The Trades are Calling

Whatever happened to getting your hands dirty? Coming home after a 8-12 hour shift with greasy hands, dirty pants and eyes with dark circles under them used to be what the American Dream was all about. Blue collar jobs were looked upon with respect and admiration in our country. It’s what people did. Ever since the 1950s and 1960s, America has slowly moved away from an economy centered around trade jobs and moved more towards  a white collar economy. Fast forward to 2016 and this movement has led some to believe that these hands-on professions are no longer needed or valued. That thought couldn’t be farther from the truth. The trades are calling and very few are answering.

Electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians are three examples of blue-collar jobs that have bright futures. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, all three are expected to incur growth of 20% or more from 2012 to 2022. As a percentage, this job growth is substantial. There is and will continue to be a high demand for these positions to be filled over the next 5 years. Each of these three career fields has an average salary of around $50,000. Not bad for professions that don’t require you to go to college although it certainly might help your chances of getting hired if you have a background in the trade. If you’re currently looking for a career that suites you and still haven’t come up with anything, then I suggest you look at these unconventional jobs. We don’t need more people with Psychology, Anthropology or Communication degrees. Believe me, we have enough. What our country does need is more carpenters, elevator technicians and truck drivers along with electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians which I already mentioned.

The thinking that a Bachelor’s degree will automatically lead to a life a riches is wrong on so many levels. Colleges and universities love to fluff the stats on how many of their graduates get jobs in their respective fields. I have a news flash for you: STATISTICS CAN BE SKEWED.  These 4 year institutions are trying to sell you a product. If they can throw some percentages and numbers around that helps their cause then they will. Administrators know damn well that many of the degrees offered at their particular schools are hot garbage and offer the student little opportunity once they graduate. Do yourself a favor and look at technical schools and community colleges when you’re deciding where to get your post high school education. Chances are you will be able to invest much less money and get a well paying job much quicker than you would if you pursued a 4 year degree just so you can say you have a Bachelor’s degree.

Despite being such a strong advocate for  blue collar jobs, I myself don’t work full time in the trades. I sit in a nice office, in a nice chair, with dual monitors and a ergonomic keyboard. My friends make fun of me by claiming that I am part of the “68 degree club” because it’s always 68 degrees in the office no matter the weather conditions outside. I can’t really argue with that logic! The main reason that I picked this particular topic to write about was because most of my closest friends have these blue collar jobs I mentioned. I have 3 friends who are electricians, 2 who work in construction, and one who works in the concrete business. They all make great money and NONE of them has any student loans! They went to school for a specific reason or program and not just to say that they got a degree. Physically speaking, they all work much harder than I do and I have a lot of respect for them.

It’s time for young people across our country to open up their eyes when choosing what kind of post high school education they want. Do you want a Bachelor’s degree in some mundane, oversaturated field that will cost you $50k-$100k, or do you want to pay $10k-$20k (at most) for a 2 year degree or certification that will land you a job the moment you walk off campus?

Blue collar jobs are looking for you. Think about it.