Blue-collar worker
What is a blue-collar worker?
Blue-collar workers are people who work in manual labor jobs. These jobs require physical strength and energy, but they don't necessarily require a lot of education or specialized training. Blue-collar workers have been around for centuries, but the term «blue-collar» didn't come into popular use until the late 1800s when white collars became more common than blue ones among office workers.
A blue-collar worker's job may involve factory work or construction, but it could also be a skilled position like an electrician or plumber. Blue-collar employees have a variety of skills and responsibilities, including:
- using their hands to perform tasks that require physical labor;
- using tools such as hammers, saws, or drills to complete projects.
In the United States, blue-collar jobs are typically those that involve manual labor and require little to no education.
There are also many other types of blue-collar workers that don't fall into these categories, like firefighters and soldiers who wear uniforms with navy blue colors (the same color as their uniforms).
Examples of blue-collar workers
- Construction workers
- Carpenters
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Janitors and custodians
- Maintenance workers
- Groundskeepers, landscapers and lawn-care workers
- Truck driver, tractor-trailer driver, delivery driver, etc.