From White Collar to Blue Collar (applying, college degree, temporary, jobs)

[GypsySoul22]

Originally Posted by thejimmy

I am ready to just toss all to the wind and star anew....would trucking work for me? I have a BA and and MA in Education.

Poor Jimmy, another over educated, unemployed teacher.

[Union Proud]

Trucking isn't for everyone. OTR truck drivers drive for weeks at a time. If showering in public restrooms, sleeping in a truck, waiting for loading and unloading without pay, driving deadhead miles for free and again spending two days with family every two weeks for $40k a year or less, than trucking for you. Beginners usually work for bottom feeder companies to gain experience.

[Bail_Khan]

I went from being a nurses aide to being a welder. The guys at work think they are tough but being a nurses aide way rougher than being a welder. I haven't been spit on or punched once since becoming a welder. It might not be white collar to blue collar but I'd say they are pretty opposite careers in a lot of ways. Well actually I would say they are not all that different in a lot of ways too now that I have expierience doing both.

[buck75061]

I see that this thread has been quiet for several months. Still, this is something I'm thinking about. I have a degree in communication and worked in public relations in recent years, but the entry and mid-level pay has been grueling. I made more money waiting tables some years. Plus, there are more and more unemployed journalists adding more competition by switching to PR, and these jobs are already hard to get in a smaller city. I grew up in a blue-collar household where my father kept food on the table and a roof over my head. Stress from the workplace was usually left there. Sure, there were layoffs and other pitfalls on occasion, but he was always prepared to weather them until things picked back up. I'm thinking about trucking. I'm single with no kids and like it that way. I'm a good driver, safety conscious, not opposed to irregular hours and like the idea of not having to deal with office politics and daily #@%-kissing. Truckers make good money after getting a little experience. Taking a $9 an hour job at the nearest big-box retailer isn't going to cover my bills. Besides, I might use a laptop and wireless Internet to do a little freelancing or something else during down time on the road. Is anyone else considering making the switch to blue collar?

[marmac]

Many of my relatives are OTR truck drivers.

They male good money, but all of them say -----" it ain't what it used to be"

Schedules are tighter and preasures from the boss is more than it used to be.

Still, on the positive, they have never been laid off.

[buck75061]

Thanks for the response, marmac. It seems like you come from a family of hard-working people, too. I've hit a few industry-specific forum boards populated by truckers, and the consensus seems to be that OTR miles are down, causing a cut in many truckers' incomes, but the jobs remain. Plus, truckers will likely be the first to benefit as the recession ends and more goods are moving again. I understand that earnings are not guaranteed to be the same from one year to the next, so I'd have to plan for that, but overall the pay is decent and jobs don't get cut like in other industries when recession hits. High $30s to low $40s seems to be pretty average for first-year earnings, and many seasoned drivers command $55 K-plus. I understand about the pressure and do realize that it's not a walk-in-the-park with all of the safety concerns, shipping deadlines and regulatory issues. Some, not all, of the company-sponsored training programs have issues, so I need to be careful if I go that route. I'm also checking into a program at a community college about 50 miles from where I live. It's limited to nine students and looks pretty affordable at $432 plus licensing fees. I'm waiting for feedback about waiting lists (if any) and job recruitment rates from that program.

[wheelsup]

Trucking has come under pressure lately from illegals driving trucks as well. There was a news report on the subject, something like an hour long special about NAFTA and its effects on the trucking industry. I can't find it on youtube now but it had some pretty important things to say. At $400 you're not into it for much, but I think long term American truckers pay will be coming down significantly as they compete for jobs, or as the jobs go to Mexico and the trucks come up the NAFTA highway.

Personally I like blue collar work the most. This is a recent book talking about the value of work and how it plays into our feelings of satisfaction as humans.

Amazon.com: Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work (9781594202230): Matthew B. Crawford: Books

[buck75061]

I appreciate your perspective, wheelsup. I've requested a copy of "Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work" from my library. Its reviews on Amazon are pretty good, too. I also had the library hold a copy of "A Survival Guide for Truck Drivers: Tips From the Trenches." Thanks!

[DreamingSpires]

Originally Posted by buck75061

Is anyone else considering making the switch to blue collar?

A neighbor of mine growing up left accountancy to become a cop because he found he hated working in an office.

If I had any aptitude or training in these areas (a lot of folks learn trade skills growing up) I would have switched to some type of trade years ago since I have always liked working with my hands and the culture suits my personality much more.

High school kids today I would seriously steer toward considering vocational training of some type as an alternative to college. I have a high opinion of the trades as a way of making a living and I think they are a safer bet than most white collar "professions."

[nicet4]

Originally Posted by thejimmy

I am ready to just toss all to the wind and star anew....would trucking work for me? I have a BA and and MA in Education.

Something needs to turn around or we'll all be out of work or underpaid soon enough.

For the first time in 33 years I've heard of a dozen layout technicians getting laid off work and out of work. Six of those were out of Las Vegas, which is something we as a group, there's about 2,800 of us, have never had to deal with before. Up until six months ago one could walk into about any business and get a job right off the street.

Those who are certified who are willing to relocate are finding jobs but if you're in Las Vegas, Indiana, Michigan or Ohio and unable/unwilling to relocate you might be out of work for a while. Appears to be a number of available jobs in middle of the country from Texas to North Dakota but as far as both coasts go it's not looking good.

The problem with becoming a truck driver is the experience most insurance carriers require. You can go to school, get a CDL and all but until you have two years experience it's really tough to find a company with insurance that will accept an inexperienced driver.

Imagine an unexperienced driver rolling down the road in a $150k truck with a load of plazma televisions worth $1 million all insured with a $20 million liability insurance policy. Why take an inexperienced driver when you can get one that's experienced?

There have been layoffs about the country too. I know Roadway in Toledo, Ohio is down to about 7 drivers from more than 100 (I think the number was around 150 but I am not sure) just a few years ago.