Forums » Smalltalk » Are "blue-collar" jobs really that bad?

I've been thinking about manual labor and trade jobs - particularly ones that people disregard because they don't "pay well" - and I found myself wondering what they're actually like. There are some jobs that I never considered simply because my parents convinced me that I had to go to college and specialize in something. However, now that I'm rethinking what I want to do with my life, I'm trying to look at alternatives and maybe heed my parents advice a little less. I truly do not care about making a lot of money. I don't want a big fancy house, nor do I want big fancy cars. I don't even want to own a car (but everyone convinced me that driving is necessary).

After considering blue collar jobs, I decided that landscaping, gardening, housekeeping/cleaning, farming, and even some weirder ones like beekeeping appeal to me. Anything that lets me be outside, clean, organize, use my hands, or... Whatever.

The only issue is that I don't know very much about these jobs. Seems like my whole life has revolved around "become a doctor/scientist/vet" to such a point that I'm clueless about any alternatives. The few times I've done volunteer work that burned hours upon hours doing manual labor (even things people bemoan like cleaning bathrooms) I found it so engaging that hours felt like minutes. I like to get lost in my head and listen to music. I don't like sitting on my ass, stressing about numbers, choosing the right words for a thesis, and pleasing people that I don't even like.

I also find the lab environment super relaxing. We did a dissection today and one of my lab partners commented on how he's never seen someone "light up" from cutting something open. Morbid, but I was gloomy today and I really did perk up as soon as I was able to start using my hands. It's a shame that I can't jump into lab work without college.

As usual, thoughts?

I would say no, like you said they are needed and so there's plenty of work places which people sleep on while trying to apply to their 'dream job'. But the thing is some of them may really damage your body like build worker.

I think people disregard the jobs because:
They are regarded as primitive or simply uncool by youth. Because society instills what is ideal job for people (doctor, programmer, bussinessman, scientist) which is stupid in my opinion, every job contributes something in the way we can't notice but they do help us, like pest control or factory worker. If everyone worked in the jobs listed above then the jobs would be inflated and in fact it wouldn't be desirable job
anymore switching attention to manual labor jobs or other jobs that weren't so popular. However it's much deeper issue from which PhD work could be written.

I think I watched youtube video on that topic it was from PragerUniversity? which I recommend for everyone.

If landscaping is something that interests you, start scoping out landscapers in your area and see if you can get a part time job with one of them, either on weekends or over the summer.

(Also applies to any of the others, that one just seemed the most likely to need to hire some seasonal help.)

That will let you get a feel for the industry.

I know only a little about beekeeping as I seriously considered taking it up as a hobby so went to a couple classes about it before ultimately deciding it wasn't for me. I think it would be really difficult to make enough money at it for it to be your only gig. But again, if you're interested, start finding somebody to learn from, either as a part time job or a hobby. I met a few people through that class that have it as a side gig.

If you're willing to move, there's a LOT of money in fracking now. I've got cousins that both went into that, and while I don't know exactly what they make, I do know they're both dropping a ton of money on home improvements, both have brand spanking new trucks, and one's putting in a swimming pool. (I dunno, maybe they're up to their eyeballs in debt. I have no intimate knowledge of their finances, but just throwing it out there as something to think about.)

I don't know much about manual labor jobs but I know the downside is that you can't always do them as you get older, if they require a lot of bending or lifting, for instance. It would be a little scary to have to depend on that as a career later in life, when you're like, say, my age (39), or even 50s or 60s. If you have a certification or degree of some kind that allows you to do something like work in a lab, however, that puts you in an air conditioned environment, probably sitting down or least able to. Maybe it's not primary factor when considering a career, but at my age, you think about things like that, because you start to feel the effects of a stand-all-day job more.

I would say write the BS papers (I know, I know...been there) and get the piece of paper, but if possible, choose it in something that fits your personality and will bring you happiness -- like what you're saying about working with your hands, such as working in a lab.

If that's not possible, I would say get some kind of vocational certificate (such as pharmacy tech, med tech, etc), but I would shoot for the degree too..that's just my two cents on it.

Another manual labor job, though, is welding. Also electrician.

Considering blue collar jobs is a fantastic thing to do. They have a bad reputation partly because they tend to be viewed as dead-end, as not getting a high wage, as not requiring intelligence, and as otherwise being bad in some indiscernible way, like lacking some arcane concept of "glory" or "respectability." It's true that some of the jobs are dangerous and that most don't offer much for advancement, but some of them actually pay pretty well, and honestly, it is nice to just do things with your hands for awhile. It takes more brainwork that people would think too - some more than others, but anything you want to be good at requires effort and thinking.

Me? One of my jobs right now is as a janitor. It's honestly not a very high paying job in most cases (in some jobs, where you work significantly affects the pay; in others, it's pretty steady place to place), and it definitely has some issues I've noticed that seem to span across different companies, but it's also pretty nice to go in, know what I'm doing, and I'm in a place right now where I mostly like the people I work with. My roommate also does blue collar work - urban tree work, and he doesn't even work for one of the companies that does government contracts. He's able to easily afford a decent 2-bedroom apartment by himself, in a city where hardly anyone else I know can afford anything without at least one roommate. (I'm only here as a favor to me, because I can't afford anyplace myself.) He started out in Job Corp, easily secured a job when he got out of that, easily secured a job when we moved, and has advanced to a leadership position. Down side: he works through wind and rain and other unpleasant conditions, unless it's considered too serious of a safety hazard.

Blue collar work is harder to maintain as you get older. It's a lot of physical work, and I seem to be one of few janitors who doesn't have back problems (but, uh, I might be getting there... at 30...). A number of different types of injury can force you into early retirement. But it's absolutely worth doing if it's something you can enjoy, and late-life career changes are an increasing common thing for folks from all sorts of jobs, so it's not like you could never do something else.

It's worth looking into, at least.
No. No no no no no. Seriously, PragerU is politically-fueled propaganda that occasionally has a couple points that sorta make sense, but they have a habit of missing the point, confusing the issue, creating numerous strawmen, presenting pure conjecture as fact, and sometimes just outright lying. Aside from the fact that they are in no sense of the word a "university."

Thiiis. Not all blue-collar jobs pay poorly but being that they are more labor intensive they wreck your body over the years.

I'm actually a truck driver, and contrary to what you might believe, this is a job that pays rather well if you know what you're doing.

You would still be sitting on your rear all day, but it's a complete lifestyle change from even most blue collar jobs. You do work with your hands working with the equipment and sometimes the freight, but it's not quite the same as welding or manufacturing etc. The hours are constantly changing and you get to visit more places in a week than some see their whole lives. Really I love this career.

I do have plans to leave truck driving, however, for a very good reason and one I wish to mention to you here. A lot of blue collar jobs are disappearing. A lot of factory work is being automated and even my own truck driving career is being gestured towards automation. I don't think it's going to be real soon but I am guessing somewhere late in my career I'll be a far less payed conductor and eventually completely jobless due to automation. I plan to change careers here in a few years to keep up with the ever changing demands of the employment market in society. I just wanted to mention that in case you hadn't considered it, of course gardening, landscaping, and some others you mentioned may not ever be possible to automate, but who knows what's going to happen.

Anyway if you ever feel you would like more detailed info in truck driving in particular you can PM me and I'll answer any questions you'd like to ask, and regardless I wish you luck.

Bridge inspection might be up your alley. Depending on the time of year, it is about 60% field work, the rest is report writing. There is a lot of writing. You don't necessarily need a degree, and it depends on your area. It is completely male dominated and it is tough work. A lot of civil, structural, geotech, and hydro engineering companies have field work. I have a few friends who are geologists who do field work. If you're looking for something "outdoorsy" and are good at math, it might be something to look into.

Blue collar workers can make a ton of money, but it is very physical and it is very much a boy's club. My dad has been a safety inspector for 20 years and he has met one or two women who drives trucks, but has never met a woman laborer who lasted very long. Landscaping is really physical and it is a good idea to visit a physical therapist or kinesiologist before starting anything dealing with physical labor. You can definitely make a lot of money, but a lot of those jobs are specialized (plumbing, mechanic, landscaping).

Either way, don't be afraid to get your feet wet. My first job was on a horse farm which was intense and tough, but I liked the experience.

As for driving, my area you definitely need a car and I would never want to rely on someone or have someone go out of their way to drive me wherever I needed to go.

Somehow I overlooked the fact you said you didnt want to own a car....then I proceeded to suggest you could drive a semi....lol

....well now I just feel silly

If I'd make a suggestion, housecleaning can be a great job to get into. If you were to start a house/commercial building cleaning business in an area with none, over time after experience. Not only could you do something different, but you could create more jobs for others who need them; and you could also do very well.

I know an electricians job is iffy one, but I've heard it's a very exciting, physically demanding and interesting job, that could potentially pay well.

Could look for a groundskeeping job after more work experience at places like a private country club.

Nannying is not one you hear spoken of often, but if you love kids, it can be highly rewarding, I did it for some time and hugely enjoyed it. Although it's not what I decided to pursue as a career. But it could be something to consider, as they're not only unique, "hands on" jobs but they could pay really well.

And always take the time to research thoroughly any job that might spark your interest.

Blue collar work is all respectable and worth it -- I will 100% say you'll be put through your paces if you're taking on trade work, but the camaraderie and culture makes it worth it - as well as the skills you'll learn.

In my experience the culture is an easier it if you have a thick skin; where I've worked before in manufacturing truthfully hasn't been for the faint of heart: the workers are very straight John Bull with no filters and thick skins and grit and often graduates would leave before they started. I think this may vary across sector as I worked in manufacturing and marketing for a engineering firm (I always sat with the engineers for lunch and learned the ins and outs of how they constructed the ancillary and dipping plants).

Also Light is right about it being demanding: take into account your knees and back because this work isn't ideal for folk with oint pain. Plastering and Decorating = back pain, floor laying = knee pain. Engineering = all over pain and sometimes missing limbs... Find work that suits your pace and limitations. It may be worth apprenticing for a firm to see how you like the scope of work.

Thanks for all of the advice guys! I've finally had a chat with my parents to hear their thoughts, and they've been supportive of my idea to try some alternatives. Now I just have to finish the semester. lol it's okay! I'm weird about driving but there's no harm in throwing out your experience, I'm sure I'm not the only one who's curious about this topic.

I'm definitely considering some sort of apprenticeship and I think it'll be quite a few years before the physical labor is a problem, but I'm also a bit wary of the male dominated jobs. I'd rather not carry the burden of constantly needing to "prove" I can keep up with the men. For that reason, I'm leaning towards housekeeping and gardening (probably a combination of the two) to start with.

I did consider being a nanny or babysitting of some kind, but I'm concerned about the requirements. I've heard that parents expect a lot from nannies (understandable, really) but don't pay very well. I'm also not sure how well I'd do with poorly behaved kids since I have yet to meet any. Scary thought...