Not all of us can or will go to school and get a degree. Some don’t have the finances, some don’t possess the smarts for academic work. For those that are opportune to go, not all will be gainfully employed, and not all the gainfully employed will be happy doing it. Is there another way to make meaning of our lives other than spending millions to go to the university or waiting to join the white-collar employment line which may never come or even if it comes, isn’t fulfilling?
The answer is a resounding YES, if you fall into this category or know someone who does, this article is for you. Read on…
It’s no longer news, the present economic realities all over the world, people are losing jobs daily, many jobs are being automated now or taken over by robots and university graduates are churned out yearly with no employment, only to add to the statistics of unemployed graduates.
Over 50 years ago, it’s true that having a degree was the order of the day as companies literally wait for students to graduate while they absorb them into different positions with special benefits like a car or a house. So, it makes sense for any parent to strive and send their child to a school no matter the cost because there’s hope for a good job in the end. Hence, skilled labor or hand job is looked down upon as a lower-tier occupation only meant for low-status folks.
However, the tides are turning now as many people find fulfilling careers in blue-collar jobs, and it’s a status signaling trend for people to call themselves a fashion designer, mechanic, electrician, etc.
This article isn’t about making a case for blue-collar jobs that they are better, it’s to point out the opportunities that lie in it and also show that you can get all you could want to get from a white-collar job in terms of pay, job satisfaction, creativity, intellectual stimulation and fulfillment doing a skilled job.
Actually, they’re both 2 sides of the same coin. One can’t do without the other and it’s just the stereotype about skilled jobs as less desirable or beneath white-collar jobs that need breaking. Here are some of the benefits of skilled jobs.
BENEFITS OF A SKILLED JOB
- JOB SATISFACTION / FULFILMENT
Research shows that many office suits and tie 9-5 guys just do it for the paycheck. The jobs are routine and they are usually bored out of their minds sitting at a desk in front of the computer all day replying to emails or working on excel sheets. Then rinse and repeat every day. Research also shows that many skilled workers find great fulfillment in doing their jobs as they can see the real-time changes they make with their jobs. They also work with different clients and solve different problems for people, so they’re constantly creating and intellectually stimulated at every job they take on. - CHEAPER TO ACQUIRE SKILL IN SHORT TIME
While it costs millions to get a quality education these days with a minimum of 4 years (without strikes) to get a degree, a skilled job costs way less and you can learn it in a very short period as low as 6 months depending on the skill and your level of assimilation. Also, a university graduate has to wait to get the degree and serve (NYSC) before he can be employable, a skilled worker doesn’t necessarily need to complete his program before he starts making money, he can do that on the go as he continues to sharpen his skill. - WELL PAID AND YOU CAN SET YOUR PRICE
Depending on the quality of the job you do, how creative or innovative you are, and the connection of people you know, the sky’s the limit for a skilled worker. You can augment your service charge as you go on in your career. A white-collar worker can be at a job for years without promotion or salary increment, but that’s not the case for a skilled worker. Your pay is directly proportional to your effort and you can take on as many jobs as you want depending on your capacity. - SOLID JOB SECURITY
When you learn a skill and you gain mastery and proficiency at it, it’s yours for life and nobody can sack you. The most that can happen is for a client not to work with you anymore and several others will. Plus, you can take that skill to any part of the world and it’ll still be useful. Also while robots and technological advancements can make people lose their jobs, the job of a skilled worker cannot be outsourced, e.g no amount of automation will fix a leaking roof, unclog a blocked pipe, paint a house, do your landscaping, and so on. - READILY AVAILABLE
Many of the skilled workers are getting old with no one to replace them since many young folks are running from it, besides many of them at the moment still do the jobs with the analog mentality in this fast-paced digital world. That explains why a carpenter or vulcanizer cannot scale on the business for years as most can’t transition from the old way of doing things to modern service delivery. However, these jobs are plenty for the taking for those who can see the opportunities and can deliver value in a way consistent with modern times. Although, sometimes you have to take the skill to where there’s a high demand for it or where the skill hasn’t been fully harnessed yet. - AUTONOMY AND CONTROL OVER YOUR TIME AND ENERGY
While many skilled jobs could be physically exerting, you can shut down when you want to shut down for the day and decide on days when you don’t want to work at all. Also, can separate work life from other aspects of your life as you please without having to email or work overtime (which when you have to come with extra pay). Which brings me to my last point - MAKES YOU PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY FIT
When was the last time you saw a fat carpenter or an overweight mechanic or machinist? Yea…me too, they barely exist. Due to the physical exertion involved, skilled workers are naturally fit due to their activities lifting, climbing, breaking, etc and because they constantly engage their brains in constant problem solving, they are usually mentally alert with no need for coffee or other antidepressants. They also get better sleep at night as they don’t stare at the screen all day like white-collar workers which affects the [circadian rhythm].
I have no gripes on getting a degree or doing a white-collar job, in fact as we will see in the next section, you can’t easily execute doing your job efficiently as a skilled worker without some level of education. Here are the steps on how to start a skilled job from scratch or how to transition from a white-collar worker to a skilled worker efficiently;
STEPS TO BECOMING A SKILLED WORKER
- GET AN EDUCATION
Ironically, the first step to being a skilled worker is to get an education right?…yea, but it’s the fact. Even though being a skilled worker does not necessarily require having a degree, having a degree gives you an edge. By all means, the least you should have is a high school certificate. You need to be able to read and write the English language as well as be able to communicate eloquently with a potential client. Being educated also prevents you from being cheated and opens your eyes to technological advancements that can improve your craft. - START AT HOME
Take for instance you want to become a skilled dry cleaner, electrician, plumber, or caterer. Your home is already equipped with all you need to start your training. Try out things at home. There are hundreds of Youtube videos for any subject or skill you want to learn. Doing this will surely give you an advantage when you eventually apply for technical school or apprenticeship. Also, helps you to know if you really like the skill and can learn fast at it. - SEEK APPRENTICESHIP/ ATTEND TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Many state governments and NGOs now organize skill acquisition programs for people to enroll and learn different skills. You can enroll in one of those, but the best option is to be under a master as an apprentice. You get a real-time experience and training that the skill involves and you can easily start making some money once you achieve a level of proficiency.
Also, it makes it easy to transition into the workforce as you are already accustomed to the nitty-gritty of the trade. Depending on the skill, it can take up to 3 years to gain mastery of some skill. Don’t mind the time it takes, so long you’re proficient enough in the end. Don’t be a half-baked skilled worker. - BECOME A JOURNEYMAN
We loosely call it join man around here. At the journeyman level, you’re no longer an apprentice nor are you a master, you probably have gotten freedom (when your master has released you to go start your own business or further your endeavors elsewhere) from your master and ready to explore the world of your skill. You can apply to work under another master, to gain more knowledge, or do some major job like the master and you get paid. Becoming a journeyman is an essential part of the process as you learn other ways of doing things and perhaps pick some teachings your master could have omitted. - HAVE A SPECIALTY / NICHE
It’s not enough to have the necessary skill, the goal is to be specialized in a particular section of your trade, but have a general knowledge of all. An auto mechanic should not just fix cars, he should have the brand of cars he specializes in.
In fact, he could specialize in a particular part of that brand of cars. E.g a mechanic that fixes gears for BMW cars from 2010 and above. I’m a fashion designer, but my niche is corporate or traditional clothing for men of all age ranges. You could choose your niche for your skill. When a problem arises for that skill, you’ll be the first to be sent for.
Here is a list of lucrative skills you can learn:
- Photography
- Fashion designing
- Shoemaking
- Auto mechanic
- Electrician (domestic and industrial)
- Barbering and hairdressing
- Landscaping
- Baking and catering
- Plumbing
- Aluminum fabrication and installation
- Driving
- Phone and laptop repairs
- Carpentry
- Playing a musical instrument
- Generator mechanic
- Welding
- POP installation
- Tiling
- Solar or other alternative energy installation
- CCTV installation
- Shawarma making
- Painting or vehicles praying
- Event decoration/ interior decoration
- Iron bending
- Air conditioner installation and repair
- Interlock molding and installation
- Beadwork
And the list goes on…The idea is to get your niche right or create a new niche altogether from the list above. As a man, you don’t find your passion, you train it like a muscle. Thrash the idea of doing your dream job, the idea is to do what you must to get ahead. Skilled jobs certainly deserve more respect than we give them. Our society could not be built without some people doing dirty jobs, and it’s an honorable thing to be part of that.
We need both the white-collar guys and the blue-collar guys to make the system work, while one is working deftly with their hands, the other is in front of a computer carrying out administrative work and other office stuff.
So, if you can’t have life in a crucible or and you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, then learning a skilled job is one way to have a fulfilling career.
Thanks for reading, I hope the piece informs and educates you, I’m sure it’ll be beneficial to someone you know as well, please do me a favor by hitting the share button and drop a comment if there’s anything you feel I omitted. I implore you to sign up for our mailing list where we send weekly tips on how to do business better and further your career.
Olowe Segun
Tolulope
