This isn’t the first time we’ve discussed the perception of blue-collar work, and it’s no secret that the term blue-collar, or manual labor, has a certain stigma around it. These jobs are often for those who were not smart or focused enough to complete college or the lower-class citizen, right? Or many think these jobs have a much lower max ceiling than corporate jobs and/or are not careers, likely because of the preconceived lack of growth and financial potential.
When discussing the larger overall category of service industry work, these assumptions are simply no longer based on fact. It is driven into the heads of high schoolers that they must pursue a college that allows them to earn a 4-year-degree to be able to find a well-paying job after college. However, because of this standard that has been created, this pool of college graduates has become so oversaturated that after years of schooling and a ton of money, jobs are nearly impossible to find. In fact, many college graduates end up taking a job in something unrelated to the degree they received just for a paycheck.
What isn’t emphasized to high school students, when discussing their career, is that there is actually another option with great potential; the blue-collar industry. Schooling for these jobs requires hands-on real-life training for a profession of choice in a skilled trade, instead of several classes dedicated to things you may never use again. Less years of schooling also means less money spent, and potentially the elimination of the huge burden of debt following graduation from student loans. Deciding to learn a skilled trade is not an “easy way out” or something that should be viewed as any less than choosing to go the 4-year-degree route, it is just simply a different direction. A direction that is far less saturated.
Because of the discrepancies between the actual facts about these vocational careers and the stigma that many people believe to be true, there is a major knowledge gap. If students were educated on the opportunities available to them for vocational and/or trades schools as much as they are about 4-year-degree colleges, they would be able to make a fully educated decision on what route they want to go based on facts, not feelings. For an in depth article on the topic of this knowledge gap, and the “skills gap” within the trades industry, as well as the potential for blue-collar workers, read our blog, Blue Collar is The New Middle, dedicated specifically to this topic.
Not all manual labor is a means to an end. In fact, quite a few are actually rewarding careers with greater growth and salary potential (and quicker) than working your way up from entry-level in the corporate word.
What if we told you that we offer a trades position with a laid-out career path outlining exactly what you is needed to move to the highest-ranking role and highest potential salary? You’d probably think that was too good to be true, right? Well, this actually is true here at The Brothers that just do Gutters.
We’ve made it our mission to create a work environment unlike any other in our industry. Through our Skills Ladder, our crews are given a laid-out plan, from day one, of what skills they’ll need to acquire, what education they’ll need to complete, and the type of attitude they’ll need to have to move up a rung on the ladder.
Starting with apprentice, our field installers can work their way up to Senior Head Installer by following the Skill Ladder system. This allows their success to be in their own hands, and eliminates the empty promises they are so used to from years of working in the construction industry. Because of this, our guys work harder and feel appreciated. On several occasions, we’ve had workers leave our company to pursue other opportunities, only to come back because the new opportunity just didn’t compare to the work environment at The Brothers that just do Gutters.
As a business owner, wouldn’t you want to operate a system with highly skilled and trained workers who worked to their full potential because they know their job is unlike any in their field? The way we structure our system even allows for the potential to step out of the field and become a franchise owner. This was exactly the case for our PA Franchisee, Jimmy Olang. See his story HERE.
If you yourself attended a 4-year-degree college and are feeling unfulfilled in where it took you and are ready for business ownership, owning a Brothers Gutters franchise is perfect for you. Home-based services are the future of franchising, just as blue-collar workers are the future of lucrative careers. Now is the time to get on board and be a part of our future.