Getting Industry Careers through Apprentice Jobs

It's said that blue-collar jobs account for about 80% of the production and consumption of goods today. This isn't hard to believe when you look around at all the different types of blue-collar jobs that friends, relatives, and neighbors have. Of course, even though the blue-collar jobs list may be quite extensive, these workers have had their share of problems recently. Downsizing due to the weak economy has been prevalent, and many of the factory jobs that were once available have taken residence overseas, so the outlook for the American blue-collar worker is definitely not as bright as it was once.

A blue-collar worker can be the delivery guy who brings your milk, the mechanic who works on your car, or the check-out girl at the supermarket. While many blue-collar jobs require skills to generate an income that is above average, there are many jobs that do not require any type of college education, certification, or special training.

Many entry-level blue-collar workers start out with an experienced worker and learn the trade they end up working in from this person. Take, for example, retail associates. They may start as salespersons. They then learn the routine of the given store, the way the company for which they work expects business to be conducted, and often times work their way to management.



Good-paying blue-collar jobs are available in construction, electrical work, diesel mechanics, and heating and air conditioning repair and installation. Sure, they may require some training, but it is usually not more than a year or two at the most. Blue-collar workers can generate very good incomes depending on where they live and the availability of the type of business in which they are interested.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 238 types of jobs that are actually blue-collar jobs. In the US, about 15% of the workforce is employed in blue-collar jobs. Among these types of jobs are:

• Aircraft mechanics
• Attendants
• Bus drivers
• Electricians
• Security officers
• Welders
• Housekeepers
• Plumbers
• Drivers

The rate of pay for these types of blue-collar jobs depends upon the company that one is working for and the area in which the job is located. Naturally, larger companies are going to pay more money. Often, though, blue-collar workers will end up owning their own businesses related to the fields of work in which they had been engaged. For instance, an electrician may work his way up from being a helper to being a master electrician. Then, with years of experience under his belt, he may purchase his own electrician business.

Often, a blue-collar worker can make good money working for someone else. There are many jobs, including long-haul truck driver jobs, that pay over $100,000 per year. There are always going to be openings for blue-collar workers. Someone is always going to be needed to deliver merchandise to stores, build houses, repair engines, and do the thousands of other jobs that are a part of the supply-and-demand world in which we live.

One way to ensure that you can make more money in blue-collar jobs is to take training in the type of job in which you are interested. There are many colleges and vocational schools that offer certifications or associate's degrees to get the training needed for these jobs.

Another consideration you may have to think of if you are proficient in an area that does not pay a lot where you live is relocation. Often higher paying jobs are more abundant in bigger cities. Even certain states may pay more than others. Becoming an apprentice is another way of working your way up and learning everything you can about an industry.

The worker classifications that used to exist still do to some extent. The bad part about this is that some workers used to be thought of as uneducated and unable to do anything but what they were doing. This could not be farther from the truth, though. Many blue-collar workers are well trained and are quite proficient in their fields. They are often working jobs that no one else wants to do, so the blue-collar worker will not be extinct anytime in the near future.