Finding Willing Help
The perception of blue-collar workers is that they do physical labor. And physical work causes many people to hesitate. Therefore, not all people are willing workers. That becomes a problem for contractors and any of the other occupations requiring manual labor.
Finding willing help is essential. Being punctual to show up on a job site or a production line or a service shop is very important to the business that is trying to build something on time or fill a need for a customer who has made an appointment.
Even though you may not crave physical labor you must not lose sight of the potential for additional income available with skilled blue-collar work.
When the time comes for an opportunity that you can qualify for, you may opt to declare that you can be willing help!
Finding Qualified Help
Trades have apprenticeships because there is a lot to learn. Most of those programs are available through unions or state funded training programs. Just ask for apprenticeship programs near you to see your options.
Some programs allow you to work while you learn by observation and hands-on application. But whatever your intention is, I highly recommend you try to learn a trade. That knowledge will give you something to fall back on when your career choice lacks opportunity because of a down economy or AI replacement.
AI cannot replace trades, yet, which will give you an advantage!
No matter what you choose to do for a living, learn to do it well. Then, you will have built references that can say you are qualified to help!
Learn to be Qualified
Not all learning has to be formal. When it comes to service work or building, knowledge will be shown in your work.
White-collar workers, where some are considered knowledge workers, must demonstrate verbally what they know or pass a test that verifies their knowledge. Education is important. I just hope you studied hard enough to be able to prove it in practice!
While you may seek white-collar job education, you should consider learning some blue-collar skills during your summer breaks as you seek paying work. And, hopefully, you can work with someone who is a good teacher. Be sure to ask a lot of questions about the work, like how to do it right and why.
Then, if the time comes when you need to do that kind of work again, you can demonstrate what you learned to qualify for that job!
Making Opportunities
Knowing blue-collar skills can help you make opportunities for yourself.
Whether you get laid-off or find dwindling options in your chosen career or need extra money to pay a debt, if you can demonstrate some form of blue-collar job skill and are willing to work a physical job, you will have that option.
Most of those opportunities will come in the form of short-term or part-time openings. But, if you learn the craft well enough, you could become self-employed and learn when you can take on projects that can supplement your regular job income rather well.
Who knows what learning more blue-collar skills can lead to?
Do What You Can Enjoy
I once had a mowing business on the side. And I had a great deal of satisfaction making a lawn look great after each mowing.
Whatever kind of blue-collar work you choose to do, find a way to make the work satisfying. Do your best to satisfy the customer, your supervisor, or your trainer. Learn the best way to do that kind of work. There is always a best way or a better way to do the job.
It is physical work, which will make you tired, which will make you want to hurry through or cut out things that matter to the customer. That can only lead to lost opportunities and cut into the joy of a job well done.
Remember what brings you joy beyond a great night’s sleep! The nice thing about blue-collar work is that you can usually see the results. Make that pleasing to you as well as the customer.
Knowledge Economy, AI, and Change
The knowledge economy does not translate into work for everyone. Nor does it pay everyone the same.
Yes, some knowledge workers get paid very well. However, their jobs usually come with stress and long hours. If that suits you, then, good for you. Just be aware that many eventually experience burnout or find they are falling behind on the changes in technology.
We have extended efforts to build capacity for coming work changes using AI, with its huge computing requirements. Hope you can learn to help build data centers!
Think about how AI might eventually eliminate your white-collar job.
Physical and Mental Challenges
We all have our physical and mental challenges. But our mission for making a living or to create some financial wealth will depend on how well we build a better mindset for money and how to earn it!
We normally have greater strength and agility when we are young. But as we age, we can add skills to do things easier and smarter. And that is especially important to learn as we get older and work in a blue-collar skill job.
Whatever you choose to do for a living, try to stay physically fit in case you must fall back on a physical skill to make a living.
If you have knowledge of physical skills, you could become a contractor and hire people to do the work. If you manage your help and price your contracts well, you have the capacity to do very well.
That is something to think about, plan to know, and set some goals to get there!
Options and Decisions
If you have the good fortune to find a good-paying knowledge worker job, you will find yourself riding the wave of good wages and forget how vulnerable you might be in that job. Coming changes in the economy or technology may leave you stranded with few options.
Always have a Plan B!
Over several times in my career in accounting, I had to face unemployment, often due to changes in technology, both computers and software. With little awareness of those changes, it was hard to keep up with what I needed to know to do my job well.
And change is coming faster than ever before! Are you making new skill learning a priority?
You need to consider what physical work, blue-collar work, you might be willing to do or learn, if your current job or career fails to meet your needs.
Collar a Future
My central concern in writing this blog is to help you build a better mindset for money and how to use it to build a better future for yourself and your family.
For that, though, you need an income to help you learn how to handle money.
How you earn an income depends on a lot of things. First, how much do you know? Second, does someone want to pay you for what you know? Third, does your health allow you the option of either physical or mental work?
You need to enhance your future by making time to read and research in a library, online, etc., to help define what appears to you among the many options available for you to earn an income.
I am sure that effort will help you learn to collar a great future!