So how does Hawaii's future economy look like, especially as the cost of living continues to rise and housing prices soar beyond the reach of most locals? Discussions like these are always interesting and I'm glad there are academic papers that discuss solutions to address the upcoming problems. By the way, still working out a few issues with my new camera, the Insta360 Ace Pro. Glad I picked it up, but still working on the best camera settings for my needs.
Chris,I totally agree with what you’re saying. I truly believe that they should start looking at vocational education and training. I remember the Kapiolani Community College. If I’m correct I believe they had some vocational education and training. I used to work at the Dole Cannery downtown and I thought that I was going to go there after high school but I decided to enlist in the military and I never regretted that decision. I came back to Hawaii, got married, we got two sons and both my wife and I was born and raised in Hawaii. Our sons had attended Kamehameha Schools in Kalihi Valley but unfortunately I had retired and moved back to the mainland. My family and I were fortunate to live and work in Hawaii three different times while in the Marine Corps. We both would have loved to come back home and live out our senior years but we’re happy where we are now. The public education system sucks in certain parts of the State. Look I graduated from Leilehua High School in 1972. I enlisted in 1972 and retired in 1994, but we moved back to the mainland because of the education and job opportunities.We don’t regretted but who knows we might come back one of these days. Mahalo for your information. I don’t like other people’s opinion about Hawaii and it’s infrastructure and people. They are not from there. Yes, they’re educated but from the mainland not Hawaii. Hawaii is not for everyone but should be especially for everyone who was born or raised in Hawaii. Granted Hawaii has come a long way from 1959, but it could be a whole lot better. And I pray that it will with the right people in the State Legislature and Senate and the Governor. Mahalo Chris.
The median cost of a single family home in Hawaii is $1,060,000 (per KHON2). Plus, everything else is also crazy expensive. If you are a young person, and not inheriting a home, good luck paying for that house. Hawaii salaries vs Hawaii costs just don't add up. So, a lot of the jobs that "need to be filled" in Hawaii are just not going to pay enough to justify the cost of living in paradise. If Hawaii builds more "affordable" housing, those homes will be bought up by rich mainland/foreign people as investment/rental/2nd home properties. I graduated from Hawaii public schools in 1984, and the things you say have been repeated as long as I can remember. There really is no easy solution for the people of Hawaii.
Mahalo for sharing. I'm glad you brought up that you've heard these things before. I've noticed that Hawaii's problems are often cyclical. Only those who are older will remember the same discussions of the past.
Well that's easy, look at how singapore does it. We have affordable housing with govt support that is only sold to the locals. This ensures every local can afford a housing as long as you work. Also, love from singapore. I hope i can move to hawaii in future to be with my hawaiian boy. 😊
Though topic! As an outsider (and as an immigrant), I’d say people moving away to discover other parts of the world is incredibly beneficial not just for the individual, but also to the whole society. These people don’t just spread their culture elsewhere but potentially bring back something very useful too. This is one way of creating more tolerance in the world and often brilliant new ideas too. I moved from Hungary to the UK. One day I might move back with my family and take a different mentality back with me. Maybe I move somewhere else and take two slightly different world view to there. Great video as always! Mahalo 🤙
Hawaii is the most amazing crossroads and place to meet interesting people I've experienced. That's another thing I miss about home: All the interesting people who at least pass through, and since it's a small town sort of place as opposed to London or New York City, there's actually really good chances to actually meet the fascinating people who pass through. For instance, speaking of Hungarians, I once took a night class (had to work during the day) in math from this guy: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Halmos who happened to like teaching the occasional low-level math class, at the University Of Hawaii.
Great great topic! And as a retired educator, I wholeheartedly agree that STEM and other educational topic goals is not for everyone. At my school, we evolved into a purely college-prep program, along the way eliminating subjects like shop (wood, metal), home economics (sewing, cooking) and other "old time" subjects in favor of STEAM (STEM + Arts). And while these subjects DO prepare one for some future professions, it's not for everyone. So, what happens to those students NOT into STE(A)M? Failure. I believe the purpose of grade school is to give students basic academic skills as well as prepare them for lifelong learning, and not try to fit square pegs into round holes. And while we're at it, COLLEGE or a trade school is where one may focus on a particular interest an minimalize liberal arts unless that is your major. One should be able to enroll in major courses immediately instead of slogging along for two years in liberal arts, THEN getting courses in one's major.
Mahalo for sharing your experience in the school setting. I agree that high school should be more general education and you start to specialize as you move up through college. Most people change their major in college more than once. Those first couple of years are crucial to allow people time to figure out what they are interested in. And not everyone is interested in STEM. Maybe that should have been the title of the video 😆
A person like you gives all of us hope for the future. You seriously need to be in state government as an elected official. Smarts and common sense are not often found in the same package. Keep up the great work!! 🤩
What a balanced and wholistic approach to redefining 'quality of life'. Rather than 'adapting' to the economy - the economy needs to better reflect what holds meaning for those who are essential to it. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
This is an important conversation for everyone in Hawaii. I think the knowledge you get from unique experiences away, plus missing the island home (no longer taking it for granted), brings fresh perspectives the island needs to broaden the minds and hearts.
You’re so right about sending kids out of Hawaii to learn. It will broaden their perspective beyond an island - beyond Hawaii. This is how we can all contribute more to our society, as well as growing our own outlook on life and the world.
Yet many in the entrepreneurial side never come back when they go abroad. Of my graduating class from Kamehameha, about 40% stayed and got careers in the mainland.
I had to cut out a story about getting our car fixed by a local mechanic. The experience reminded me that those types of businesses and that knowledge is so important.
*Trades are not just winds, and they'll carry your canoe far* lol. HVAC is a good one, because there's soooo much that can be done with "passive" cooling that doesn't cost a dime. Thinking further ahead, I'm sure experts in gardening will be in demand as Hawaii really needs to become more self-sufficient in food.
If you think the trades are not a career path, check the cost of hiring a plumber or electrician or even getting your car repaired. They are in high demand in Hawaii, see how long before a plumber can get to your project.
WOW! It's unbelievable to me that your perspective(s) don't have a larger platform, or create wider conversations throughout our community. So many topics here to respond to - but I don't have the thumb coordination, nor the bandwidth, to lay it all out. To encapsulate: Couldn't agree more. To comment further- please let me know when you establish your political campaign, university lecture series, community foundation, or local T.V./ radio talk series so I can get in on the conversation! All the best. Keep rocking that boat (but keep a bailing bucket on hand for the inevitable back splash you're sure to stir up!).
-The big thing is infrastructure is maxed out there. -Another thing is really, to get a good job there, you really a have to have contacts. It's just the way it is. -The distance from the mainland is another major factor. -I sent my son to the best private school available in my neighborhood starting in preschool. It was money well spent. He focused on his future from age 9!
I once coached a recreation basketball team with ten 11-year old females. Five were from an elite private school, the other five were from the public school system. Prior to the start of practice, the private school five would be sitting in a circle studying and doing homework everyday; while the other five were chasing each another around the practice area. When asked, the private school five knew what they wanted to be when they grew up; the public school five mainly shrugged their shoulders. The mindset is distinctly different.
@@EvilTheOne I can believe that. My son played two basketball leagues around that age. We also enrolled him in private tennis lessons. After sports, he took private guitar lessons and played for the high school jazz band. Later in college and after college, he played in a heavy metal band. He's now about 5 years away from retiring and he still collects guitars and equipment.
Congrats on raising a good son! Someone once said, "that for someone to say that they are a good parent, all you need to do is look at their children". As when I coaches, the individual's and team's success reflected my ability to reach the players. To call myself a 'competent' coach if I had players that didn't improve the skill/talent, and the record was a losing one, that would directly reflect on my lack of ability in that area...humility needs to exist to self-improve. As you have done, my father exposed me to a variety of activities, music, sport, academics, etc...as you've done for your son. As I now have reached retirement, I look back with a lot of pride as one of my father's goals was to make me a well-rounded person. As to mirror the topic of this video, my father viewed my future even before I could see it. And gave me the tools to find my way. Again...good job! @@2-old-Forthischet
I am coming to HNL for a week, would love to meet up for a walk and talk. I am going to do a short video on what Travelers can do to reduce waste creation in Hawai’i as a visitor.
I'm in Japan and don't know how people afford to go to Hawaii. Hawaii for me as an Angeleno seemed expensive but now I know for a Japanese everything will be 4x as expensive. They have Okinawa so that seems like a much better deal
The brightest kids are not necessarily in private schools but these schools give them a setting to excel. Being smart helps but I think that focus, drive and work ethics are more important. A good attitude will eat being “smart” for lunch.
What does Hawaii need? I think thats the right question for kids to be asking. I also like you mentioned letting kids go out and travel or study abroad or on mainland to bring those experiences back. Although i have to admit that as a parent that is sort of scary because i always think "what if he finds a place he love and then just stays."
I looked at the paper mentioned. One of the authors of the paper is Paul Brewbaker, an Economist of many years in Hawaii Banking and State. He's also a local guy who attended public high school on the Windward side. The paper mentions 38 years of following the interns and STEM. I've known classmates who went away for college, as well as others who graduated college in Hawaii. I know plenty of others who were in the trades in Hawaii and left, along with others joining the service and left. Staying or leaving is an individual decision, that some leave and never return for anywhere for a little while to never. Even if encouraging the younger high school graduates wanting college on the mainland to see and return afterwards, it is an option for them to want to return. If there is no employment in Hawaii in their fields or decent paying jobs, what's the sense? From my perspective about the paper is that Hawaii's economic standing was due to it geographical location which during the maritime days of sailing/whaling, it was essential for reprovisioning. When whaling waned, reprovisioning was still there but strategic/military. Agriculture growth replaced whaling, giving reprovisioning, military/strategic/agriculture for decades, early tourism. War enhanced reprovisioning/strategic, agriculture. Post war continued military, agriculture and tourism. Now agriculture is diminished, military and tourism remain. We've seen tourism recede with war & covid & American dollar surges. We've also seen the impact of military missions realigned elsewhere and impact on military spending. Hawaii surviving on its own without tourism and military will be tough without external Hawaii dollars coming into the state. Just like a human body requires calories to continue to survive, without calories coming in, the body slowly depletes itself as no food is coming in for functioning.
Mahalo for taking the time to read the article. While Hawaii may not offer all industries for future graduates, it may still find ways to identify what jobs we need and try to encourage those graduates to fill them. For example, I wish I would have known about pathways to becoming a teacher in Hawaii while I was in Colorado (my original intent was to become a science teacher). Knowing I was needed back home and that there was a job waiting for me would have been great. We need more in agriculture to grow our own food? More health care workers? Maybe we can get the word out to those who leave for school in those majors and let them know, "Hey, when you're done with school, here's how you can come back home and work here in that field. The pay will not be the same, but it will make a big difference." Of course, competitive salaries are another topic altogether, as well as affordability to living here.
@@HelloFromHawaii: I would say that without new capital coming into Hawaii, sustaining the population and lifestyle that the population expects/demands might not be feasible as the growth of population continues to expand. The cost of importing goods/services from outside the State is ever increasing, which as the imports exceed the exports, the net gain will become a net loss in the given time. We ship in more than we ship out, which is the capital/revenue from military spending/tourism. Even if local students got an useful education in a paying skill, it remains as to whether the local economy/business has the technology and need that the students are familiar with. Even then technology is ever changing, which means replacement/upgraded technology/skills over time. Not keeping up with it makes it stagnant. In the post-world war days of production, the United States would receive the development of the latest/greatest technology compared to 3rd world countries getting a older model. Furthermore, local graduates highly trained/skilled once educated in high demand/income areas will be challenged to step back and take less due to outstanding loans. If one gave education to them for service like the military ROTC, once the commitment is met, it remains the individual's choice to remain or become better paid/trained. Just as America/Japan, used to have people working their entire careers in one company. The younger generations goes where they get the best offer pay/training/experience, so being fluid is an aspect that loyalty/commitment by both employers and employees are sort of past due. What good is a profit sharing if one stays less than 10 years or a pension if not minimally for 10 years? Workers have to focus on economics, investments and management of finances.
So true about most people not being interested in STEM. I went to school in the 1960s, and sputnik had horrified America that we were falling behind the Soviets. There was a big push for science education. I think the push ended up doing a lot of good, just because it raised the awareness of how important education is. But, yea, I didn't end up in science either. You are entirely correct that the best private schools attract kids who are bright already. But, their ability to nurture that intelligence and provide challenging and reinforcing learning environments is synergistic with the existing intelligence. At the college level, there is evidence that the best schools, (Harvard, Yale, MIT, Stanford, etc) actually just collect bright students and that outcomes are similar for similarly intelligent students going in who go there or other tier schools. I agree with you that Hawaii's isolation (and small size) means that it wold be really hard to make us a powerful export economy. But, it also means that we should have an advantage producing things for our local market. Tourists, Military spending and Federal Government transfers will ensure that we have a "balance of payments." But, we can't expect to be the Silicon Valley.
Mahalo for sharing. I'm glad you brought up elite colleges as well. I'm sure the results are similar. And great point about the advantage of producing things for our local market. We just need to find ways to make those things more affordable to buy. It's hard to buy local produce when the stuff from the mainland is so much cheaper.
I know how it was working for the city and other skilled labor. The attitude of "we been doing it like this for 30 years, why change now?" is the failure attitude. Also Hawaii needs to become an exporter of goods rather than relying on shipping everything in that drives cost up. Most of the people that get a good education in Hawaii end up moving to get a better job offer. Starting a business in Hawaii was also hard. Overhead cost absorb a lot of the gross profits. I also observed friends kids (as you mentioned) are off to college on the mainland but don't want to get a job there, because they are homesick and don't like changing their attitude to live in the mainland.
Mahalo for bringing up the struggles of starting a business here. Part of that may be policies to make it easier for local businesses. Part of it may be that we need to start teaching basic business skills in high school.
You are so spot on in this discussion. Colleges are becoming paper mills and at the same time, try to find a good tradesman. I read in 1970 while attending USC that only 5 percent of students work in their major field. Nothing has changed, but try to find someone to help you remodel your home and bring it up to code. No can do. Keep up the good work. Aloha and Mahalo.
I have traveled and lived all through the country, including 5-years on the Big Island. It seems to me that outside of the “it cities” most communities are struggling. My home town has been decimated in the last 30-years. I agree with you, education will always move you forward.
Aviation maintenance is a good trade. Hawaiian air is hiring no experience at 35/hr which is pretty good for a trade. Tons of benefits and a higher top out of around 120k a year which is very good. The industry is hurting right now and the more the better off it is!
A very thoughtful take on some interesting ideas. I do think UH needs additional investment because not everybody can afford to go to school on the continent. But I agree that the single minded stress on STEM leaves a lot of folks out of the equation. I am concerned by what sounds, in the article, like pleading for international financing is the opposite of what Hawaii needs. Look at what that has done to the real estate market, for example. I do agree that more stress on trade training and financial literacy for students will sort of automatically create a more balanced middle economy. I must search out that article and read it. But I certainly enjoyed hearing your ideas on these subjects. Thanks for your thoughtful presentation.
I think Hawaii eventually copies what Japan does. When there was expected to be a housing crunch, Japan made the ‘danchi’ (rent controlled Government Housing). Not just one building, but like 20 buildings all next to each other. Not market rate, but like a set $1000 a month rent for 3 bedrooms and no maintenance fees. Not for those who are rich with connections, but for middle class and lower class based on a lottery (and perhaps some preference such as to long term residence and to secondary public school teachers). Also setting aside 2 or so units for those who were homeless based on bad luck (rather than chronic or mental illness). Once that is done, regular private housing should be a ‘little’ better (maybe there could be some hope for home ownership). As for the future economy, I don’t know. I just wish we could be more statistically driven without being cold hearted or thinking good statistics is the only determination of success. But still clear, simple and accurate statistics should have some driving force in our decision making towards Hawaii’s. If we spend 50 million on 5000 homeless, 55 million on 5500 homeless, 60 million on 6000 homeless….maybe we have to stop and rethink that our solution must be stupid. Maybe collecting $400,000 per one danchi per year in rent and setting aside units to help transition some out of homelessness is a better solution.
I've said for years that both Trades and STEM-based economies can go hand in hand. Brain drain is a real thing, but it can be reversed. HI can be a major tech center for the pan-pacific, it just needs proper investment from both the public/private sector(s). I've also said that trades such as Carpenters, HVAC, plumbers, ect. are both needed and pay so much better than the old days. I also agree on teaching financial literacy to every single kid in school, especially now.
There was so much i didn't know about the range of potential careers We need more than the job titles and vague descriptions We need a practical sense of what is needed and what is the experience of doing the job NO JOB LISTS
True. Maybe the job descriptions are too technical. Besides, a lot of what I've experienced is on-the-job training. If a person can do that, they'll be fine.
It starts with the family. Schools, etc can only do so much. But kids, people need to have the support and know that their family has their back. If someone is going to be "the first" whatever in their family, then there may need to be a change in mindset from uncle, aunty, etc who may not have gone or been able to go to community college. Hawaii seems to be a lot like Mexico and I see how that attitude affects people as well. The "don't rock the boat" societal mindset needs to change drastically for success to happen. The "center of the world", like Mexico, needs to drastically change as well. Those that are already going to or destined for post 12th grade education are going to succeed anyways. It's the kids from the 'hoods or even middle class that needs that push. Thanks, Mr. Chris, for this video. Great discussion. (PS: you're near my hangout spot on Magic Island towards the very end. There was a tree right next to me that was a baby and I bet it's grown nicely since then)
The "Grapes of Wrath" sets the stage. As Hawaiian and Locals alike follow the handbills that lead them away from the Islands, those that remain face a jarring reality. And ask themselves...now what? Why has Hawaii's post covid recovery lagged behind the mainland and what can be done about it? Patrick Sullivan's plea, is at best, a call for diversification in the Hawaiian economy. I won't argue against it. But I will argue that what should come next, what changes the downward trajectory, begins with increasing the supply of housing units to improve affordability and restore the soul of the people. But Bureaucrat platitudes have left you feeling numb and the increasing feelings of hopeless make you wonder if you shouldn't have already joined the exodus. Will you follow the Joads?
Somehow, someway Hawai'i needs to become (mostly) self sufficient not relying on barge shipments of goods. Somehow, someway Hawai'i needs to weed themselves of tourism money. Need all Locals to be/have the same mindset and rid of outside supply so much.
What if and I say "what if" Japan give low cost schooling for Hawaii people to study there. I think this would be interesting because I think Japanese people is well talented in many ways when it comes to future developments. I'm thinking tech, agriculture, science etc.
Hey check out this article about predictions of occupations shift in US and the world for 2030. STEM professionals is listed as high demand jobs in USA.
You touched on some points that I have been talking about for years. I'll just talk about one topic or else my comment will be longer than your video. Public school is all geared for college prep. This is a serious flaw in our educational system. Do you know that 2/3 of the people in the US don't have college degrees? and that figure has been relatively constant for a long time. What that means is that public education is only geared for 1/3 of school kids. What's worse is that 41% of college students don't get their degree in 6 years. If you can't get a degree in 6 years the chances are slim that you will get one. And to make matters even worse, 44% of people with college degrees, work in jobs that don't require a degree or not the degree they have. Some college kids take out student loans and have huge debts after graduating. It's terrible for some of these graduates and drop outs that can't find jobs but have 6 figure debts. Let all of this sink in. This is all because our society pushes kids to college even if they're not cut out for college or want to do something that doesn't require college. There is a stigma that if you don't go to college, you're a failure, so kids go. In Europe some secondary schools provide vocational training. Students can learn skills in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, auto mechanics etc. Isn't that a good idea? If the same thing was done in schools in Hawaii, that would address the 2/3 of students that will not go to college. A lot of these type of jobs will pay more than some jobs that require college degrees. Also there will be a lot of people with vocational skills that will start their own businesses and that will be good for Hawaii's economy. There have been countless articles about the shortages of people in certain occupations. Hawaii needs teachers, police, fire fighters, doctors, nurses, construction workers, trades people, government workers, etc. Representatives from each industry should visit high schools to talk about the opportunities in their field and the pathway to get those jobs. The pathway for many jobs is not a college degree. BTW, Just so you know I'm not anti-college, I'm an engineer, I worked in Silicon Valley and came back to Hawaii. I forgot to say, this was a great video, actually most of your videos are great. I would like to compliment you on picking fantastic topics for your videos.
Mahalo for the thoughtful comment. I know that the DOE does provide some career pathways for various industries, but I think those programs need to be strengthened. Not just by giving kids vocational experience, but also just "talk story" sessions where kids can learn that those jobs are needed and can earn a good living. Mechanics and plumbers are needed just as much as doctors and lawyers. And with good financial literacy, one could live a fairly comfortable life here or beyond.
Interesting conversation... Your focus on the smaller demographics of the brightest and best gifted students need to collaborate with the bigger demographics of the public school system. Before your time, industrial education, fine arts, special education were neglected and programs abolished such as wood shop, automotive, etc. They have moved on to the community colleges. Focus should be on all students. Not everyone wants to go for the advanced degrees. PHd, masters ... Look at the demographics just in mathematics... there are more non calculus students in any graduating class ...focus global versus just the gifted. The DOE has a CTE Vision A sustainable future in which Hawai`i graduates can live and thrive in-state by being prepared to succeed in high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand occupations. CTE Mission To serve our schools and the greater community by designing quality CTE programs that meet the needs of Hawai'i’s labor workforce-inclusive of new pathways and programs of study, industry standards, work-based learning, industry recognized certifications, early college opportunities, and professional development-as well as to ensure equity of access, and increase participation rates and successful outcomes.
Mahalo for sharing about CTE in public schools. I hope they can expand that. But more importantly, I wish they would also teach financial literacy. That would help kids no matter what field they pursue.
Good subject. Too bad our government does nothing about it. First off, our kids need to be taught real world finance at the high school level(and make it required learning). They need to learn things like what it costs to buy a home, how much it costs for everyday things like food, mortgage, rent, insurance, cars, how to invest money for the future(401k/IRA/stocks/etc), & more. They need to know how much each type of job earns, then have a school job/college fair(at each of their schools, not just at the Blaisdell) for all types of choices for their future. Hopefully. this will make the light bulb in their heads shine bright so they can start thinking about what they need to do. A lot of kids graduate high school, but don't know what they want to do for their future...
I think it would be a great idea to have financial literacy taught in schools. I also like your idea of job fairs at each school. It would be tough to coordinate, but worth it for those students to hear about what type of jobs are available.
In my travels one of the favorite bumper stickers I saw was on a battered up old pickup driving at 40 mph down interstate in North Carolina. It said "I don't give a damn how you did it where you came from!". While I completely understand and respect his the sentiment this attitude is also a trap. Here the very few times I have offered an opinion it has been met with the stupid haole response. Change of any sort is going to difficult.
Modify the Jones Act Need manufacturing STEM jobs. The university can assist with today's recycling technology, which has a small to no carbon footprint and the raw material from that is valuable. Use the great pacific garbage patch as an initial resource to start.
Imagine if an isolated county in Iowa was full of people who believed that they and their progeny could remain living in that isolated county for perpetuity…doing so while growing economically, educationally and healthily as an isolated civilization. You’d likely think that they were insane people. It’s no different for Hawaii. Most of the people living there today have been living there for less than four generations - the original family members went to Hawaii because jobs were more plentiful than “back home”. To believe that it is in the long term health and benefit for any family to remain in Hawaii forever is naive…it’s an island with few natural resources and over 2,000 miles from the nearest Mainland. Hawaii will always need to be reinvented and reinvigorated by new people…folks, it’s a small island chain isolated in the middle of the largest ocean on Earth…
Great point about long-term expectations. It's interesting the timing of this tendency toward out-migration, as Hawaii was the home of waves of migrants moving here back in the plantation days. I wonder if there will ever be a reversal of that in another four generations or so.
@@HelloFromHawaii Yes, the wave of plantation workers starting a century ago created the foundation for the current population in Hawaii. Those original families lived off the agricultural resources of the land, but that economy had its limits due to the shipping costs to and from Hawaii. Whatever Hawaii could grow, it could be grown cheaper elsewhere in a global economy. Hawaii should have then become another desolate and isolated - albeit beautiful - island chain in the Pacific after the Ag industry died, but the great boon for Hawaii was yet to be tapped. The real economic engine for Hawaii was created by its militaristic and strategic importance by being smack in the middle of the Pacific. All the major powers of the world wanted Hawaii for her location, and the US was no different. So, the US spent money to establish Hawaii as the core defense area of the entire Pacific region. This money and security then allowed the Travel/Vacation industry to thrive there, which allowed all the plantation worker families to stay and live comfortably in Hawaii for a few more generations. However, as time went on, many of the vacationers understandably wanted to stay and live in Hawaii as well. On the other hand, many descendants of the plantation workers simultaneously wanted to spread their own wings and live on the Mainland. This is/was a natural and logical order of events. Anyway, this convo is way too long for a format like this, but the bottom line is that Hawaii is inherently a place for a transitional population…the Travel/Vacation industry is the only one that can be sustained there into the distant future…
HAWAII HOME PRICES NOT GOING DOWN TO 1990 PRICES EVER. 1990- 352K FOR A HOME 2000- 295K FOR A HOME 2010- 592K FOR A HOME 2020- 830K FOR A HOME 2023- 1.1 MIL FOR A HOME 2030- 1.4 MIL PROJECTED
To be honest, Hawaii needs to aim to be something like Singapore. Certain powers stripped the land of its economy, and now the people need to rise up and make a Hawaii an economic power
Interesting idea. Not all things from that country may make it over here, as it's a different government system, but still worth taking a lot at what they do there.
The future..freedom to go anywhere…but there will be parking cost, , a fee for everything you visit, beaches, parks, shopping centers, there will be a cost for everything and everyone in the future…only freedom that may be free is to stay home?
Hawaii is screwed. At least the old school Hawaii is gonna disappear. The Aina is pretty much going to get bought by foreign (including rich mainlanders) investors..the locals are gonna get basically booted to the mainland or other places….the poor are gonna be in worse conditions…..yeah….hawaii is fucked. Of course if you have a well to do family and connections….you can make it. This is from a former hilo person. I got out of there as soon as I could. Best move I ever made.
My friend works at Google and says white color, corporate jobs are gonna go with AI blowing up whole industries. Blue collar jobs are increasing in value and now pay more. Software advancements are going to cripple real estate, law firms, and many other established careers. But the hard ware to replace blue collar trade work is not even on the horizon. Maybe I should keep encouraging my sons to become the real Mario brothers!😂
Gee. I wonder if Hawaii can depend on tourism for the long haul? Duh. Of course Hawaii can. Most beautiful place on Earth. Tourists will always come. Question answered.
Public schools here are terrible. UOH is mostly churning out woke graduates with no marketable knowledge or expertise. The trades do quite well in Hawaii but it does take some connections to get in and move your way up. Having also lived on the mainland I don't see the problems being much different other than jobs like at McDonalds pay less even though their food prices are higher. Somehow Hawaii needs to make use of it's strategic location as now goods from Asia are shipped first to the mainland and then to Hawaii. Perhaps building a shipping port like Singapore and also a duty free port which would bring more commerce. But of course, how much would it benefit the average person?
Unfortunately members of academia have a distorted view of reality. The more pressing issue the state faces is the erosion of its middle class. There seems to be an effort to gentrify Hawaii by vanquishing young families to the mainland. In some ways there seems to be a modern day "Trail of Tears" starting from the islands to Las Vegas. Given the current trajectory, only the affluent (who are skilled in avoiding taxes) and those in lower income requiring tax generated subsidies to survive will be left. Many of these initiatives proposed will require a strong middle class tax base and healthy economy as a catalyst for change. Currently, too many in local government have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, which does not bode well for any meaning full change in the near term.
Interesting comparison to the Trail of Tears. I'm sure we'll look back on this time and come up with an appropriate term for the exodus of locals moving elsewhere. Sad to see it happening.
My son had education in private very high end Montessori then private but then went to an excellent public school for high school I think the mix of all encouraged his love of academia and a desire to do well in the job force! He always wanted college and new college would help get better employment! He does however believe that the trade’s should be be encouraged just as much as university.
That's a great mix of educational experiences. I also went to private school and then public school. Experiencing both helped broaden my perspective by interacting with different peers.
Send your kids to a college on the Mainland, and hopefully they stay there and buy a home. Income is much higher, and homes cost a lot less. True, they will not be in Hawaii, but who can afford a $1.5M home when starting out. The job I got in California was over $100,000 whereas the maximum for the same job in Hawaii was $60,000. You have to look at reality, and not just wanting to live in Hawaii.
I'd like them to go to the mainland if that's what they are interested in. And if they want to stay up there, great. If not, they can always come back home to Hawaii.
First, ask yourself why parents strive to send their kid's to private schools in Hawaii in the first place? Whether on grants or scholarship programs or out of pocket; safety and better opportunity. Like everywhere else in America your public school system is a mess, just look at the scores, 1-12. For decades. Next up college outside - great idea if you can afford it. Along with that, choosing programs that offer a real chance at a good paying job especially one relevant in Hawaii. There are enough nonsense degrees that offer absolutely no money except the payback of a big student loan. What are the trade schools in Hawaii doing? And correct going to an Ivy League or similar type institution outside because you have the money or influence does not guarantee that the seats taken will be worth anything afterwards either to yourself, Hawaii or to our country in general. A lot of stupid people graduate Harvard. Finally, educating those with limited skills sets, for the lack of a better description the average working class resident. Not everyone will be a college graduate or a grad from a skilled trade school. What about them, where do they fit in? And there are tens of thousands of them in Hawaii. Or are they just condemned to live multi-generations cramped into a small spaces working 2 and 3 jobs just to acheive a rock bottom lower middle class income or even less?
Many tech giant billionaires own Hawaii property. How about doing more with Hawaii than just building homes? Anyways, as a STEM grad, you have to be nimble by moving to where the jobs are. Hawaii is just so far away. Out of sight, out of mind.
I think this Bradda is speaking from a privileged position, his parents were educated and passed this privilege to him. Where did he grow up. He will never be able to speak for the core peoples of Hawai’i. Go to the West Side of Oahu and speak from that perspective…problem is that you can’t. You speak for the kids from Punahou, Kaiser and St. Louis, these are the locals you come from. Based on this premise your words are just fodder and mean nothing to the real locals of Hawai’i
Confirmation bias. So your parents made it work but most can’t. Politicians only pay lip service to diversifying the economy but underfund and cut UH budget. Poo poo STEM all you want but it is the economic engine of the future so cultivating is makes sense so that a larger ecosystem can be created that allows larger proportion of residents with non-stem backgrounds (eg finance) to participate. The elitist attitude towards private school and mainland education is disgusting. Sure diversity is important but if you look at the premier innovation centers like Silicon Valley, a key cornerstone is strong local universities.
In what ways will STEM be the economic future of Hawaii? Sure, maybe globally that might be true, but in Hawaii's economy, how will STEM become a major contributor?
I think it's going to continue to lose population because the mainland "fairweather friends" tend to be right - wing politically and will feel more at home in Florida etc. Those willing to "live humble" will stay.
I'm curious how the voter results will be this year in the Presidential election. I'm sure our electoral votes will go blue, but I'm always interested to see the overall percentage of who votes blue vs. red.
@@HelloFromHawaii I'm still amazed *anyone* votes "red" these days as .... just in the way Hitler turned what originally was just another German workers' party into a personal cult, you-know-who has turned the Republican Party from something that was accepted as a mainstream political party into his own cult of personality. A cult of personality, I need not mention, that calls for killing political opponents, that wants to remove the rights of women to do anything but stay home and have as many kids as biologically possible, willingly or not, and needless to say, will bring back the old Jim Crow racial laws (and then get worse from there). I know in Hawaii you're a bit distant from all of this, as I was growing up in Hawaii and as a young adult in Hawaii. It's kind of fun, 2500 miles away, to poke fun at Trump and his followers and laugh about the whole thing but it's really not funny - it's terrifying. I for one am hoping that coming home to Hawaii will at least put some distance between myself and those who *will* try to kill me, if they get into power, for ever typing these words. But if they get into power, being as far away as Hawaii from most of the craziness may not save my life and I may have to take a "strategic vacation" even further away. I'm really not white or wealthy enough for New Zealand or Australia, so we're talking Vietnam or Thailand or even China. At least I know how to live very modestly (translation: POOR) but at least no matter what happens, I'll be home and maybe will run into you, in about 9 months.
it is just to expensive to live in Hawaii with 1 million dollars for a house with both parents working still no way you can own a house unless you bought it a while back or was left to you
So how does Hawaii's future economy look like, especially as the cost of living continues to rise and housing prices soar beyond the reach of most locals? Discussions like these are always interesting and I'm glad there are academic papers that discuss solutions to address the upcoming problems.
By the way, still working out a few issues with my new camera, the Insta360 Ace Pro. Glad I picked it up, but still working on the best camera settings for my needs.
Chris, are you every tempted to move back to The Mainland, with your wife and family?
Chris,I totally agree with what you’re saying. I truly believe that they should start looking at vocational education and training. I remember the Kapiolani Community College. If I’m correct I believe they had some vocational education and training. I used to work at the Dole Cannery downtown and I thought that I was going to go there after high school but I decided to enlist in the military and I never regretted that decision. I came back to Hawaii, got married, we got two sons and both my wife and I was born and raised in Hawaii. Our sons had attended Kamehameha Schools in Kalihi Valley but unfortunately I had retired and moved back to the mainland. My family and I were fortunate to live and work in Hawaii three different times while in the Marine Corps. We both would have loved to come back home and live out our senior years but we’re happy where we are now. The public education system sucks in certain parts of the State. Look I graduated from Leilehua High School in 1972. I enlisted in 1972 and retired in 1994, but we moved back to the mainland because of the education and job opportunities.We don’t regretted but who knows we might come back one of these days. Mahalo for your information. I don’t like other people’s opinion about Hawaii and it’s infrastructure and people. They are not from there. Yes, they’re educated but from the mainland not Hawaii. Hawaii is not for everyone but should be especially for everyone who was born or raised in Hawaii. Granted Hawaii has come a long way from 1959, but it could be a whole lot better. And I pray that it will with the right people in the State Legislature and Senate and the Governor. Mahalo Chris.
The median cost of a single family home in Hawaii is $1,060,000 (per KHON2). Plus, everything else is also crazy expensive. If you are a young person, and not inheriting a home, good luck paying for that house. Hawaii salaries vs Hawaii costs just don't add up. So, a lot of the jobs that "need to be filled" in Hawaii are just not going to pay enough to justify the cost of living in paradise. If Hawaii builds more "affordable" housing, those homes will be bought up by rich mainland/foreign people as investment/rental/2nd home properties. I graduated from Hawaii public schools in 1984, and the things you say have been repeated as long as I can remember. There really is no easy solution for the people of Hawaii.
Mahalo for sharing. I'm glad you brought up that you've heard these things before. I've noticed that Hawaii's problems are often cyclical. Only those who are older will remember the same discussions of the past.
Well that's easy, look at how singapore does it. We have affordable housing with govt support that is only sold to the locals. This ensures every local can afford a housing as long as you work. Also, love from singapore. I hope i can move to hawaii in future to be with my hawaiian boy. 😊
Though topic!
As an outsider (and as an immigrant), I’d say people moving away to discover other parts of the world is incredibly beneficial not just for the individual, but also to the whole society. These people don’t just spread their culture elsewhere but potentially bring back something very useful too. This is one way of creating more tolerance in the world and often brilliant new ideas too.
I moved from Hungary to the UK. One day I might move back with my family and take a different mentality back with me. Maybe I move somewhere else and take two slightly different world view to there.
Great video as always! Mahalo 🤙
Mahalo for sharing. Hope you do get an opportunity to move back, or somewhere else, to share that knowledge and experience you've acquired.
Hawaii is the most amazing crossroads and place to meet interesting people I've experienced. That's another thing I miss about home: All the interesting people who at least pass through, and since it's a small town sort of place as opposed to London or New York City, there's actually really good chances to actually meet the fascinating people who pass through. For instance, speaking of Hungarians, I once took a night class (had to work during the day) in math from this guy: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Halmos who happened to like teaching the occasional low-level math class, at the University Of Hawaii.
Great great topic! And as a retired educator, I wholeheartedly agree that STEM and other educational topic goals is not for everyone. At my school, we evolved into a purely college-prep program, along the way eliminating subjects like shop (wood, metal), home economics (sewing, cooking) and other "old time" subjects in favor of STEAM (STEM + Arts). And while these subjects DO prepare one for some future professions, it's not for everyone. So, what happens to those students NOT into STE(A)M? Failure. I believe the purpose of grade school is to give students basic academic skills as well as prepare them for lifelong learning, and not try to fit square pegs into round holes. And while we're at it, COLLEGE or a trade school is where one may focus on a particular interest an minimalize liberal arts unless that is your major. One should be able to enroll in major courses immediately instead of slogging along for two years in liberal arts, THEN getting courses in one's major.
Mahalo for sharing your experience in the school setting. I agree that high school should be more general education and you start to specialize as you move up through college. Most people change their major in college more than once. Those first couple of years are crucial to allow people time to figure out what they are interested in. And not everyone is interested in STEM. Maybe that should have been the title of the video 😆
A person like you gives all of us hope for the future. You seriously need to be in state government as an elected official. Smarts and common sense are not often found in the same package. Keep up the great work!! 🤩
Mahalo. Appreciate the kind words 🤙
What a balanced and wholistic approach to redefining 'quality of life'. Rather than 'adapting' to the economy - the economy needs to better reflect what holds meaning for those who are essential to it. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
Mahalo. 🤙
This is an important conversation for everyone in Hawaii. I think the knowledge you get from unique experiences away, plus missing the island home (no longer taking it for granted), brings fresh perspectives the island needs to broaden the minds and hearts.
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You’re so right about sending kids out of Hawaii to learn. It will broaden their perspective beyond an island - beyond Hawaii. This is how we can all contribute more to our society, as well as growing our own outlook on life and the world.
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Yet many in the entrepreneurial side never come back when they go abroad. Of my graduating class from Kamehameha, about 40% stayed and got careers in the mainland.
so true about the trades. Today a local young plumber finished a complex plumbing problem for us -smart and talented
I had to cut out a story about getting our car fixed by a local mechanic. The experience reminded me that those types of businesses and that knowledge is so important.
*Trades are not just winds, and they'll carry your canoe far* lol. HVAC is a good one, because there's soooo much that can be done with "passive" cooling that doesn't cost a dime. Thinking further ahead, I'm sure experts in gardening will be in demand as Hawaii really needs to become more self-sufficient in food.
If you think the trades are not a career path, check the cost of hiring a plumber or electrician or even getting your car repaired. They are in high demand in Hawaii, see how long before a plumber can get to your project.
WOW!
It's unbelievable to me that your perspective(s) don't have a larger platform, or create wider conversations throughout our community.
So many topics here to respond to - but I don't have the thumb coordination, nor the bandwidth, to lay it all out.
To encapsulate: Couldn't agree more.
To comment further- please let me know when you establish your political campaign, university lecture series, community foundation, or local T.V./ radio talk series so I can get in on the conversation!
All the best.
Keep rocking that boat (but keep a bailing bucket on hand for the inevitable back splash you're sure to stir up!).
Mahalo. Not sure when the lecture series or TV show will ever happen, but appreciate the support 😆
-The big thing is infrastructure is maxed out there.
-Another thing is really, to get a good job there, you really a have to have contacts. It's just the way it is.
-The distance from the mainland is another major factor.
-I sent my son to the best private school available in my neighborhood starting in preschool. It was money well spent. He focused on his future from age 9!
I once coached a recreation basketball team with ten 11-year old females. Five were from an elite private school, the other five were from the public school system. Prior to the start of practice, the private school five would be sitting in a circle studying and doing homework everyday; while the other five were chasing each another around the practice area.
When asked, the private school five knew what they wanted to be when they grew up; the public school five mainly shrugged their shoulders.
The mindset is distinctly different.
@@EvilTheOne I can believe that. My son played two basketball leagues around that age. We also enrolled him in private tennis lessons. After sports, he took private guitar lessons and played for the high school jazz band. Later in college and after college, he played in a heavy metal band. He's now about 5 years away from retiring and he still collects guitars and equipment.
Congrats on raising a good son!
Someone once said, "that for someone to say that they are a good parent, all you need to do is look at their children". As when I coaches, the individual's and team's success reflected my ability to reach the players. To call myself a 'competent' coach if I had players that didn't improve the skill/talent, and the record was a losing one, that would directly reflect on my lack of ability in that area...humility needs to exist to self-improve.
As you have done, my father exposed me to a variety of activities, music, sport, academics, etc...as you've done for your son. As I now have reached retirement, I look back with a lot of pride as one of my father's goals was to make me a well-rounded person.
As to mirror the topic of this video, my father viewed my future even before I could see it. And gave me the tools to find my way.
Again...good job!
@@2-old-Forthischet
Another insightful video, Chris! 🤙🏼
🤙 Mahalo
I am coming to HNL for a week, would love to meet up for a walk and talk. I am going to do a short video on what
Travelers can do to reduce waste creation in Hawai’i as a visitor.
I'm not sure I'll be available due to family time, but enjoy your time here.
I'm in Japan and don't know how people afford to go to Hawaii. Hawaii for me as an Angeleno seemed expensive but now I know for a Japanese everything will be 4x as expensive.
They have Okinawa so that seems like a much better deal
It's very expensive for them now. Hard to imagine all of these people from Japan still able to afford to come here despite the yen exchange rate.
The brightest kids are not necessarily in private schools but these schools give them a setting to excel. Being smart helps but I think that focus, drive and work ethics are more important. A good attitude will eat being “smart” for lunch.
What does Hawaii need? I think thats the right question for kids to be asking. I also like you mentioned letting kids go out and travel or study abroad or on mainland to bring those experiences back. Although i have to admit that as a parent that is sort of scary because i always think "what if he finds a place he love and then just stays."
I know it's scary that they may stay once they experience other places, but Hawaii will always be home.
I looked at the paper mentioned. One of the authors of the paper is Paul Brewbaker, an Economist of many years in Hawaii Banking and State. He's also a local guy who attended public high school on the Windward side. The paper mentions 38 years of following the interns and STEM. I've known classmates who went away for college, as well as others who graduated college in Hawaii. I know plenty of others who were in the trades in Hawaii and left, along with others joining the service and left. Staying or leaving is an individual decision, that some leave and never return for anywhere for a little while to never. Even if encouraging the younger high school graduates wanting college on the mainland to see and return afterwards, it is an option for them to want to return. If there is no employment in Hawaii in their fields or decent paying jobs, what's the sense? From my perspective about the paper is that Hawaii's economic standing was due to it geographical location which during the maritime days of sailing/whaling, it was essential for reprovisioning. When whaling waned, reprovisioning was still there but strategic/military. Agriculture growth replaced whaling, giving reprovisioning, military/strategic/agriculture for decades, early tourism. War enhanced reprovisioning/strategic, agriculture. Post war continued military, agriculture and tourism. Now agriculture is diminished, military and tourism remain. We've seen tourism recede with war & covid & American dollar surges. We've also seen the impact of military missions realigned elsewhere and impact on military spending. Hawaii surviving on its own without tourism and military will be tough without external Hawaii dollars coming into the state. Just like a human body requires calories to continue to survive, without calories coming in, the body slowly depletes itself as no food is coming in for functioning.
Mahalo for taking the time to read the article. While Hawaii may not offer all industries for future graduates, it may still find ways to identify what jobs we need and try to encourage those graduates to fill them. For example, I wish I would have known about pathways to becoming a teacher in Hawaii while I was in Colorado (my original intent was to become a science teacher). Knowing I was needed back home and that there was a job waiting for me would have been great. We need more in agriculture to grow our own food? More health care workers? Maybe we can get the word out to those who leave for school in those majors and let them know, "Hey, when you're done with school, here's how you can come back home and work here in that field. The pay will not be the same, but it will make a big difference." Of course, competitive salaries are another topic altogether, as well as affordability to living here.
@@HelloFromHawaii: I would say that without new capital coming into Hawaii, sustaining the population and lifestyle that the population expects/demands might not be feasible as the growth of population continues to expand. The cost of importing goods/services from outside the State is ever increasing, which as the imports exceed the exports, the net gain will become a net loss in the given time. We ship in more than we ship out, which is the capital/revenue from military spending/tourism. Even if local students got an useful education in a paying skill, it remains as to whether the local economy/business has the technology and need that the students are familiar with. Even then technology is ever changing, which means replacement/upgraded technology/skills over time. Not keeping up with it makes it stagnant. In the post-world war days of production, the United States would receive the development of the latest/greatest technology compared to 3rd world countries getting a older model. Furthermore, local graduates highly trained/skilled once educated in high demand/income areas will be challenged to step back and take less due to outstanding loans. If one gave education to them for service like the military ROTC, once the commitment is met, it remains the individual's choice to remain or become better paid/trained. Just as America/Japan, used to have people working their entire careers in one company. The younger generations goes where they get the best offer pay/training/experience, so being fluid is an aspect that loyalty/commitment by both employers and employees are sort of past due. What good is a profit sharing if one stays less than 10 years or a pension if not minimally for 10 years? Workers have to focus on economics, investments and management of finances.
So true about most people not being interested in STEM. I went to school in the 1960s, and sputnik had horrified America that we were falling behind the Soviets. There was a big push for science education. I think the push ended up doing a lot of good, just because it raised the awareness of how important education is. But, yea, I didn't end up in science either.
You are entirely correct that the best private schools attract kids who are bright already. But, their ability to nurture that intelligence and provide challenging and reinforcing learning environments is synergistic with the existing intelligence. At the college level, there is evidence that the best schools, (Harvard, Yale, MIT, Stanford, etc) actually just collect bright students and that outcomes are similar for similarly intelligent students going in who go there or other tier schools.
I agree with you that Hawaii's isolation (and small size) means that it wold be really hard to make us a powerful export economy. But, it also means that we should have an advantage producing things for our local market. Tourists, Military spending and Federal Government transfers will ensure that we have a "balance of payments." But, we can't expect to be the Silicon Valley.
Mahalo for sharing. I'm glad you brought up elite colleges as well. I'm sure the results are similar. And great point about the advantage of producing things for our local market. We just need to find ways to make those things more affordable to buy. It's hard to buy local produce when the stuff from the mainland is so much cheaper.
I know how it was working for the city and other skilled labor. The attitude of "we been doing it like this for 30 years, why change now?" is the failure attitude. Also Hawaii needs to become an exporter of goods rather than relying on shipping everything in that drives cost up. Most of the people that get a good education in Hawaii end up moving to get a better job offer. Starting a business in Hawaii was also hard. Overhead cost absorb a lot of the gross profits. I also observed friends kids (as you mentioned) are off to college on the mainland but don't want to get a job there, because they are homesick and don't like changing their attitude to live in the mainland.
sorry was just a bunch of random thoughts I remembered when I moved.
Mahalo for bringing up the struggles of starting a business here. Part of that may be policies to make it easier for local businesses. Part of it may be that we need to start teaching basic business skills in high school.
You are so spot on in this discussion. Colleges are becoming paper mills and at the same time, try to find a good tradesman. I read in 1970 while attending USC that only 5 percent of students work in their major field. Nothing has changed, but try to find someone to help you remodel your home and bring it up to code. No can do. Keep up the good work. Aloha and Mahalo.
Mahalo. Yeah, as we've experienced with fixing our car, knowing a good person in the trades is so important when things need to get fixed.
I have traveled and lived all through the country, including 5-years on the Big Island. It seems to me that outside of the “it cities” most communities are struggling. My home town has been decimated in the last 30-years. I agree with you, education will always move you forward.
Aviation maintenance is a good trade. Hawaiian air is hiring no experience at 35/hr which is pretty good for a trade. Tons of benefits and a higher top out of around 120k a year which is very good. The industry is hurting right now and the more the better off it is!
A very thoughtful take on some interesting ideas. I do think UH needs additional investment because not everybody can afford to go to school on the continent. But I agree that the single minded stress on STEM leaves a lot of folks out of the equation. I am concerned by what sounds, in the article, like pleading for international financing is the opposite of what Hawaii needs. Look at what that has done to the real estate market, for example. I do agree that more stress on trade training and financial literacy for students will sort of automatically create a more balanced middle economy. I must search out that article and read it. But I certainly enjoyed hearing your ideas on these subjects. Thanks for your thoughtful presentation.
Great point about international financing. If outside money has influenced so much of the real estate here, imagine what it would do to the economy.
I think Hawaii eventually copies what Japan does. When there was expected to be a housing crunch, Japan made the ‘danchi’ (rent controlled Government Housing). Not just one building, but like 20 buildings all next to each other. Not market rate, but like a set $1000 a month rent for 3 bedrooms and no maintenance fees. Not for those who are rich with connections, but for middle class and lower class based on a lottery (and perhaps some preference such as to long term residence and to secondary public school teachers). Also setting aside 2 or so units for those who were homeless based on bad luck (rather than chronic or mental illness). Once that is done, regular private housing should be a ‘little’ better (maybe there could be some hope for home ownership).
As for the future economy, I don’t know. I just wish we could be more statistically driven without being cold hearted or thinking good statistics is the only determination of success. But still clear, simple and accurate statistics should have some driving force in our decision making towards Hawaii’s. If we spend 50 million on 5000 homeless, 55 million on 5500 homeless, 60 million on 6000 homeless….maybe we have to stop and rethink that our solution must be stupid. Maybe collecting $400,000 per one danchi per year in rent and setting aside units to help transition some out of homelessness is a better solution.
Mahalo for bringing up what they've done in Japan. Twenty buildings of affordable rentals might be a great start. Perhaps along the rail?
Aloha great vedio I love hawaii I used to live there
Spot on as always 👍🏼🤙🏼
🤙 Mahalo
I've said for years that both Trades and STEM-based economies can go hand in hand. Brain drain is a real thing, but it can be reversed. HI can be a major tech center for the pan-pacific, it just needs proper investment from both the public/private sector(s). I've also said that trades such as Carpenters, HVAC, plumbers, ect. are both needed and pay so much better than the old days. I also agree on teaching financial literacy to every single kid in school, especially now.
Great point. The trades and STEM can coincide and one doesn't have to be elevated over the other.
There was so much i didn't know about the range of potential careers
We need more than the job titles and vague descriptions
We need a practical sense of what is needed and what is the experience of doing the job
NO JOB LISTS
True. Maybe the job descriptions are too technical. Besides, a lot of what I've experienced is on-the-job training. If a person can do that, they'll be fine.
Thanks for the insight…
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It starts with the family. Schools, etc can only do so much. But kids, people need to have the support and know that their family has their back. If someone is going to be "the first" whatever in their family, then there may need to be a change in mindset from uncle, aunty, etc who may not have gone or been able to go to community college.
Hawaii seems to be a lot like Mexico and I see how that attitude affects people as well. The "don't rock the boat" societal mindset needs to change drastically for success to happen. The "center of the world", like Mexico, needs to drastically change as well.
Those that are already going to or destined for post 12th grade education are going to succeed anyways. It's the kids from the 'hoods or even middle class that needs that push.
Thanks, Mr. Chris, for this video. Great discussion. (PS: you're near my hangout spot on Magic Island towards the very end. There was a tree right next to me that was a baby and I bet it's grown nicely since then)
Interesting point bringing up Mexico. Good to know other places deal with similar concepts.
What does it look like? More Homelessness will be if these outsiders keeps coming in and filling up the rentals and buying them.
That's another good topic for a future video 🤙
Bout to dig into this article myself…
It's a good read. I enjoyed the look back into the past industries, like whaling and sandalwood.
Hi,where is your brother now? Is he here or staying in the mainland?
He's still here, but may move to the mainland.
my favorite spot... ala moana park!
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The "Grapes of Wrath" sets the stage. As Hawaiian and Locals alike follow the handbills that lead them away from the Islands, those that remain face a jarring reality. And ask themselves...now what? Why has Hawaii's post covid recovery lagged behind the mainland and what can be done about it? Patrick Sullivan's plea, is at best, a call for diversification in the Hawaiian economy. I won't argue against it. But I will argue that what should come next, what changes the downward trajectory, begins with increasing the supply of housing units to improve affordability and restore the soul of the people. But Bureaucrat platitudes have left you feeling numb and the increasing feelings of hopeless make you wonder if you shouldn't have already joined the exodus. Will you follow the Joads?
I worrrrrry about the future of Hawai’i
I try not to worry too much. Only so much we can do.
Somehow, someway Hawai'i needs to become (mostly) self sufficient not relying on barge shipments of goods. Somehow, someway Hawai'i needs to weed themselves of tourism money. Need all Locals to be/have the same mindset and rid of outside supply so much.
Part of that will be education during K-12, whether it be at home or in the classroom or both.
What if and I say "what if" Japan give low cost schooling for Hawaii people to study there. I think this would be interesting because I think Japanese people is well talented in many ways when it comes to future developments. I'm thinking tech, agriculture, science etc.
That would be interesting. Maybe an exchange where Hawaii takes Japanese students at a discount tuition, like WUE program in the US.
Hey check out this article about predictions of occupations shift in US and the world for 2030. STEM professionals is listed as high demand jobs in USA.
Link got deleted :/
Anyway google McKinsey future of work after Covid-19
Or
Generative AI and the future of work in America.
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You can buy a brand new 3 bedroom 1 bath with a 2 car carport for 350k...today..2024.
..for real bro. On the big island.
Great price, but what about the jobs?
You touched on some points that I have been talking about for years. I'll just talk about one topic or else my comment will be longer than your video.
Public school is all geared for college prep. This is a serious flaw in our educational system. Do you know that 2/3 of the people in the US don't have college degrees? and that figure has been relatively constant for a long time. What that means is that public education is only geared for 1/3 of school kids. What's worse is that 41% of college students don't get their degree in 6 years. If you can't get a degree in 6 years the chances are slim that you will get one. And to make matters even worse, 44% of people with college degrees, work in jobs that don't require a degree or not the degree they have. Some college kids take out student loans and have huge debts after graduating. It's terrible for some of these graduates and drop outs that can't find jobs but have 6 figure debts. Let all of this sink in. This is all because our society pushes kids to college even if they're not cut out for college or want to do something that doesn't require college. There is a stigma that if you don't go to college, you're a failure, so kids go.
In Europe some secondary schools provide vocational training. Students can learn skills in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, auto mechanics etc. Isn't that a good idea? If the same thing was done in schools in Hawaii, that would address the 2/3 of students that will not go to college. A lot of these type of jobs will pay more than some jobs that require college degrees. Also there will be a lot of people with vocational skills that will start their own businesses and that will be good for Hawaii's economy.
There have been countless articles about the shortages of people in certain occupations. Hawaii needs teachers, police, fire fighters, doctors, nurses, construction workers, trades people, government workers, etc. Representatives from each industry should visit high schools to talk about the opportunities in their field and the pathway to get those jobs. The pathway for many jobs is not a college degree.
BTW, Just so you know I'm not anti-college, I'm an engineer, I worked in Silicon Valley and came back to Hawaii.
I forgot to say, this was a great video, actually most of your videos are great. I would like to compliment you on picking fantastic topics for your videos.
Mahalo for the thoughtful comment. I know that the DOE does provide some career pathways for various industries, but I think those programs need to be strengthened. Not just by giving kids vocational experience, but also just "talk story" sessions where kids can learn that those jobs are needed and can earn a good living. Mechanics and plumbers are needed just as much as doctors and lawyers. And with good financial literacy, one could live a fairly comfortable life here or beyond.
Hawaii needs a free magnet school like the California Academy of Mathematics & Science for gifted public school students. Why don't we have that DOE??
UH Lab? Charter schools?
Interesting conversation...
Your focus on the smaller demographics of the brightest and best gifted students need to collaborate with the bigger demographics of the public school system. Before your time, industrial education, fine arts, special education were neglected and programs abolished such as wood shop, automotive, etc. They have moved on to the community colleges. Focus should be on all students. Not everyone wants to go for the advanced degrees. PHd, masters ...
Look at the demographics just in mathematics... there are more non calculus students in any graduating class ...focus global versus just the gifted.
The DOE has a
CTE Vision
A sustainable future in which Hawai`i graduates can live and thrive in-state by being prepared to succeed in high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand occupations.
CTE Mission
To serve our schools and the greater community by designing quality CTE programs that meet the needs of Hawai'i’s labor workforce-inclusive of new pathways and programs of study, industry standards, work-based learning, industry recognized certifications, early college opportunities, and professional development-as well as to ensure equity of access, and increase participation rates and successful outcomes.
Mahalo for sharing about CTE in public schools. I hope they can expand that. But more importantly, I wish they would also teach financial literacy. That would help kids no matter what field they pursue.
For the people in places like Hawai'i, Puerto Rico, Guam, Alaska, Saipan etc I wish theyd get rid of the Jones Act
That's a big issue of itself on the federal level.
Good subject. Too bad our government does nothing about it. First off, our kids need to be taught real world finance at the high school level(and make it required learning). They need to learn things like what it costs to buy a home, how much it costs for everyday things like food, mortgage, rent, insurance, cars, how to invest money for the future(401k/IRA/stocks/etc), & more. They need to know how much each type of job earns, then have a school job/college fair(at each of their schools, not just at the Blaisdell) for all types of choices for their future. Hopefully. this will make the light bulb in their heads shine bright so they can start thinking about what they need to do. A lot of kids graduate high school, but don't know what they want to do for their future...
I think it would be a great idea to have financial literacy taught in schools. I also like your idea of job fairs at each school. It would be tough to coordinate, but worth it for those students to hear about what type of jobs are available.
There’s an insane amount of money to be made in Hawaii… but all that money is in the trades and real estate development
In my travels one of the favorite bumper stickers I saw was on a battered up old pickup driving at 40 mph down interstate in North Carolina. It said "I don't give a damn how you did it where you came from!". While I completely understand and respect his the sentiment this attitude is also a trap. Here the very few times I have offered an opinion it has been met with the stupid haole response. Change of any sort is going to difficult.
Yeah, this is one of the biggest mindsets we have in Hawaii. It preserves our culture, but also closes us off to new ideas.
Modify the Jones Act
Need manufacturing STEM jobs. The university can assist with today's recycling technology, which has a small to no carbon footprint and the raw material from that is valuable. Use the great pacific garbage patch as an initial resource to start.
Recycling and renewable energy would be good fields to expand in.
Imagine if an isolated county in Iowa was full of people who believed that they and their progeny could remain living in that isolated county for perpetuity…doing so while growing economically, educationally and healthily as an isolated civilization.
You’d likely think that they were insane people.
It’s no different for Hawaii. Most of the people living there today have been living there for less than four generations - the original family members went to Hawaii because jobs were more plentiful than “back home”. To believe that it is in the long term health and benefit for any family to remain in Hawaii forever is naive…it’s an island with few natural resources and over 2,000 miles from the nearest Mainland.
Hawaii will always need to be reinvented and reinvigorated by new people…folks, it’s a small island chain isolated in the middle of the largest ocean on Earth…
Great point about long-term expectations. It's interesting the timing of this tendency toward out-migration, as Hawaii was the home of waves of migrants moving here back in the plantation days. I wonder if there will ever be a reversal of that in another four generations or so.
@@HelloFromHawaii Yes, the wave of plantation workers starting a century ago created the foundation for the current population in Hawaii. Those original families lived off the agricultural resources of the land, but that economy had its limits due to the shipping costs to and from Hawaii. Whatever Hawaii could grow, it could be grown cheaper elsewhere in a global economy.
Hawaii should have then become another desolate and isolated - albeit beautiful - island chain in the Pacific after the Ag industry died, but the great boon for Hawaii was yet to be tapped. The real economic engine for Hawaii was created by its militaristic and strategic importance by being smack in the middle of the Pacific. All the major powers of the world wanted Hawaii for her location, and the US was no different.
So, the US spent money to establish Hawaii as the core defense area of the entire Pacific region. This money and security then allowed the Travel/Vacation industry to thrive there, which allowed all the plantation worker families to stay and live comfortably in Hawaii for a few more generations.
However, as time went on, many of the vacationers understandably wanted to stay and live in Hawaii as well. On the other hand, many descendants of the plantation workers simultaneously wanted to spread their own wings and live on the Mainland. This is/was a natural and logical order of events.
Anyway, this convo is way too long for a format like this, but the bottom line is that Hawaii is inherently a place for a transitional population…the Travel/Vacation industry is the only one that can be sustained there into the distant future…
HAWAII HOME PRICES NOT GOING DOWN TO 1990 PRICES EVER.
1990- 352K FOR A HOME
2000- 295K FOR A HOME
2010- 592K FOR A HOME
2020- 830K FOR A HOME
2023- 1.1 MIL FOR A HOME
2030- 1.4 MIL PROJECTED
To be honest, Hawaii needs to aim to be something like Singapore. Certain powers stripped the land of its economy, and now the people need to rise up and make a Hawaii an economic power
Interesting idea. Not all things from that country may make it over here, as it's a different government system, but still worth taking a lot at what they do there.
The future..freedom to go anywhere…but there will be parking cost, , a fee for everything you visit, beaches, parks, shopping centers, there will be a cost for everything and everyone in the future…only freedom that may be free is to stay home?
People buying houses in kapolei better make sure its termite free that place is loaded with termites
Termites are everywhere. Kaneohe had a lot of them.
Hawaii is screwed. At least the old school Hawaii is gonna disappear. The Aina is pretty much going to get bought by foreign (including rich mainlanders) investors..the locals are gonna get basically booted to the mainland or other places….the poor are gonna be in worse conditions…..yeah….hawaii is fucked. Of course if you have a well to do family and connections….you can make it. This is from a former hilo person. I got out of there as soon as I could. Best move I ever made.
I wouldn't saw Hawaii is screwed, but we have a lot of challenging times ahead.
@@HelloFromHawaii yeah….i am not hopeful….i think Hawaii is gonna change hands…..then its not Hawaii anymore.
My friend works at Google and says white color, corporate jobs are gonna go with AI blowing up whole industries. Blue collar jobs are increasing in value and now pay more. Software advancements are going to cripple real estate, law firms, and many other established careers. But the hard ware to replace blue collar trade work is not even on the horizon. Maybe I should keep encouraging my sons to become the real Mario brothers!😂
lol. We need people to fix plumbing. Don't see droids doing that work yet.
Gee. I wonder if Hawaii can depend on tourism for the long haul?
Duh. Of course Hawaii can. Most beautiful place on Earth. Tourists will always come. Question answered.
But the impact of tourists may become too much for the State to handle.
Public schools here are terrible. UOH is mostly churning out woke graduates with no marketable knowledge or expertise. The trades do quite well in Hawaii but it does take some connections to get in and move your way up. Having also lived on the mainland I don't see the problems being much different other than jobs like at McDonalds pay less even though their food prices are higher. Somehow Hawaii needs to make use of it's strategic location as now goods from Asia are shipped first to the mainland and then to Hawaii. Perhaps building a shipping port like Singapore and also a duty free port which would bring more commerce. But of course, how much would it benefit the average person?
I wouldn't say the public schools are terrible. And the trades can provide good pay, depending on experience.
Unfortunately members of academia have a distorted view of reality. The more pressing issue the state faces is the erosion of its middle class. There seems to be an effort to gentrify Hawaii by vanquishing young families to the mainland. In some ways there seems to be a modern day "Trail of Tears" starting from the islands to Las Vegas. Given the current trajectory, only the affluent (who are skilled in avoiding taxes) and those in lower income requiring tax generated subsidies to survive will be left. Many of these initiatives proposed will require a strong middle class tax base and healthy economy as a catalyst for change. Currently, too many in local government have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, which does not bode well for any meaning full change in the near term.
Interesting comparison to the Trail of Tears. I'm sure we'll look back on this time and come up with an appropriate term for the exodus of locals moving elsewhere. Sad to see it happening.
My son had education in private very high end Montessori then private but then went to an excellent public school for high school
I think the mix of all encouraged his love of academia and a desire to do well in the job force! He always wanted college and new college would help get better employment! He does however believe that the trade’s should be be encouraged just as much as university.
That's a great mix of educational experiences. I also went to private school and then public school. Experiencing both helped broaden my perspective by interacting with different peers.
Send your kids to a college on the Mainland, and hopefully they stay there and buy a home. Income is much higher, and homes cost a lot less. True, they will not be in Hawaii, but who can afford a $1.5M home when starting out. The job I got in California was over $100,000 whereas the maximum for the same job in Hawaii was $60,000. You have to look at reality, and not just wanting to live in Hawaii.
I'd like them to go to the mainland if that's what they are interested in. And if they want to stay up there, great. If not, they can always come back home to Hawaii.
First, ask yourself why parents strive to send their kid's to private schools in Hawaii in the first place? Whether on grants or scholarship programs or out of pocket; safety and better opportunity. Like everywhere else in America your public school system is a mess, just look at the scores, 1-12. For decades. Next up college outside - great idea if you can afford it. Along with that, choosing programs that offer a real chance at a good paying job especially one relevant in Hawaii. There are enough nonsense degrees that offer absolutely no money except the payback of a big student loan. What are the trade schools in Hawaii doing? And correct going to an Ivy League or similar type institution outside because you have the money or influence does not guarantee that the seats taken will be worth anything afterwards either to yourself, Hawaii or to our country in general. A lot of stupid people graduate Harvard. Finally, educating those with limited skills sets, for the lack of a better description the average working class resident. Not everyone will be a college graduate or a grad from a skilled trade school. What about them, where do they fit in? And there are tens of thousands of them in Hawaii. Or are they just condemned to live multi-generations cramped into a small spaces working 2 and 3 jobs just to acheive a rock bottom lower middle class income or even less?
Their last point might help the country, but it hurts Hawaii.
Unfortunately there are not that many high performance high school graduates in from public schools in Hawaii.
I've found that there are a lot. We just don't often hear about them.
Many tech giant billionaires own Hawaii property. How about doing more with Hawaii than just building homes? Anyways, as a STEM grad, you have to be nimble by moving to where the jobs are. Hawaii is just so far away. Out of sight, out of mind.
What other things could Hawaii do more of? Ag?
Looking at your hat, I thought, you went to Harvard...
lol. The old UH baseball hat.
🤣@@HelloFromHawaii
I think this Bradda is speaking from a privileged position, his parents were educated and passed this privilege to him. Where did he grow up. He will never be able to speak for the core peoples of Hawai’i. Go to the West Side of Oahu and speak from that perspective…problem is that you can’t. You speak for the kids from Punahou, Kaiser and St. Louis, these are the locals you come from. Based on this premise your words are just fodder and mean nothing to the real locals of Hawai’i
Confirmation bias. So your parents made it work but most can’t. Politicians only pay lip service to diversifying the economy but underfund and cut UH budget.
Poo poo STEM all you want but it is the economic engine of the future so cultivating is makes sense so that a larger ecosystem can be created that allows larger proportion of residents with non-stem backgrounds (eg finance) to participate.
The elitist attitude towards private school and mainland education is disgusting. Sure diversity is important but if you look at the premier innovation centers like Silicon Valley, a key cornerstone is strong local universities.
In what ways will STEM be the economic future of Hawaii? Sure, maybe globally that might be true, but in Hawaii's economy, how will STEM become a major contributor?
Fix the public school system; you have to start somewhere
It's a big ship to turn, so change will have to happen slowly.
if u wanna live in hawaii u better be born rich or w a relative w an extra room.
😆
Did UofH pay for the study? Lol
I think it's going to continue to lose population because the mainland "fairweather friends" tend to be right - wing politically and will feel more at home in Florida etc. Those willing to "live humble" will stay.
I'm curious how the voter results will be this year in the Presidential election. I'm sure our electoral votes will go blue, but I'm always interested to see the overall percentage of who votes blue vs. red.
@@HelloFromHawaii I'm still amazed *anyone* votes "red" these days as .... just in the way Hitler turned what originally was just another German workers' party into a personal cult, you-know-who has turned the Republican Party from something that was accepted as a mainstream political party into his own cult of personality. A cult of personality, I need not mention, that calls for killing political opponents, that wants to remove the rights of women to do anything but stay home and have as many kids as biologically possible, willingly or not, and needless to say, will bring back the old Jim Crow racial laws (and then get worse from there).
I know in Hawaii you're a bit distant from all of this, as I was growing up in Hawaii and as a young adult in Hawaii. It's kind of fun, 2500 miles away, to poke fun at Trump and his followers and laugh about the whole thing but it's really not funny - it's terrifying.
I for one am hoping that coming home to Hawaii will at least put some distance between myself and those who *will* try to kill me, if they get into power, for ever typing these words. But if they get into power, being as far away as Hawaii from most of the craziness may not save my life and I may have to take a "strategic vacation" even further away. I'm really not white or wealthy enough for New Zealand or Australia, so we're talking Vietnam or Thailand or even China. At least I know how to live very modestly (translation: POOR) but at least no matter what happens, I'll be home and maybe will run into you, in about 9 months.
Its only going to get worse.
Hopefully better, though. 🤙
Not as good as the Florida Keys.
In what ways?
@@HelloFromHawaii 86 degree ocean waters and Bahamas so close.
it is just to expensive to live in Hawaii with 1 million dollars for a house with both parents working still no way you can own a house unless you bought it a while back or was left to you