80% of Americans scream, ‘Bring back manufacturing jobs!’ But ask them to actually work in a factory? Suddenly, only 20% are interested...
Not an actual factory, but I've largely enjoyed my time in and around a metal workshop :( As someone who grew up in an academic/desk job family, I don't really see the lack of appeal other than the judgement of other white collar people. Compared to kitchen work and gig work, anyway.
I don't really see the lack of appeal other than the judgement of other white collar people
Money... My parents were both factory workers and I'm a white collar worker. I made more as an intern when I was 19 than they both did together at the peak of their career
They retired with only 100k in the bank in the UK after working an entire lifetime
Weirdly, factory workers here are loaded compared to tech support officers etc. At least in my experience.
I find white collar workers largely have keeping up with the Joneses syndrome and spend way too much money on shit just because other people do
If it was safe and well paid I’d love to work in a factory. Big machines are so cool. But maybe I’m romanticising it a bit.
I do think that with good working conditions almost any job can be tolerable.
It can still be pretty dangerous in a modern setting, like a medium sized lathe can eat you. But the most dangerous things are complacency and being rushed, given the work that needs doing.