32 ms·

A substantial perk would be subsidized housing. A modern fab can cost ~$20B (maybe more in the US) and obviously the planning and permit process is likely also

A substantial perk would be subsidized housing. A modern fab can cost ~$20B (maybe more in the US) and obviously the planning and permit process is likely also a couple order of magnitudes more difficult than normal real estate development. Spending ~$100M on employee housing would make the compensation a lot more competitive since software salaries are high but tend to be located in HCOL areas. Spend another ~$100M on training and education facilities and I think you could attract a lot of Americans right of of high school. Even if it still a bit less competitive than software it could still be the second best career industry. I think the industry already partly does this but doing it on a larger scale and marketing it as an alternative to college would make it more compelling. I think the industry is still like many other large industries that really want a degree in some engineering despite it not necessarily being very applicable to fab work.

dijonman2 4y ago
The last thing I would want is to live on a corporate campus. Lose my job and evicted at the same time? No thanks, plus I want privacy.
- kazen44 4y ago
  what about a company building housing for its employees. This is something that happened a lot in the netherlands in the city of eindhoven. Phillips had its major manufacturing located in the city, and build massive housing projects to house its workers relatively close to the plant.
  - dijonman2 4y ago
    No, this is exactly what I want to avoid. If I choose to change jobs then I need to find new housing. I want a social life outside of work, and privacy is essential. As an example I generally do not want my colleagues to know who I am dating, or if I am dating more than one person. People should only know what I choose to share. Separation between work and my personal life is essential.
    - astrange 4y ago
      > No, this is exactly what I want to avoid. If I choose to change jobs then I need to find new housing. You don't have to if they give regular leases, which regulations probably require anyway.
stonemetal12 4y ago
I could see it working if it were indirect and at arms length. A bit of a planned neighborhood that included High and medium density housing near the factory, maybe kick a few bucks the developers way to get it built right. That way there is supply of reasonably priced housing nearby. I wouldn't directly subsidize it though, that would become bigger shackles than work provided health care.
- ejb999 4y ago
  >>I wouldn't directly subsidize it though, that would become bigger shackles than work provided health care. Correct, factory towns worked out great for the factory owners - not so much for the people that worked there. Having a good supply of affordable housing nearby any facility that needs to hire a lot of low to middle paying people is probably a good thing, but letting the company run and control it will inevitably lead to abuses imo.
mattkrause 4y ago
Spousal hiring is another very under-rated recruiting tool, especially if you want to bring someone in from far away. You don't even necessarily need to hire the partner directly; just help them find a job somewhere in the area.
splistud 4y ago
Pay people, don't try to fit some other benefit on all employees
- erik_seaberg 4y ago
  There have been times I would have liked to live on campus, and it’s often not possible to get that for any amount of money.

dijonman2 4y ago

The last thing I would want is to live on a corporate campus. Lose my job and evicted at the same time? No thanks, plus I want privacy.

kazen44 4y ago
what about a company building housing for its employees. This is something that happened a lot in the netherlands in the city of eindhoven. Phillips had its major manufacturing located in the city, and build massive housing projects to house its workers relatively close to the plant.
- dijonman2 4y ago
  No, this is exactly what I want to avoid. If I choose to change jobs then I need to find new housing. I want a social life outside of work, and privacy is essential. As an example I generally do not want my colleagues to know who I am dating, or if I am dating more than one person. People should only know what I choose to share. Separation between work and my personal life is essential.
  - astrange 4y ago
    > No, this is exactly what I want to avoid. If I choose to change jobs then I need to find new housing. You don't have to if they give regular leases, which regulations probably require anyway.

stonemetal12 4y ago

I could see it working if it were indirect and at arms length. A bit of a planned neighborhood that included High and medium density housing near the factory, maybe kick a few bucks the developers way to get it built right. That way there is supply of reasonably priced housing nearby. I wouldn't directly subsidize it though, that would become bigger shackles than work provided health care.

ejb999 4y ago
>>I wouldn't directly subsidize it though, that would become bigger shackles than work provided health care. Correct, factory towns worked out great for the factory owners - not so much for the people that worked there. Having a good supply of affordable housing nearby any facility that needs to hire a lot of low to middle paying people is probably a good thing, but letting the company run and control it will inevitably lead to abuses imo.

mattkrause 4y ago

Spousal hiring is another very under-rated recruiting tool, especially if you want to bring someone in from far away. You don't even necessarily need to hire the partner directly; just help them find a job somewhere in the area.

splistud 4y ago

Pay people, don't try to fit some other benefit on all employees

erik_seaberg 4y ago
There have been times I would have liked to live on campus, and it’s often not possible to get that for any amount of money.