I’m not saying it can’t happen, but your friend is either not really an engineer, or was/is involved in drugs, alcohol, gambling, or whatever. I’m sorry! I don’t buy a talented engineer getting sideline for sacking groceries.
Unemployment isn’t the problem. Underemployment is. Engineers sacking groceries is becoming the norm, not the exception. Sad, huh?
Can anyone post the “metropolitan wage average” for Wichita? I’m curious. I read a small article in the Eagle a couple of months ago about a new call center coming to town and that several other similar companies were likely to do the same. In the article, the incoming company was quoted as saying the initial jobs would have starting salaries of about $10 an hour. (I checked the WE archives to make sure I didn’t imagine this.) If my memory serves me, the article went on to say that this seemed to be the standard for customer service reps in the city. Wrong on both counts. Very few CSR’s in Wichita start out at $10 an hour, and the few companies that do pay that have an employee turnover rate of close to 100%. After applying for the aformentioned job, one learns that the starting pay will be $8 an hour, which is really more in the average range of pay for this type of job in Wichita. True, this is better than minimum wage, but how does it compare with the “metropolitan wage average?”
By the way, Kansas is one of 3 states in the U.S. with minimum wage rates lower than the Federal. The Virgin Islands (a territory, not a state) and Ohio are the other 2. Basic Minimum Rate (per hour) in Kansas is $2.65. “The State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.” http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm#Kansas.
“The Kansas minimum wage law covers all employees except those individuals: (1) employed in agriculture; (2) employed in domestic service in or about a private home; (3) who are bona fide executive, administrative or professional employees; (4) employed as an outside salesperson on commission; (5) employed by the federal government; (6) who render voluntary service to a nonprofit organization; (7) 18 years of age or younger, who are employed on a part-time basis; (8) school district employees working in an executive, administrative or professional capacity during 50 percent or more of their working time; (9) whose employer is covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act; or (10) who are employed by the U.S. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/pops/P98_05_4046_KS.asp
The last minimum wage rate increase became effective September 1, 1997. Last year, Congress voted down a new increase, yet both the House and the Senate voted themselves a raise.
Joe, this was a couple of years ago when there were no jobs. It was offered as an example in answer to your statement that “a job is a job”. The guy has moved on now, but things got rough for a while.
“You look at any job site or any manufacturing company in town and they always have positions open for engineers.”
Joe, there are more flavors of engineer that just mechanical or electrical. Try finding a job in Wichita if you’re a software development engineer or something else specialized.
“but your friend is either not really an engineer, or was/is involved in drugs, alcohol, gambling, or whatever.”
What a mean-spirited thing to imply! You think the only people who have employment problems have drug, alchol, or gambling problems? Wake up, Joe!
Sometimes bad things happen to good people.
If you specilaize you will be downsized. The only way to make it in the job market are the people who can adapt and learn new skills.
Also there is no such thing as job security, unless you work for the government.
Joe, I don’t know what field you work in, but where I work, there are almost nothing but specialists. Some things are just way to advanced to leave to generalists.
That’s fine! Nothing wrong with being a specialist. If you are specialized, I hope you belong to a union. Unions protect people who are in specialized areas, where their jobs and skills are not transferable anywhere else.
That is what I’m talking about as specialized. If you are an electrical engineer, that is not specialized. Being an airline pilot is specalized.
The DOW closed over 11,000 today. The national economy is growing at a steady, solid pace. But… that isn’t something that is EVER talked about, is it? Constant growth for 16 quarters in a row. Oh noooo..can’t mention that, might mean that something is actually going well in this country.
Yeah, Ray, it only it only took the Dow average FIVE YEARS to get back to where it was when Clinton was president.
Remember when Bush was talking about how much better you’d do if you could “invest” your social security.
Hehehe, not under this president you wouldn’t have . . . a quarter million in investments FIVE YEARS ago would now be worth . . .why, ALMOST a quarter million.
What a scorching economy!
“Sometimes bad things happen to good people.”
Sorry, XXX. Conservatives don’t believe that.
They believe every good thing that happened to them, they earned. They owe their society nothing. It’s all sheer will-power and discipline.
As if Einstein could have developed his theories if he lived in Somalia or Edison the light bulb if he lived in Papua New Guinea.
Nope, you can’t justify greed and selfishness if you acknowledge that your good fortune is in part based on others’ hard work and sacrifices.
So you’ve got to pretend that bad things happen only to bad people.
You americans stupid! You think any job same as any other job. Your G Bush sell you out bu give you big job!
While you may have job in america you have no future. You see your good jobs go to China. Mr Bush sold us them whe he came here. Maybe someday you come to China open burger stand, cleaners, or become a janitor! Then you can wonder if a job is a job and all jobs the same?
Welcom to China Grasshopper!Clean my shoes!
Thank you Dear Mr BushMr Chan
Your new American erected president Bush just got stocks market back to where it rose to with Clinton. We have good times now! This is where Clinton quadruppled the market to after senior Bush. About time Clinton gave cigar to dear Monica.
But – more important back when Clinton had good market: We had balanced budget, were eliminating debt, had good jobs growing in America.
Now Americans add debt daily, Now americans hundreds of billions of debt since liberal Clinton had really good economy with little debt and lots of jobs. Conservatives are suppose to be fruegal and not spent much money – I thought? But Reagam and Bush bust all banks with all debt? Whats up? Conservatitive must really means really big lies???
PL, if I worroed about what conservatives believe, I’d have gone nutz years ago, lol.
Good economy??? I’d sure like to see it. I’m out of work almost 2 years now. My union aircraft job was sold out from under me by folks like Joe. Poor jerks so intimidated into towing the line that they will gladly sell out, undermine a co-worker and do and say anything, just to embrace their status as a “human resource”. Since then I’ve yet to find any employer that would treat me like a human being, let alone compensate me enough that I can care for myself and my son………or hire others to take care of my son.
Ahh but that is what those who wanted Bush wished and contiue to wish.
J.R.,There’s something just wrong about your little tirade: If you’ve been out of work for two years, and can’t find anybody who will compensate you enough so you can take care of both you and your son, just how are of taking care of him? Welfare? Parents? Wife?
You can’t find anybody who will treat you like a human being? Gee, I shed tears. I’ve only held one job in my life where I even considered that as a prerequisite, and I left rather quickly. I’ve never seen a contract, union or otherwise, that said an employer had to treat an employee as anything but just that: an employee.
Sounds to me that you just want to gripe. Get a job: your son comes first, not you. It ain’t Bush’s fault jobs are leaving this country. And it’s really not governments fault either. It’s a world economy. But if you want to blame someone, look at Clinton’s record: He signed a permanent trade agreement with China. That opened to door to a flood of companies moving there from here. He signed the world trade agreement, of which we got the losing end of the stick.
Bush is probably one of, if not the worst president we have had, but he’s had very little to do with foreign trade and moving jobs overseas.
Well JM I’ve just about exhausted my savings if that is any of your busisness. I’ve not yet applied for welfare…..there are those in this country far worse off than me. But I’ll not hesitate to do so when the time comes.
As to your acquiesence to being treated as a”human resource” and your assertion that I am somehow wrong to expect to be treated and compensated fairly; welcome to your personal part of being part of the problem! I guess you typify the statement that “if ya can’t beat ‘em join em!” That’s ok you are far from alone. Forgive me if I choose not to join you.
But let’s get to the errors in your posts. First Clinton did much to enable the destructive free trade that is destroying this nations manufacturing base and middle class. That is true enough. But it was in fact bush (lack of capitlization intentional) who gave China most favored nation trading status. It is bush who has presided over the greatest invasion of this nation by illegal immigrant workers. It is bush who has also presided over the smallest number of prosecutions and fines levelled against exploitive employers who hire those illegal aliens. It is bush who is pushing CAFTA on the heels of the disaster that was and is NAFTA. And finally it is bush who takes away the safety nets of those many like me who fall through the chasm he has made. Increasingly difficult standards for welfare programs, and the virtual eleimination of the “haven” that was declared bankruptcy.
Oh one more? Employ: to use, as “to employ a tool” Sad when people get relegated to the lowest definition of that word. So much sadder when so many embrace it.