Are Engineers becoming extinct here?

Couldn't sleep last night. I didn't realize when I eventually did doze off. I'm still feeling groggy as I'm typing this. Blogging from my office just to keep me awake.

There were so many things going on in my head like flashing lights blinking randomly. "Tossing and turning in my bed" was not a line from a Dokken song.

1. First, it was frigging hot.
2. Second, as it turned out, I'm losing not three but FOUR of my members this month when the last Operator came to me in the late afternoon with a college offer letter in her hand.
3. Third, I saw a picture of someone I talked about before (about starting new and moving on with life) and the image stuck in my head which brought me back to the issue listed as second.

The hot air in my room and just about everywhere in Malaysia right now was drying my throat. As much as I wanted for yesterday's news to not bother me much, it does. The prospect of having only THREE members left in my section terrifies me. Also, it makes me angrier and angrier by the second towards our Management.

For Heaven's sake, we are the Engineering group. We are the heart of the Division's daily operation. What sort of policy is that allowing ONLY Operators to be inducted as members due to cost-cutting? How can a bunch of Operators lead a Division? Would anyone with a modicum of common sense be willing to be led by a team with more than half of its members comprising Operators?

*Not to sound offensive but Operators are only above the Cleaners in the factory hierarchy

My main problem with Operators is how quickly they they leave. Since we started taking Operators last year, I have had SEVEN of them. All sent resignation letters within 6 months. The Management like to take in younger girls. This is where the problem starts as many of them are just girls fresh out of schools waiting for college offers. They're not here for the long run. Engineering is not something you can learn in a day unlike the Production line processes. In the end, it's me and my remaining members being left exhausted, drained off our energies.

I do not think our Management understand what Engineering is all about. Operators are not the level of employees paid to contribute ideas and come up wth action plans and instructions for other employees to execute their tasks correctly.

Operators are employed to be told what to do and that's it.
Engineers are the brainstormers and the ones responsible to ensure that the jobs are done properly.

I wouldn't mind having Operators as my subordinates if I were in charge of straightforward process such as Production or Store. However, Operators are not supposed to be your Engineering reference. HELLO!! Anybody listening?

Is this my prophecy? Becoming extinct? After all, I did call myself a dinosaur and soon to turn to fossils. That soon?

Was that a prophecy?

Came to the office today just to be greeted by the news that a very important member of my Section is resigning today because she has to register for a training course before being inducted into employment by the government.

Oh dear. I just casually mentioned in my previous entry about resignation. "Anyone"? It must be a written prophecy then. So, in effect, I'm losing THREE members this month. This is INSANE!

Why can't the management see this? The Section will be left with only 3 veteran members and an Operator under training. Our clerk has been sort of out of the group when the other clerk left last year. Therefore, I can't really call her our Engineering group clerk anymore.

Must be a prophecy, huh?

BTW, our fallen foremer Manager called alst Friday saying he's opening a food stall in front of his home. He told me that the company was willing to pay him some money before his resignation last week courtesy of the Managing Director in return for his long service. Not much in his opinion but good enough for me as he was able to have a pretty decent capital for a simple food stall.

So, what's MY prophecy then? For me?

This is foreseen........resignation anyone?

The hottest news at work yesterday was my former Manager quitting his job at our sister company down South. Then, he switched off his cellphone for the whole day.

He cited his reason as personal. It's true that he was influenced by family matters. However, deep inside, we all know that he couldn't really stand up on his own down south. Firstly, he had been way too dependent on his subordinates when he was with us. I remember he'd call me out to his desk on average 3 to 5 times before 10am everyday. Secondly, the management there is a mess and they don't have enough manpower in the lower hierarchy. You know, the people who actually do the job. They do have overpaid high-position people though.

I haven't contacted him yet. Maybe let him cool down. I wonder what he's feeling right now.

However, I'm sure it doesn't stray far from this...........

OR at least this

Talking about resignation, TWO of my young subordinates just submitted their resignation forms to me. Well, they're young and still have their lives ahead of them. I wouldn't keep myself here if I were in their shoes either.

Another headache for me. Getting new members and training them again. Is there any training job out there that pays better?