The Fastest Growing and Fastest Declining Blue Collar Jobs

These blue collar jobs are on an upward trend and offer many opportunities for field service workers. If you want to expand your skills, look for potential new markets or follow a new career path, these are the positions to focus on.

Renewable energy is only going to get bigger as more individuals and businesses look for ways to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. Solar photovoltaic installers will have a busy workload with commercial, residential and industrial projects. This industry’s job numbers have grown 105 percent.

Another job that comes with renewable energy investments is wind turbine service technician. Someone needs to keep those massive turbines running and optimized for energy production. As more cities, states and countries adopt wind-generated energy sources, the demand for this service will grow. The job numbers have increased 96 percent.

The demand for skilled contractors varies significantly depending on your location, but the overall trend is looking good. Contractors frequently end up on top-earning job lists, especially ones that focus on career paths that are an alternative to going to college.

Construction growth rate tends to be closely tied to the housing market. The 2008 housing crash is still showing effects on the construction industry’s size, but the overall trend is going up. As long as the housing market continues to recover, construction should follow closely behind.

The Internet of Things has introduced thousands of different home product categories, all of which need installed and maintained. While some are easy enough for the homeowner to put in place themselves, others require specialized skills and equipment. Electrical contractors see the greatest benefit from this change.

The future job prospects of all blue-collar positions aren’t as rosy as the ones above. Here are the areas that have been hardest hit recently.

This category has several factors that impact it negatively. Millennials are waiting longer before they make car purchases, or skip getting a car or a license entirely. A lack of disposable spending due to high student loan debt also makes it difficult to invest in aftermarket parts or even necessary repairs.

Automation and fabrication technology is making it difficult for foundry workers. Companies seeking more efficient ways to put together parts seek out other options that increase output beyond what metal pourers and casters are capable of.

Manufacturing as a whole has experienced a significant decline since 1998. Everything from outsourcing production outside the country to implementing automated and connected technology has played a part in this situation.

A decreased demand for coal and other minerals is leading the mining industry to fade away slowly. The sector only provides 0.4 percent of all jobs in the United States.

 

Blue collar workers and those seeking this type of career path should keep a careful eye on the jobs in the first category. These upward trends are likely to last for some time, and you can expand into these categories early on.