Call It the Green Collar Trades

Call It the Green Collar Trades

By Joey Snider

Today’s people in the trades are referred to as technicians and rightfully so. The nature of the beast has changed and so have many other aspects of being in the trades.

This person must be able to understand and able to work with the steel, cast-iron and copper pipes, as well as stay on top of the ever-changing technological advancements. Everything is Wi-Fi compatible, from your water heater to your water softener.

The salary and benefit packages for today’s technicians are mind blowing. The skill set is both mechanical and technical. The new blue collar worker is using both their back and their brain. That sounds like a very rewarding career to me.

As we know, the need for toilets, sinks, showers, and sanitary facilities for bathing and cooking will go on forever. So will the need for those people who install and maintain such fixtures , and the infrastructure for these facilities.

For those who realize that technology has revolutionized the blue collar job description, the world is at your fingertips. Yes, you still need to use your hands and your back to some degree, but you have a job where you are challenged , both mentally and physically.

This industry needs people willing to work with both their hands and their mind. Very soon plumbing fixtures will be touch-less with Wi-Fi capabilities. Who’s going to be able to install and maintain these new products that will make our lives better?

I can honestly say that my knowledge as a master plumber, gas fitter, alternative septic systems, and water well provider will soon be only half of what will be needed.

This revolution can’t be defined by the color of a collar in my opinion, but if a color has to be given, I’d call it a green collar job. Not just because of being environmentally friendly, but also because of the salary it will demand for the first in line who aren’t afraid of the challenges awaiting the new tradesmen!

From Joey Snider’s new book, “If Water Runs Through It, We Do It! Memoirs of a Plumber.”