The blue-collar ethic we hear many refer to is best explained as the pride that's instilled in these workers, despite their less-than-easy job duties. It's often passed down through generations. Farmers pass their farms down and those who work in various trades, such as welding, plumbing, and others, often teach their sons the trades they've raised their families on. It's about taking responsibility, getting up day after day despite the heat or freezing temperatures, the aching backs from swinging an ax the day before, or other physical ailments, and the ''getting it done'' mentality. The blue-collar American worker is truly the backbone of this country. These are the people who build the buildings we report to each day for work, the ones who assemble the vehicles we drive, and the ones who install the air conditioners that keep us cool during the long summer months. And the ethics? As dependable as the steel. The blue-collar work ethic is as strong as the buildings they erect with steel beam supports. They know the very foundations these building are built upon are analogous to the foundations of the country we live in. Further, they know that if they choose to not show up to work, it simply doesn't get done.
Very few blue-collar jobs can be described as a solo effort. It's all about teamwork. And often, it's dangerous. This is part of the reasoning behind some of the high hourly rates blue-collar jobs bring in. Many construction workers, such as those who build fuel tanks, naval ships, and, now, windmills, can make sometimes up to $30 per hour. The work is often done 10 stories high with nothing but a safety harness to protect the worker, and sometimes the work is completed in pipes where the circumferences are barely large enough to crawl through.
Instructors who provide knowledge and guidance to these blue-collar workers often bring to the table naval backgrounds as well as personal experience. Many courses are taught through local junior colleges; therefore, many of those teaching jobs are available via a state's college system. The courses are considered vocational in nature, and therefore don't offer college credits, even when the students learn their trades on college properties. Those who are just beginning their careers typically take apprentice jobs until they're not only more confident in their trade, but also have gained a considerable amount of experience.
Many construction workers travel throughout the country to do their work. Nearly every state has major contracts that are being met at all times. The West Coast is currently exploring the possibilities of wind mills, the South continues to build fuel plants, and in Pascagoula, MS, the nation's largest shipyard, Northrop Grumman, is home to thousands of construction workers, including pipefitters, x-ray techs (who examine weld structures), and other blue-collar positions. The East Coast, including New York, is busy in its rebuilding efforts with respect to the Twin Towers, while the Midwest has thousands of train rails that provide steel and other materials for building a myriad of large structures.
Other positions that may not be blue-collar in nature, but certainly go hand and hand with the efforts of those who provide the labor, are electrical, IT, and engineering jobs, just to name a few. Although individuals with these jobs typically work inside and only enter the actual work area when they're performing tests or taking measurements, they're a vital aspect of the blue-collar regiment. Recruiters are on a constant lookout for qualified and experienced workers, whether it's a blue-collar opening or those considered somewhere between ''blue-collar'' and ''white-collar.''
Another important element of this picture is those who provide the engineering and drafting drawings. CAD is a significant contributor that simply must be in place before any structure is built. CAD, or computer aided drafting, provides the guidelines that ensure strength, stability, and safety. CAD operators stand to make an excellent living, whether they choose to remain close to home or if they decide to travel alongside the construction workers.
As our country continues to strengthen its foundation, there will always remain a need, just as there has always been in the past, for qualified, experienced, and, most importantly, proud workers to perform the tiring work that keeps us the strongest and most advanced country in the world.
