Thread regarding Weatherford International Ltd. layoffs

Not everyone is so easily replaced. Good engineers can leave oil and gas altogether and they do. Replacing people with 4, 6, or 8 years of college, plus experience (and yes it does make a difference in productivity for truly skilled professions) is not easy and it won't become easy. People coming for interviews are not that great. It's hard to find replacement hires that are talented. The company needs to work harder to retain highly skilled labor. No, there are not 100 highly skilled chemists, computer engineers, systems engineers, or even mechanicals banging on the door begging for jobs. It simply isn't happening. People who are skilled are often employable outside this mess. Think about it. For professionals, 401K and health insurance are normal compensation. That's just "normal". It's not "extra" like bonus money.

Quality is just a checklist on paper. As long as I make sure all the information is on the paper and complete it is a quality product. I have very few leftover parts when I am done. Maybe a small oring but that is because they always send more to the floor in the kits.

Some of our products require experienced hands for true quality. Not everything is easy.

H1B! H1B! H1B!

Honestly, you all sound like a bunch of tools, waving your schlongs about: "mine's bigger than yours" etc. Just get over yourselves. How can you say that less experience is a necessarily better than more? As long as you have the right attitude (not related to age) and are trained correctly (again, not age-dependant) then any one of working age is capable of doing the job.

I was once a green hand. I listened to those with experience. I respected that experience and learned from it. This made me a better employee. Unfortunately for me, with experience came more money. This made me more expensive than the younger ones coming up and they canned me in favour of youth.

Lesson? Dunno. Company values cheap labour. Check out all the "interested" posts in LinkedIn whenever an O&G service company has an article. The plethora of sub-continental names tells you where the job market's going.

The older guys are too set in their ways to let someone come in and make it easier and more efficient. Times are changing and we all have to keep up

Us younger employees can work more efficient than someone that has been in the business for years. The idea that someone try's to tell me that experience is everything does not hold water. Anyone can work on this easy stuff. It takes more effort to have everything that is needed at the right time. That is where my expertise comes in. They call me the parts and supplies king. I am the main supervisor that can get it done.

1aft- don't throw your 'computer skills' garbage at me. I've got plenty of experience AND I build and program my own computers. Time will get you, this I promise.

'the pe--smightier than the sword' some might say

We know how to do our jobs better than the old crew did. We have the computer knowledge and savvy to get the work done faster and cheaper. There are many shortcuts that can be utilized in a constructive way to reduce costs. Too many coworkers spend time putting on gloves and I get my tasks done by the time he gets ready to do his.

It's easy to pick out the 'youngsters' from the more experienced through the comments. Youngsters think they know everything and they're indestructible. The only thing that cures that is time. Then they will be screaming about 'experience versus pick up a monkey or donkey to do the job'. Time gets all of us in the end, and perspectives will be changed whether the 'youngsters' like it or not.

There are plenty of workers that will come back to the industry, it will be a shuffle of employees from other service companies.

You won't be missed. We can hire a 100 like you tomorrow incl a donkey

I am looking at leaving and not really having a problem getting interviews. Have fun replacing me.

Don't worry, if this news is from CNN its Fake news anyway.

I am a electromechanical technician and can see even my position is at risk. I have been with the company for years and the current management will replace us with new hires that will work for a lot less money. That is why the work instructions are a critical part now. I have seen this on the horizon for several years.

Even a monkey can see this company has hit the skids and is going down the pan

Hey @LWOspCs-ych,

How long do you think it will take to train that monkey? That's what the article is describing the talent gap that has been created. Your comments and the inability to recognize this clearly show that you are part of the inept management that has put us in this dire position on the verge of bankruptcy or collapse.

PS, "How do you like them Bannanas"?

Yea right. With 7 billion people on the earth I'm sure we can train a new monkey to do your job for alot less money.