The U.S. job market is in the process of cooling off due to the global pandemic. Yet, despite roiling unemployment rates, salaries for blue-collar workers are surging.
As of May 2021, job openings across the country for construction, truck driving, and other transport occupations were up 18 percent year over year. Meanwhile, positions for healthcare technicians and home health aides were up 18 percent too.
At the same time, employment in June 2021 was up significantly in leisure and hospitality occupations, with highest levels since the pandemic began in March 2020.
What’s behind this counterintuitive trend? Stable demand in transportation and energy, for one. Construction has been largely unaffected by the pandemic as well.
Another likely factor is the shortage of blue-collar workers, many of whom were displaced by the pandemic. Employers are scrambling to fill positions and are willing to pay a premium for experienced and reliable employees.
The willingness of blue-collar workers to move is another factor driving the utilization of these sectors. According to PayScale, the number of construction and transport laborers who changed their locations during the pandemic nearly doubled since this time last year, with many seeking opportunities in larger cities for higher wages.
Finally, as states across the nation lift restrictions on OUT work, blue-collar hiring is poised to take off further. This could bring further balance to the U.S. job market, with blue-collar workers benefiting more than most.
It’s clear that these sectors are performing resiliently, despite the economic slowdowns, and that employers are willing to pay their employees handsomely for their efforts. In a job market still clouded with uncertainty, blue-collar workers are experiencing the most upside.
The U.S. job market is in the process of cooling off due to the global pandemic. Yet, despite roiling unemployment rates, salaries for blue-collar workers are surging.
As of May 2021, job openings across the country for construction, truck driving, and other transport occupations were up 18 percent year over year. Meanwhile, positions for healthcare technicians and home health aides were up 18 percent too.
At the same time, employment in June 2021 was up significantly in leisure and hospitality occupations, with highest levels since the pandemic began in March 2020.
What’s behind this counterintuitive trend? Stable demand in transportation and energy, for one. Construction has been largely unaffected by the pandemic as well.
Another likely factor is the shortage of blue-collar workers, many of whom were displaced by the pandemic. Employers are scrambling to fill positions and are willing to pay a premium for experienced and reliable employees.
The willingness of blue-collar workers to move is another factor driving the utilization of these sectors. According to PayScale, the number of construction and transport laborers who changed their locations during the pandemic nearly doubled since this time last year, with many seeking opportunities in larger cities for higher wages.
Finally, as states across the nation lift restrictions on OUT work, blue-collar hiring is poised to take off further. This could bring further balance to the U.S. job market, with blue-collar workers benefiting more than most.
It’s clear that these sectors are performing resiliently, despite the economic slowdowns, and that employers are willing to pay their employees handsomely for their efforts. In a job market still clouded with uncertainty, blue-collar workers are experiencing the most upside.
