Laborers who work manually are blue-collar employees
During the interview process, the panelist may pose a question like – what are blue-collar jobs? If you give a wrong answer, the interviewer may reject your application and show you the exit door.
Read on to get an insight about what are blue-collar jobs and how it differs from white-collar jobs.
The blue-collar jobs are nothing but those jobs that involve manual labor. Blue-collar jobs originated in 1924 in western countries, and other countries in the east started following this method of employment.
Laborers who indulge in various physical activities and scavenging activities like cleaning, plumbing, gold, or coal mining come under the blue-collar jobs category.
If someone asks you a question – what are the blue-collar jobs? You can describe in detail the nature of work handled by the employees coming under blue-collar jobs.
What is the difference between blue-collar and white-collar jobs?
White-collar jobs are non-manual jobs that involve psychological or mental work. The employees who come under white-collar jobs handle supervisory and office administration work.
In industrial and manufacturing establishments, the employees working in production units come under the blue-collar category, while employees working as office executives, managers, senior managers, and AGMs come under the white-collar category.
Do blue-collar employees wear blue shirts?
When industries introduced blue-collar jobs in the year 1924, the workers were instructed to wear blue color uniforms before entering the factory. This concept gained worldwide popularity, and factory workers started wearing blue shirts and white pants for their jobs.
In the modern era, the concept has changed, and the workers have started wearing varieties of dresses without limiting to blue color dress.
Educational qualifications to work as a blue-collar employee
An individual should have a minimum qualification set by the company like a high school diploma or possess a degree issued by reputed colleges or universities to work as a white-collar employee in an organization.
All others who do not have the required qualification or high school diploma degree will be posted as manual laborers. They will come under the blue-collar employment category.
Are our blue-collar laborers losing jobs due to automation?
There are reports that employment opportunities are dwindling in the blue-collar job category due to industrial automation. In developed countries like China, the USA, UAE, Australia, England, and Europe the manual laborers have lost their jobs due to industrial automation.
Frequent industrial unrest, strikes, lockouts, and malicious activities take place in various countries due to AI, CNC machines, and equipment.
Are blue-collar employees paid at par with white-collar employees?
In the country of the USA, manual laborers are paid more than white-collar workers. Foreman, plumbers, electricians, caretakers, babysitters, removalists, renovation, and reconstruction workers earn more than office administrators, peons, supervisors, and executives.
In developing countries like India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, the workers who come under blue-collar jobs are paid much less than white-collar professionals.
Hence, the pay structures differ from one country to another and are not universal practices.
Are blue-collar jobs on the rise?
There are reports published in journals and news channels that there is a consistent rise in blue-collar jobs, unlike before. Ecommerce firms, online shopping business entities, manufacturing, technical, and manual services firms are on a hiring spree. The report states that these growing companies may hire blue-collar employees in the future.
The employment statistics reveal the fact that there is a rise of 25% in blue-collar jobs compared to the previous year. This is a positive sign.
The companies are hiring drivers, masons, home decoration experts, logisticians, excavators, and carpenters and paying them good salaries. Usually, blue-collar employees are paid on an hourly paid basis.
