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Sometimes, workers working in manufacturing units rely on the number of units manufactured daily. White-collar workers were classified as such because of the white shirts they wore to work, typically underneath their suits. It isn’t uncommon for white-collar workers to sit at desks and use computers. With the advancement in technology, remote work from home or another location has also become very common for many white-collar workers.
The name comes from the early 20th century when these workers wore resistant fabrics of darker colors (e.g. blue denim or blue uniforms). They preferred these clothes because they usually got them dirty at work and often couldn’t afford to wash them frequently because of low wages. As more people opt to get a college degree, blue-collar jobs are becoming harder to fill. Suppose that two Stephen and Roger work for the same construction company. He reports to work sites, runs heavy equipment, and performs other manual labor.
Electrical Power-line Installers and Repairers
Although an undergraduate degree is not a prerequisite, technical training or an apprenticeship are common entrance routes. A construction site foreman has a blue-collar job, but their responsibilities require leadership and managerial skills – responsibilities traditionally ascribed to white-collar professions. However, many jobs may require long hours and some jobs may have a lot of pressure or stress. Some jobs, such as lawyers and doctors, require a professional degree. You should also consider the working conditions and the education and training required. If you are still unsure, you can always speak to a career counselor or job coach.
However, occupational classification is a new method in which these professionals are classified through a color coding technique. Although it is not followed in all countries, most companies classify their employees based on collar colors. While professionals working white-collar jobs get paid on a fixed salary basis, those working blue-collar jobs get paid based on specific projects or hourly basis. Most white-collar jobs require at least an undergraduate degree for new hires. Higher positions may need applicants to have even higher educational credentials, licenses, and/or special certifications. For instance, an accountant usually needs a degree in accounting or finance while a financial analyst may need the Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Difference Between Blue Collar and White Collar:
People with doctoral degrees also work in this sector as white-collared employees. They upskill themselves according to the demand of the industry through studies only. We all know that there are different types of workers, which are usually classified based on several parameters. For example, government workers are classified based on their salary and designation, while private corporates are classified on their roles and skills.
These can be skilled or unskilled types of labor, depending on the exact nature of the job. As discussed earlier, blue-collar workers are more focused on working in the manual labor industry, like construction, electrical, plumbing, etc. They work in areas that require physical effort more than anything else. They have different working styles, but their roles and responsibilities also differ greatly.
What Is Blue Collar? Definition and Job Examples
They are typically lower-paying than white-collar jobs and require little formal education. White-collar workers, on the other hand, work in the service industry and are typically seen as office employees. Since then, hourly U.S. https://personal-accounting.org/factors-of-production-land-labor-capital/ wages among motor vehicle and parts manufacturers (including union and nonunion workers) grew by 14.8%, to an average of $27.99 as of August. Across all industries, average hourly earnings grew by 19% over that period, to $33.82.
Some blue-collar jobs also pay by the project or follow a salary scheme. In short, in the 21st century, the color of your collar doesn’t necessarily dictate the level of your income. Blue collar continues to refer to the section of the labor force that works manual labor. These individuals may work in factories, plants, and mines, but they may also work with animals like those who work on farms. These skills can be acquired either on the job or through trade schools. A useful distinction might be that the blue-collar job definition doesn’t specify the skill level or the type of pay workers receive.
In fact, the term has evolved over time, and it’s now very common to find blue-collar workers who are formally educated, skilled, and highly paid. Being blue-collar originally meant that people weren’t (as) educated or possessed any desirable skills. They were even perceived to blue-collar vs white-collar salary belong to a lower social class than other workers, usually when they were compared to white-collar workers. As blue-collar job technology increases, so does the amount of education needed and subsequent pay workers receive, such as those for electricians and cable installers.
- Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog.
- The drawbacks of blue-collar jobs can vary depending on the specific job.
- LTD (Limited) is a corporate structure commonly used in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Ireland, that protects shareholders’ personal assets even if the company becomes insolvent.
- While the pay for blue-collar workers has historically been lower than that of their white-collar counterparts, that’s not always the case.
- Civil Engineer or Elevator Installer/RepairerWhich is more lucrative to fix – an elevator or a road?
These professionals may need a minimum of a high school diploma or bachelor’s degree and often have higher earning potential with additional education. They also typically perform duties in a clerical capacity by developing, communicating and implementing ideas. Usually, white-collar workers are required to work a minimum number of hours to be paid. However, they can work beyond those hours without earning additional wages which can add a lot of stress to your work/life balance.
Usama’s hobbies outside of professional work include reading, playing tennis, and trekking. You will be responsible for repairing & maintaining generators, service relay equipment, and maintaining records of the same at a powerhouse. The median salary of these professionals in the US is $55082 per year. However, it is to be noted that this job comes with a degree of risk as you will be working with high voltages at great heights. These professionals are also responsible for maintaining the machinery, keeping records, and performing inspections. The median annual wage of a petroleum pump system operator is $53,830 in the US.
- Coming to the white-collar workers, the name itself suggests that these people work in an office setting.
- The firm also modeled the cost of the UAW’s proposed 40% wage increase, projecting $4 billion to $6 billion in added costs over four years for GM and Ford each.
- According to The PayScale Index, a study of changes in wages for full-time, private employees, results are mixed.
- They have different working styles, but their roles and responsibilities also differ greatly.