6 Blue-Collar Jobs for Career Switchers

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In 2011 NJ did this....LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
DIVISION OF WAGE AND HOUR COMPLIANCE
Exemption from Overtime for Bona Fide Executive, Administrative, Professional and Outside Sales Employees
Adopted Amendment: N.J.A.C. 12:56-6.1
Adopted Repeals and New Rules: N.J.A.C. 12:56-7
Proposed: March 21, 2011 at 43 N.J.R. 725(a).
Adopted: August 15, 2011 by Harold J. Wirths, Commissioner, Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Filed: August 15, 2011 as R.2011 d.240, without change.
Authority: N.J.S.A. 34:1-20.
Effective Date: September 6, 2011.
Expiration Date: July 25, 2013.
Bona fide executive, administrative, professional are exempt meaning no overtime but rather a set salary. So as a secretary in lowest terms possible from admin assistant to operations director I'll never make overtime. My starting salary due to the economy is now about half or less of what I made before cut backs. I have been forced to work 10 and 12 hour days, nights and weekends with no comp time equivelent to my personal loss.
Yet, I worked with and know many blue collar who get paid high hourly rates, not always at first, who can reach a maximum rate just because of a union contract and not his performance. They sit around and abuse the system, taking time off, getting benefits after retirment, taking loans from any of the multiple retirement funds they have, and pay minimum if anything toward health insurance and copays. I'm not talking about real guys who really do put their lives on the line or should get hazard pay. I am saying as a female who is already making less than a counterpart that I have many things putting me down and making it impossible to make a living.
Please note that I work hard, I'm loyal, dependable, don't abuse the system, I exceed any expectation I can. I'm not lazy, stupid, or wasting an employers time. If I could only get a job in which my employer treated me so. Acknowledge that it isn't fair. Give me a bonus. Send me to the spa. Let me have the time to take a class once in a while. Adding responsabilities on to me until I beg for my life and letting me go when I burn out is abusive. Labor laws whould provide employees like me to report employers and there should be laws to protect us. Only, the law is on the side of blue collar and employers. Those who are talking with policy makers in government I suppose. I appear more angry than I am. Trying to express the gross injustive makes my heart pound because I wish there was someone who was doing something about this.

Karen Cappadonna of NJ 10:11AM November 27, 2011

Hi,
I am working on a new TV show and looking for guys who went from white collar to blue collar. Please email me if your interested in hearing more. Thanks

JC of CA 8:11PM February 17, 2011

I have a Business Admin degree with a major in Marketing; my GPA upon graduation was a solid 3.0; my current salary is $32,500.00 and a bonus at the end of the year for just under $2,000. I am not working in the field I studied for, and not making what sources say is the "average" earning of someone who graduated with my major; Moreover, everyone wants experience however, no one is willing to give you the chance to gain experience at their firm unless you agree to work for free (internship). With a family, this task is impossible. I'm looking into a welding certificate furthermore, an underwater welding certifcate also looks attractive. Does anyone have any input into any one of these certificates. I live in Houston and would preffer to work here, but for a fair compensation and pay I'll keep my options open

Adrian of TX 2:04PM August 30, 2010

I've been aircraft mechanic for 4 years barely making $30,000 a year at a reputable corporate aircraft service station. What a waste of an 4 year degree. Worst decision I ever made.

Jon of MI 1:22AM January 09, 2010

The common myth about a skiled trades is illegal immigrants will come and take them over. That is just a myth, electricans, lineman,plumbers,elevator repairs,hvac techs, have to complete a union apprteship porgram and hold a journeymans card. They have to hold a liscense in the state they work in by law. Hvac unions are not big in every state, so in non union states most employers are now starting to require commpletion of trade shool or technical college with an assocaites degree.

harold of ND 11:05AM November 14, 2009

Electrcian $15 lol wow no Thry belong to unions and journeyman make bank. Auto techncians are not even paid hourly they are paid on flat rate. Which means they charge u to just find the problem and then once they find it theirs a flate rate manual which say s how much the repairs going to cost including labor. Say it says it takes 2 hours to do the repair for $200, u do it in an hour well u just got paid for 2 hours of work but only worked on it an hour.

george of NC 10:51AM November 14, 2009

What planet is this author on. General maintenance worker: $12 hr. Auto mechanic: $14 hr. Electrician: $15 hr. Truck driver: $17 hr. This author needs to quit smoking crack.

Eric of FL 2:08PM November 05, 2009

Not everyone is cut out for college and the country was built on the blue collar. Who do you think mows the lawns, puts up the cell phone towers, pumps our oil out of the groudn. Supplies your food int your grocery store. Blue collar will never go away. White collar is not the way of the world and there is an influx of students making it even harder. Stop putting our kids in debet to only find the white collar jobs are next to nothing. Teach them a trade start their road that won't end no matter what. We will always need roads, cars to be built, phones to be built, houses to be built, building to be zoned, electricity to be placed, oil to be pumped. NO matter how it changes SOMEONE has to do it. We are just so afraid of getting our hands dirty and that is why so many immigrants are coming here. WE ARE SPOILED!They'll do it and we are letting them.

Dawn of SC 11:02AM October 15, 2009

Manufacturing employees,maintenance techs,industrial electricians will be tough jobs in the future due to the extreme shrinking of our manufacturing and the extreme influx of immmigrants competing for these jobs at low pay.Auto mechanics are good paying jobs but with the loss of many dealerships and the growing durability of plastic cars and the incentives to buy new energy efficient cars mechanics too will be under pressure.There are blue collar jobs out there but a large percentage wont be reliable they will be short term as never before

dale of IA 8:01PM October 11, 2009

There are alot of jobs out there if you know where to look. The job market isnt as bad as people think. I was just on www.bluecollarcrossing.com and there are tons of jobs there. Everything from carpenter jobs to longshoreman jobs. if you dont believe me look.

David Hess of VA 9:17PM July 09, 2009