A recent FlexJobs report reveals that most people would consider switching to a blue-collar job if it offered better pay and stability than their current position. In a Work Shift Pulse survey of over 3,000 professionals conducted in August, 62% said they would be open to such a change.
Toni Frana, a career expert manager at FlexJobs, explained to CNBC Make It that the current job market feels tight and challenging. Workers are focused on securing future success by maintaining steady employment, stable income, and growth opportunities. Additionally, growing concerns about AI threatening white-collar jobs are influencing career considerations. People want to know how AI might affect their current roles and which jobs are less vulnerable to AI disruption.
As a result, some are viewing blue-collar work as a viable option. According to a 2024 Brookings Institute report, unlike past automation that mainly impacted routine, blue-collar jobs, generative AI is expected to disrupt more cognitive and nonroutine tasks typically found in middle- to higher-paid professions. A 2023 Pew Research Center study found that AI will likely affect many higher-paying white-collar jobs where AI can perform key tasks or assist workers, including budget analysts, data entry clerks, tax preparers, technical writers, and web developers.
Experts suggest that blue-collar jobs may be more protected from AI disruption. In 2022, Pew estimated that 19% of American workers held jobs most exposed to AI, meaning their core activities could be replaced or augmented by AI.
The demand for skilled tradespeople is growing due to a shortage caused by more workers leaving those fields than entering them. This has often meant better pay and job security for blue-collar workers. Some Gen Z workers are choosing blue-collar careers over costly college education.
For those considering a move into blue-collar roles, FlexJobs recommends emphasizing transferable skills like project management and exploring training routes such as apprenticeships, trade schools, and certifications.