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What are blue-collar jobs? -

Blue-collar jobs, as opposed to white-collar jobs, are jobs requiring physical, and sometimes dangerous, labor. Blue-collar work can be skilled or unskilled, indoors or outdoors, behind the scenes or out in plain sight.

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Why are they important? -

Many blue-collar jobs are essential to keeping our cities, towns, and infrastructures running. Without blue-collar workers, we would have no electricity, no food, and no one to distribute these necessities.

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Power plant operators -

Engineers and operators who work at power plants may rarely be seen by the public, but they have one of the most important jobs in society. Without them, there would be nobody to maintain our energy plants to make sure we have the power to warm our homes and cook our food.

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Dockworkers -

The vast majority of international commerce is done by boat, and shipping container vessels can be quite daunting to unload. One single shipping boat can carry 24,000 containers at once, with each container being able to hold around 28 tons of material. Dockworkers in port cities around the globe make sure these often essential products make it off the boat safely and into the hands of the public.

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Linemen -

Power and transmission lines are seen crossing entire countries, distributing electricity across the grid. These essential lines are out in the open, at the mercy of the elements, natural disasters, and regular wear and tear. It's up to the brave linemen and transmission climbers to keep our power grids running.

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Auto mechanics -

Millions upon millions of people around the world rely on cars, buses, motorcycles, and so on to get to where they need to go. When these essential modes of transport break down, we turn to auto mechanics to find out what's wrong and save the day.

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Factory workers -

When many people think of factory lines, they might think of the oily, smoky factories of the Industrial Revolution. But the fact is that the vast majority of consumer products are still made in factories, and in those factories work human beings, who we have to thank for everything from iPhones to ibuprofen.

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Miners -

As the world tries to move away from coal and fossil fuels, it is still a fact that today were are dependent on mined minerals, not only for energy, but for car and smart phone components as well, for instance. The working conditions of miners across the world are often reprehensible and need to see immediate reform. That is the best and most urgent way for the rest of the world to show their support for miners.

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Firefighters -

Firefighters, the brave and valiant first responders in emergency situations in cities, towns, and wilderness areas around the world, don't only protect our homes and businesses, but also work tirelessly every year to fight, control, and extinguish ever-worsening wildfires.

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Paramedics -

Medical emergency workers like paramedics work tirelessly around the clock in some of the most stressful situations imaginable. They quite literally have our lives in their hands on a regular basis, and without them the world would be a much more dangerous place.

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Electricians -

The power grid is an expansive system built for the distribution of electricity, and requires a myriad of works to keep it running. On its most personal level, the grid employs your friendly neighborhood electrician, who is always a call away to help keep your lights on.

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Aircraft mechanics -

Air travel and transportation is one of the most important developments of the 20th century. The upkeep and repair of huge passenger and shipping planes takes a steady hand, extensive knowledge, and expertise that only highly trained and completely essential aircraft mechanics can provide.

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Derrickhands -

While the world is realizing the necessity of moving towards renewable energy and away from fossil fuels, it remains a fact that if the derrickhands working on dangerous, remote oil rigs around the world disappeared today, we would be in big trouble tomorrow.

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Rail workers -

National and continental rail lines continue to be one of the most essential means for transporting goods from one place to another. As we have seen time and time again, railroads and the rail workers who maintain them are necessary for transporting food, grain, and energy resources from one place to another. Rail workers deserve safe working conditions, respectable benefits, and our utmost respect.

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Garbage collectors -

Before most people wake up, garbage collectors are already out on the streets to keep our towns and cities clean.

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Bus drivers -

In 2019, in the United States alone, there were around 9.9 billion bus trips taken by people across the country. Globally, the number is many, many times that. Without bus drivers to maneuver those impossibly tight corners and memorize city streets like the backs of their hands, innumerable people would have no way to get to work, school, or the grocery store.

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Nurses -

Nurses are the backbone of every hospital in the world. Without the careful eyes, strong psyches, and diligent hands of nurses, healthcare centers would quickly crumble into pandemonium.

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Substation repairmen -

Substations are some of the most dangerous places on the power grid. It is here that high voltage, volatile electricity is tamed and brought down to a voltage that is safe to distribute to people's homes. Like anything else in the world, substations are in need of maintenance, and the engineers who carry out that maintenance follow dangerous, but necessary, careers.

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Water treatment workers -

The unsung heroes of human life on Earth as we know it, are the workers, engineers, and technicians of water treatment facilities who make sure we have water that is safe enough for us to use.

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Elevator technicians -

Curiously the highest paid blue-collar workers in the United States, elevator and escalator technicians keep high rises, apartment buildings, and centers of commerce running. They are also essential in keeping buildings easily accessible by people of all abilities.

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Welders -

Welders, quite literally, keep our world together. Whether building the structures of buildings, car frames, or the hulls of ships, skilled welders make sure the iron infrastructure of society stays strong.

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Underwater installers -

A lot more goes on underwater than you might think. Deep-sea internet cables, gas pipelines, and even commuter tunnels are essential to keep things running, and it takes very brave workers to dive down to unfathomable depths to make sure these important pieces of infrastructure stay functional and safe.

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Agriculture workers -

All of the agriculture conglomerates and corporations in the world, and every CEO and lobbyist that profits from them, would mean nothing without the people on the ground working tirelessly to plant and harvest the food that we pick up from the grocery store. Agriculture laborers are infamously mistreated and underpaid. If we appreciate the food on our table, we must also show appreciation for the people who put it there.

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Telecommunications technicians -

As commerce and communication have gone wireless, telephone and internet technicians have become essential components of our daily infrastructure.

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Renewable energy engineers -

Theories and blueprints of renewable energy sources that could save our planet from destruction mean nothing without the brave and pioneering workers and engineers with the skill and know-how to turn these ideas into real and functional appliances. From wind turbines to hydroelectric dams, we have engineers to thank.

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Plumbers -

Plumbers keep our towns, cities, and homes clean and sanitary. They make sure our waste is properly and responsibly moved and taken care of, and that we always have a flowing supply of clean water whenever we need it.

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Shipbuilders -

Some of the largest objects on Earth are still put together piece by piece by human hands. The massive cruise ships and shipping container boats that move innumerable amounts of people and essential goods around the world are built by the trusted hands of the world's shipbuilders.

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Construction workers -

There simply wouldn't be anywhere for anybody to live if it weren't for construction workers. There is hardly a place of shelter, community, work, or worship on Earth that we don't have construction workers to thank for.

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Truck drivers -

Living their lives on the road, transporting essential goods across countries and continents, truck drivers work like blood cells through the veins of society. Next time you pass one, make sure to smile and wave!

Sources: (Indeed) (Investopedia) (Insider)

See also: Are these the most dangerous jobs in the world?

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