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Big Island Gets 30 Meter telescope
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07-21-2009, 11:35 AM
Some positive information for a change. The Big Island will be getting a new telescope. This 1.2 Billion dollar telescope will be the largest of its kind in the world.
This will also create jobs locally. http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/articl...+telescope 
07-21-2009, 03:24 PM
TMT fits in with what is going on at the top. Hawaii's reputation in the astronomy community will jump ten fold. If you want a little diversity beyond the likes of Hiltons and Marriott, TMT will help.
With that said, TMT is California based. The majority of positions will be filled through the ranks of Caltec, UC and ACURA. Others will be vendor specialty contract workers from the mainland. Few positions of any “high-tech” nature will be for residents. According to TMT Corps own economic impact release documents, the jobs for local residents will mostly be service support (janitors, administrative, security, drivers, groundskeepers, etc). Most of the higher-level local resident jobs will most likely be transplants. They will be classified as local because the positions are permanent and they will need to live on Hawaii, but it's unlikely they will be filled from the ranks of current residents. Also, some of the jobs are temporary scientific visitor positions. So please embrace TMT coming to the Big Island for what it represents to the scientific reputation of the Big Island and because it will hopefully result in other similar or related industries coming as well. But don't mistakenly believe the bulk of the jobs and economic outflow will be for local residents or to the community. I'll shut up now.
07-21-2009, 04:17 PM
It is my understanding that if the TMT builds this observatory that they'll be contributing a significant sum of money (1 million a year) to help educate our keiki for science/technology fields.
This is an example of we'll be seeing more of if the TMT builds here. http://hahaha.hamakuasprings.com/2009/07...ogram.html For the record, my brother participated in the Akamai Observatory Internship Program back in 2005. He interned up at the W. M. Keck Observatory up on Mauna Kea repairing their radio equipment, among other things as far as I recall. At the time he was attending Hawaii Community College's electronics program in Hilo.
07-21-2009, 04:41 PM
Hurrah! Bravo and a big thanks to all who contributed toward this excellent outcome happening.
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Astonishing skill! This archer is a real-life Legolas and then some! http://geekologie.com/2013/11/real-life-...rs-anc.php )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( 
07-21-2009, 05:17 PM
Bob - I respectfully disagree. If you look at the workforce of all the other observatories on Mauna Kea they include "high-tech" positions filled by locals including electronic, electrical and software engineering. I would agree that many of the actual scientists will unlikely be locals, but that's because there are very few local astronomers with the right experience although that is changing thanks to the UH and the training those people receive from the current observatories.
There will be jobs at the technician levels as well. I don't know if you would call that high or low tech, but those positions will almost certainly be filled by locals if the other observatories are anything to go by. For the truly low-tech positions (many of which are still professional such as admin, human resources etc.) I expect history will repeat itself again with most of those staff being locals. Other than the concerns shown by those groups opposed to any further development of Mauna Kea, this is excellent news for the Big Island, people's job prospects, local education and local economy. Best wishes, Tom
07-22-2009, 02:18 AM
Aaron & Tom, I’m sure there will be a whole lot of jobs and many good paying jobs. But, because TMT kept using the words may, I have to assume they are not making any commitment for those jobs being hired locally versus hired mainland and transplanted. It's also possible they don't want to make contactors and vendors feel like they may not be getting contracts after construction since that can raise construction cost. Since this is now just the beginning of the approval process, new details will refine employment opportunities as they move forward. I'm use to reading between the lines as I've seen millions of government economic development dollars flow to corporations on promises of employment that never really materialize as stated. You start to look for key words in their statements as an indicator of where they are. But, again, TMT decided to build on the Big Island, but that still does not mean they can or will. This is just the beginning of the formal process to get permission to build.
I'll say that TMT has solidified Hawaii's place in the research community. Hopefully, this will make future site selection decisions easier in Hawaii’s favor. I would like to see other supporting or complimentary industries start moving to Hawaii.
07-22-2009, 04:06 AM
This is great news. Even if the project hires people from outside of Hawaii, there will still be money pumped into the economy. The employees, no matter where they are from, will still need housing, groceries and other items.
07-22-2009, 04:27 AM
quote:I'm with kabloink, regardless of where they come from, if they become residents, they'll spend (most of) their salaries locally. Plus, isn't this how many Hawai'i locals become locals, by immigrating from the mainland or elsewhere? Won't some of whoever becomes employed there become permanent residents? Unless you object to (employed, tax-paying) people migrating to Hawai'i on principle, this is not a bad thing at all for the local economy. Aloha! ;-)
Aloha! ;-)
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