But the clever young lady quickly grasped the key point. She looked at Ben Parker and asked, "Do all these understaffed positions require highly specialized skills?"
Ben Parker paused, but after giving it some thought, he said, "The New York Power Administration does have quite a few technical positions. After all, electrical work requires relevant knowledge. Even the clerks answering phones are no exception."
"However, the New York Power Administration has always provided training programs. The requirements used to be fairly strict: applicants needed educational credentials and had to be between twenty and thirty, since that was the age when people learned fastest."
"But because they're desperately short on staff, they've lowered the age range to sixteen through thirty-eight. If you have some relevant experience, it can be extended to forty-eight."
"One of my coworkers used to work for the railroad department. He was already forty-five. After the Sky Train came along, the railroad business declined, and both wages and benefits were cut, so he came here for training. He's been on the job for a month now, and things are going pretty well."
"As for jobs like station safety officers at the Transportation Administration, everyone has to undergo three months of training. It's the same for anyone who applies, but there aren't really any technical requirements. You just stand on the platform and remind passengers not to get too close to the flight paths and landing zones. What technical difficulty is there in that?"
Gwen stroked her chin in thought, while Ben Parker had already walked over and sat down across from her on the sofa. "The New York Power Administration works with many developers and contractors. Quite a few of my apprentices were sent over by regional contractors."
"They're all pretty young. Some just finished high school, and