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Job-Hunting? Don’t Overlook Blue-Collar Work

Even if you have a Master’s Degree in “whatever,” it’s not going to help you get a job if there’s no demand for “whatever” experts. So perhaps you should think about some other field. A blue-collar job, for instance. According to a feature article in USA Today (6/23/09) about Joe Lamacchia, author of “Blue Collar & Proud of It,” there’s a shortage of blue-collar workers in many areas, and the pay is good for carpenters, electricians, plumbers and certain other specialists. “My brother-in-law,” Lamacchia said, “is making $60,000 to $70,000 a year installing heating and air-conditioning units. Guys throwing trash are making $50,000 a year—they’re not living out of an airport and suitcase. It’s a nice life.” A 2007 book, “The Blue-Collar Resume and Job Hunting Guide,” notes that “major growth will take place in many blue-collar occupations in the decade ahead as the economy continues to expand.” (Still true?) “Many of these jobs only require short-term on-the-job training. In addition, many are available on both a full-time and part-time basis, thus offering many people opportunities to acquire second jobs to supplement their incomes.” Among the jobs listed: truck drivers, security guards, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, maintenance and repair workers, hazardous materials removal workers, environmental science and protection technicians, janitors and cleaners, carpenters, automotive service technicians and mechanics, and electricians. Among the best-paying blue-collar jobs listed: public transit attendants, longshore equipment operators, brickmasters, stonemasons, power plant operators, locomotive operators, aircraft engine mechanics, and telephone line installers and repairers. Bottom line: Don’t let a college degree keep you from considering a blue-collar job, if you can’t find work in your own field of expertise.