[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Blue-collar workers are often associated with unskilled labor. But they are more than that. They are the foundation of industrialization. From manufacturing to waste removal, blue-collar workers are the people doing physical labor, but lately, they are also certified electricians, mechanics, technicians, home health aides, nursing assistants, and more.
If you are wondering how the post-pandemic hiring and employment landscape will look, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the jobs expected to grow at a faster (or much faster) rate are:
- Computer user support specialists
- Registered nurses
- Construction managers
- Financial managers
- Industrial machinery mechanics
- Electricians
- Nurse practitioners
- Elementary school teachers
Top 10 Blue Collar Jobs for High Demand and High Pay:
1. Electrical Installers and Repairers
If you like working outside and don’t mind heights then electrical power line installer and repairer might be the career for you. With this job, you’ll be installing and repairing telecommunications cables throughout your local area. Training includes a three-year apprenticeship as well as a good amount of work experience.
As far as jobs on this list go, power-line installers and repairers have a higher median annual salary. However, you will encounter some hazards on the job, including dealing with high voltages and working at great heights. Electrical power-line installers and repairers are also often on-call, meaning if there’s a storm and some lines go down you might get a call in the middle of the night to go fix them.
2. Aircraft Mechanics and Service Techs
This is an ideal job for anyone that loves aviation. Aircraft mechanics and service techs perform scheduled maintenance and repairs on airplanes, jets, and helicopters. Most people in this line of work go to technical school to become qualified. However, some simply learn through on-the-job training. Either way, you’ll need to pass an FAA written exam to become certified.
3. Elevator Installers and Repairers
Elevator installers and repairers To enter this field, you’ll need to complete a four-year apprenticeship program which requires you to have a high school diploma.
Once you’re certified you’ll mostly be reading elevator blueprints, locating malfunctioning components, and repairing cables and motors. The job requires a lot of problem-solving, so if that’s something you enjoy you’ll likely excel in this line of work. Elevator installers and repairers also have the highest median annual salary on this list.
4. Pile Driver Operators
As the name suggests, these workers operate pile drivers, which are used to drive piles into the ground to provide foundation support for buildings, bridges, and other structures. While a formal education isn’t necessary, you’ll need some sort of training to perform this job. In most cases, that will be a three to four-year apprenticeship in heavy equipment operation.
As a pile driver operator, you’ll do more than just operate your machine. You’ll also maintain the equipment, perform inspections, and keep records. You may also be responsible for supervising other workers. This job requires you to work outside most of the time, which can be good or bad depending on the weather.
5. Petroleum Pump System Operators
A petroleum pump system operator sets up, maintains, and controls the refining units at an oil refinery or large ship pumping station. Most workplaces will want you to have a high school education. After that, it generally takes a year of work experience to be trained for the position.
This is a busy job and involves using handwheels to direct the flow of oil. You’ll also need to inform other team members when to open and close valves and check flow rates. The job is fairly physically demanding, as equipment will regularly need to be installed and moved from one location to another.
6. Police Officers
This line of work isn’t for everyone, but if you’re passionate about making your community a safer place to live you might want to think about becoming a police officer. For this career, you’ll need a high school diploma (a bachelor’s degree is recommended but not required), be at least 21 years old, meet certain physical standards, and attend a police academy.
Police officers perform a wide range of duties, including responding to emergency calls, arresting suspects, collecting evidence, and testifying in court. It goes without saying that this job comes with some pretty serious risks. However, if you’re up to the task it can be extremely rewarding work.
7. Construction and Building Inspectors
Construction and building inspectors review commercial and residential buildings to ensure they comply with building codes. A college diploma in engineering, architecture, or construction is required. It’s also a good idea to have experience in a trade, such as plumbing or carpentry.
As a construction and building inspector, you’ll be required to approve any building plans before construction can begin. You’ll also do on-site inspections while projects are being completed to ensure all the work is done properly. In most cases, you’ll be employed by the government, but in some instances, you might be hired by a construction company.
8. Telecommunications Equipment Installer
For those interested in tech and IT jobs, a telecommunications equipment installer might be the ideal job. You’ll travel from place to place installing, maintaining, and replacing telecommunications equipment. Requirements vary, but most people in this line of work have a certificate or two-year degree in electronics or computer science. Some technical schools offer courses specifically for this line of work.
You’ll spend most of your time helping homeowners and businesses set up their communications equipment. You’ll also need to perform repairs. Technology is known to fail at inconvenient times, so it’s not uncommon for telecommunications equipment installers to work nights and weekends on occasion.
9. Powerhouse Substation and Relay Repairer
Powerhouse substation and relay repairers maintain and repair equipment used in generating systems and service relays. Most people in this profession have a certificate or diploma from a community college or technical school. Hands-on training is also a must in order to gain the necessary skills.
This is the perfect career for people who enjoy problem solving and love working with their hands. You’ll spend most of your time locating, identifying, and solving electrical issues. In addition to performing repairs, you’ll also have to maintain records and document your activities so others on your team know what work has been done.
10. Power Plant Operator
This job is responsible for controlling power generating equipment in a power plant. Depending on the type of plant you’re working at the equipment might be fuelled by coal, natural gas, or a nuclear power reactor. No diplomas or certificates are required, but employers usually favor applicants with some post-secondary education and a solid understanding of math.
Power plant operators are in charge of monitoring power generating equipment, performing regular checks for operating problems, regulating the flow of power, and stopping and starting equipment as necessary. As this job has a high median annual salary it’s often seen as one of the more desirable blue collar jobs.
The pandemic has exposed the need and importance of various blue-collar job roles that will survive the rise of technology. Labor shortages in blue-collar jobs might lead to the decline of the nation’s overall standard of living and profits in industries like transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing.
12 Keys to Attract and Retain Blue-Collar Workers
1. FLEXIBILITY
Yes, it is possible. In an interview with SHRM, one HR manager noted that anticipated bottlenecks from offering staggered start times never materialized, and unexpected absences were reduced. She also found that even though most employees stuck with the same schedule, morale was boosted by having the option to choose. The key to success seems to be ensuring that employees are allowed to make use of the policy freely, instead of having to ask for flexibility.
2. A SENSE OF MISSION
Branding affects all levels of a company: If employees, particularly millennials, believe in their work, they are more likely to stay. Badger Balm, a B Corporation, found their strong commitment to mission resulted in more qualified candidates and an attrition rate of 7.2%.
3. CLEAR COMMUNICATION
From recognition for a job well done to posting weekly schedules well in advance, clear communication makes employees feel valued and contributes to a positive work environment. And be sure to convey messages using an appropriate medium. After finding that mobile phones and email were not effective, one company founder added important messages to the iPad employees used to clock in.
4. TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
This doesn’t mean simply finding a degree—it’s a chance to develop the employee and fill talent gaps. Management training, in particular, can provide a pathway to promote from within, and employees being aware of these opportunities will keep them engaged.
5. HIRE THE RIGHT PEOPLE
Of course, one contributor to high retention is hiring the right people in the first place—something The HT Group can help with. Recruiters in both our Beaumont and Austin offices have experience staffing for light or specialized industrial work. Check out our case studies to see how we helped a rising jewelry designer find over 20 motivated warehouse employees during their busy season.
6. Change the Stigma — There is a stereotype that comes to mind when we think about blue-collar workers. Many people perceive these workers as inferior to white-collar workers because as we know, white-collar positions require more education, therefore, we view those individuals as more intelligent. However, there are different levels of intelligence. For example, “a plumber’s job may not require the strongest writing and math abilities, but it does demand intelligence in the form of advanced problem-solving, project management, and people skills.”
Companies and recruiters can help remove this stigma against manual labor by changing the way we define intelligence. “With the right mindset shift, we can come to an understanding that people work blue-collar jobs because they want to, not because they have no other career options.”
An effective way to help remove the stereotypes is by offering sponsored apprenticeship programs. These programs can support the blue-collar industry by teaching young individuals the skills and training they need as they start on their career path.
7. Offer Flexibility & Other Perks — Businesses can help boost morale by offering special perks to their employees, like a flexible time where they stagger start times, which could help reduce absences. Other perks could include longer lunch hours, improvements to break areas and vending machines, posting weekly schedules well in advance, four-day workweeks, and offering “a profit-sharing plan or other equitable compensation that will allow the employees to share in the company’s success.”
Employers could also help motivate their workers by allowing them to join weekly meetings so they can voice their opinions and give feedback on how to improve processes, conditions, and equipment. Another motivator could be to “set long- and short-term goals for the employees and departments within the company. Promote friendly competitions between departments and give positive recognition to those that exceed expectations.”
8. Provide Additional Training — Employees will feel valued when their company provides training that will help them advance in their careers. “Management training, in particular, can provide a pathway to promote from within, and employees being aware of these opportunities will keep them engaged.” These training programs not only help to develop the employee but also fill the talent gaps. They also assist in developing strong, trusting relationships, which benefits a higher employee retention rate.
To help workers expand their skills and offer them a chance to explore other positions, businesses could also offer their top performers special projects.
9. Demonstrate Career Advancement — Employers can prove that blue-collar workers can advance within the company by promoting people to higher decision-making positions or even management. “Too often, there is a disconnect between the strategic decisions made by management and the work done in the field. Businesses can bridge this gap by integrating blue-collar and white-collar employees.” By doing so, this can also attract young people to these jobs because they will see that there is an opportunity for advancement.
10. Acknowledge & Reward Blue-Collar Workers — Recognition in the workplace is highly underutilized. People like to feel good about a job well done and be recognized for it. It makes them feel appreciated and valued. Workers want management’s feedback about their performance, especially if they are interested in advancing within the company. Therefore, managers should perform routine evaluations for every employee. Not only does it give people in authority roles a chance to praise individual worker achievements, but they can also use this time as an opportunity to really get to know their employees and address areas of concern in private.
When satisfaction is expressed on a regular basis, it helps to boost employee morale and makes the work feel more rewarding to the employee and keeps them loyal to the company.
11. Network & Partner with Schools — When companies work with trade schools, community colleges, and other relevant programs in their area, it gives them an advantage of funneling recent graduates into their system as soon as they are done with school. “You no longer need to search for the candidate with the know-how to operate a specific model of machinery, but rather one who demonstrates outstanding problem-solving skills, communication abilities, and initiative-taking.”
These partnerships also help company branding by getting at the forefront of recent graduates’ minds once they complete their certification. As companies work with these organizations and schools, their names become recognized and known among students, which leads to the potential of being front and center when they begin looking for jobs to apply for once they leave school.
12. Showcase Job Return on Investment (ROI) — What the younger generations may not take into consideration is that blue-collar jobs do require more education after high school, but these community and technical colleges cost a lot less than a public university and take less time to earn required certification and associate degrees (one to two years). They are also more likely to find a job faster than their academic counterparts because these skilled trade jobs are in higher demand with less competition.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]
