Pax River Headhunting Starts Early

[Mandingo]

washingtonpost.com

Pax River Headhunting Starts Early
Base, Schools Pair Up To Push Math, Science


Patuxent River Naval Air Station is having trouble finding qualified engineers, mathematicians and scientists to staff its labs and aviation test operations, and the shortage is expected to worsen over the next decade.

 

[aps45819]

Have a relevant link?

 

[SamSpade]

Yeah, I keep reading stuff like this, but I can't believe it's for real. I know any one of dozens of people with the qualifications they're looking for who would love to work here in addition to already living here (hand held in the air). Myself and others have been applying for years, and I don't even get the favor of a rejection letter.

I have to think they ain't tellin' the whole story - as in, yeah, we'd like to hire engineers and IT staff, but we still want to pay them dirt wages and kick 'em off in a couple years. Which DOES reflect the reality of people I know.

Is it any wonder they're going after kids and internships, rather than older folks they'd have to pay more?

 

[Mandingo]

I hope the base do more to retain people. The cost of living in this area is increasing a lot faster than paychecks. I know a few people that left Pax for better paying jobs.

 

[Patch Tuesday]

I hope the base do more to retain people. The cost of living in this area is increasing a lot faster than paychecks. I know a few people that left Pax for better paying jobs.

Notice he doesn't elaborate on this quote:

"We recruit at 90 schools, but it's like pulling teeth to get them to come to Southern Maryland."

 

[SamSpade]

Notice he doesn't elaborate on this quote:

"We recruit at 90 schools, but it's like pulling teeth to get them to come to Southern Maryland."

Beats me. A few years back when people were leaving Crystal City and moving to Pax as NAVAIR was moving, I know a number of people who chose to stay put and get other jobs rather than pack up and move south. The gist of it at the time was, why should I move? I'll just get another job. Stories I read in the paper claimed that PAX was so desperate for good IT people, they were effectively training janitors to become Oracle DBA's.

I didn't believe it then either.

 

[Mandingo]

Most college grads want to move to the city, not southern Maryland. There is no night life here. A lot of new hires end up leaving due to the location. Pax can't do much about the location, but Pax can do something about the pay.

 

[itsbob]

Most college grads want to move to the city, not southern Maryland. There is no night life here. A lot of new hires end up leaving due to the location. Pax can't do much about the location, but Pax can do something about the pay.

REALLY?? How much say does anyone at Pax have on the governemnt Payscale or the hiring rules for that matter??

 

[Mandingo]

REALLY?? How much say does anyone at Pax have on the governemnt Payscale or the hiring rules for that matter??

Get real dude. They could easily put more money in their pockets. If they refuse too, then they will continue to lose people. Pax invest a lot of money training people and those people is hard to replace.

 

[itsbob]

Get real dude. They could easily put more money in their pockets. If they refuse too, then they will continue to lose people. Pax invest a lot of money training people and those people is hard to replace.

Why yes, yes they is..