Every career has its own commonalities, dress code being one of them.
This has brought the expression “collar jobs” that relate to the color of a shirt often worn at work, so we now have blue, white, pink and gold collar jobs.
A blue collar is a person working in the manual labor like manufacturing or mining industry. Workers in these industries opt for clothing that doesn’t get ripped or dirty so easily, like blue denim – thus the blue-collar expression.
White collar involves working in an office setting, where white shirts are a common outfit.
The gold collar career is mostly a blend of both white collar and the blue collar job. Those are the multidisciplinary workers that have manual skills and knowledge that can be applied to technology.
“They are a new breed of workers, and they demand a new kind of management. Intelligent, independent, and innovative, these employees are incredibly valuable. They are scientists and mathematicians, doctors and lawyers, engineers and computer programmers, stock analysts and even community planners.” – Robert Earl Kelley
Less Physically Challenging Work Stations
You can find the gold collar workforce in today’s manufacturing sector which is not associated with hard, manual work as it used to be.
A person with an advanced manufacturing degree can work on the plant floor, become a machinist, or end up as an electronic technician creating hardware for a technology company.
Manufacturing industry places a huge role in a countries economy. It is closely connected to other industry fields and it’s seeing more gender equation as well.
Factories are no longer “a dirty place” that require body strength anymore; they are becoming automated and more modern, attracting more women.
Gold collar workers now need to learn to operate machines, and industrial work is becoming less physically intense. Today, being a part of a factory requires more brain power than arm power.
Metal Manufacturing is a Huge and Developing Market
There is a growing demand for metal fabrication workers in most part of the country (US) and many gold collar people with appropriate skills are reaping a lot from it.
With an average salary of $35,000-45,000 a year, the need for employees in this industry is expected to grow even faster than others.
You don’t have to be afraid of the job scarcity if you have an advanced metal manufacturing degree.
According to the U.S Bureau of labor statistic, metal industry growth is happening at a rate of 15-25% annually. Being an expert in this field and playing your cards right might mean a secure job and a nice financial outcome.
Different Metals Lead To Different Industries
If you obtain a degree in advanced manufacturing, you’d be able to work with metals such as steel, titanium, nickel, copper, carbon or aluminum.
Steel and aluminum are the most common metals used, they have a huge market demand and are easily forged.
Aluminum is desirable for forging as it’s strong and can endure high industrial strength. Aluminum has good thermal conductivity, it has less density and it’s of low weight. Another advantage is it’s resistant to corrosion and fatigue, it has cryogenic properties, high thermal conductivity, good finishing surface and it’s tough.
These properties make forged aluminum commonly used in aerospace, military aviation, marine, and transport industry. Aluminum’s lightweight and durability make it suitable for the spacecraft and air cart construction.
So if you specialize in this metal, your career path might even take you down the different roads, even to working for Space X or Nasa.
If you opt for a welding degree, know that welding is considered a green collar job because of the direction this sector is moving into. The demand for clean energy continues to grow day by day and manufacturers adapt.
Welding is not only a green collar job but also it has high-end market demand. Many will shy away from the industry but experts estimate that welding is still a strong and stable job choice. With an annual salary of about $30,000 to 42,000 annually, the job is very promising.
There are many reasons why welding makes a promising career. Modern welders can earn more money than a white collar employee, they can work in different settings making the job very diverse (on land, under the sea and, if lucky enough, in the outer space).
They can travel around the globe due to his/her skills as there are many different types of welders (engineers, science and some computer programming also involve welding).
Take for example welders that take part in building cruise or cargo ships. They are usually employed by big, international companies. Sometimes the company will relocate you to another continent to work on the project and you will see the world.
Welding does not even entail having a college degree, but you got to have the skill. With the right skill, you’re good to go.
Whether you choose to work in a white, blue, or a gold collar job, striving to be exceptionally good at what you do can make all the difference.
If you are a good metal sheet worker, the demand for your service will grow. And when your job position is a part of a growing market, you will have plenty of time to craft your skill to perfection.