Wow......Ray, you're gonna do well.
This is the bemoaning that is going on with the 'owners' these days and it's supporting to hear it from a 'committed' tech from your generation. The reality is with management is not only do these types of techs kill the profitability in a company, but they also are on the negative side of paying their own way both on a day to day basis as well as grenaded equipment and subsequent lawsuits for spoiled product/liabilities. Thus we don't hire young people and prefer to hire fully trained techs.
I've also had a number of issues with techs on the bong and have implemented a job description that the tech signs off on drug tests that they agree to and sign. Insurance companies are setting up to force us because of the damage claims and WCB is also favouring that process as well. The oil-patch has it as almost mandatory......he11, a huge addition to one's income there is selling the other workers your pi$$ to guys to load in convoluted appliances to pass the drug tests!
It's a weird work force out there Ray for old fossils like me and extremely hard to deal with and keep from going bankrupt whilst 'invigorating' the techs to just contribute a bit to the health of the company that supports them.......and of course their career which is the lynch pin to the entire rest of their life.....that they in fact see only as an annoyance in their important personal life.
That being said, it's very refreshing Ray to see and hear your POV.......as I said, you're gonna be a helluva force in this trade before too long......way to go.