Best Blue Collar Jobs

[bowtieguy]

just FYI for anyone that's looking for a job or knows someone who is. i found this interesting...http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2009/10...e-collar-jobs/

i can't believe truck driver is not there. it CAN pay more than any on the list AND is more in demand than any on the list!

[bowtieguy]

i always thought mechanics and electricians were safe and decent paying. at least for those that can live on a budget.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

i always thought mechanics and electricians

...and plumbers.

[FrugalFloyd]

Heavy truck drivers don't make the list because their median salary is only $33,708/yr. 75th percentile heavy truck driver salary is only $42,869/yr. That's what happens when a lot of people have the same skills and are competing for a few jobs. Source is CNN Money.

Plumbers don't do much better. Median $38,709 and 75th percentile $45,675.

[bowtieguy]

seriously Sentra this is not to start another urination contest, but i don't know where you get your numbers...or specifically how CNN collected their "data."

i am a "light" truck driver, meaning i drive a 22ft box truck locally, and i'm home every night. i make significantly more than BOTH of your sited salaries. i do make incentive pay, but obviously some want to work more than others so...

i know for a FACT that local AND long distant semi drivers make more than i do. in addition, florida does NOT pay near the top in avg salary in most industries, especially drivers. i know guys that deliver food like i do, making upwards of $70-80k and this is NOT extraordinary.

your stats may be dilluted by these guys driving around in box trucks that do not require an A or B CDL. those guys prolly make $10/hr here locally, perhaps $15 in the north. this is not pertinent to the article, and it is not what is intended. the article was in reference to non-collegiate schooling/training for above avg paying jobs.

[bowtieguy]

when i was attending college, i realized 2 discouraging things. a degree would not guarantee a job and it would take a long time as i went part-time working 40+ hours.

i decided to pursue a trade at least temporarily to better support my family. now, i've made a career out of it and make more than most college grads to boot.

i've read articles citing evidence that trade schools offer more stable jobs and require less of an investment/financial risk. this is in no way an endorsement of trade school over college. not everyone can be a doctor, lawyer, etc, and someone has to fill our service type vocations.

[FrugalFloyd]

We have no reason to disagree on this, BTG. You'll have to ask CNN. CNN Money has to be drawing from a bigger database than you, so again I trust its overall data over your slice of the pie view. Maybe a lot of semi drivers sit at home waiting for loads to haul, and/or job calls.

[FrugalFloyd]

Reading CNN Money's description of Heavy Truck Driver, it looks like your 22 ft. truck easily qualifies , since their idea of a heavy truck is one weighing 3 tons. That would bring the average salary for truck drivers down significantly. I agree with you that a 3 ton truck isn't what I'd consider "heavy" as trucks go.

CNN Money says "This basic market pricing report was prepared using our Certified Compensation Professionals' analysis of survey data collected from thousands of HR departments at employers of all sizes, industries and geographies."

I did make a typo in my earlier entry. Median salary for heavy truck drivers is $37,708/yr.

[bowtieguy]

thanks Sentra. i'll return a little courtesy...

i failed to realize the fact that many trucking companies, mine included, are taking trucks off the road, giving each driver more stops. some of our drivers have taken significant pay cuts for staying in the warehouse, yet they're still labeled drivers.

i've heard some of the "old timers" talk of getting out of the business w/ stricter DOT standards and the fear of higher taxes. this would naturally bring down the average.

[want2buyVX]

#2. Electrical and Electronics repairer

I worked for GE Medical (Clinical Services) for 7 years and they are always looking for Biomed Technicians for either working in house at a hospital or doing field service on a certain modality. I repaired Anesthesia equipment and I also worked on Heart & Lung machines for the Cardio Vascular OR.

I now sell insurance but for those who are out of work or looking for a career change, check the GE website for openings.... keyword search: biomedical. The GE internship starts at $20 an hour and you will have to go down to Jupiter FL for some initial company training. Hope this help anyone looking for work in this tuff job market.