Let me tell you about my dad’s side hustle.
I have memories of being 8 years old, sitting in the passenger seat while my dad would drive into the Foothills Industrial area of Calgary, Canada.
Mind you, this was typically on a summer evening or first thing Saturday morning. We would pull up to a building on a very large plot of land. And, my dad would open up the gated fence to bring the car in and park it. He would then unlock the front door which led into a small factory where my dad would fire up some machines in there to begin his work.
The plot of land was his. The building he built. The factory he established was a vital part of a supply chain for the oil and gas business. His only client was the company he worked for during the 9-5 hours in the week.
My dad was a skilled tradesman.
And he always said to me… “What I do is a dirty job. This is not for you. I do this because it’s the only skill I have. You can go be educated and do something else.”
This is not an uncommon story, to be pushed away from the trades and into more “respectable” lines of work. Which makes it all the more interesting with what is happening today.
It’s not breaking news that there is a surge in demand and interest in all things blue collar.
What is news is a recent WSJ article showcasing examples of white collar workers making a career shift into blue collar careers.
And it’s not just for us dudes, young women are also making moves in a blue collar direction.
I love it.
If corporate executives are gearing up to fire me anyways under the guise of efficiency, then why not make a pre-emptive move by taking a serious look at the trades.
The retail industry as a whole needs to be taking note.
For several reasons, including…
1 – The retail talent pipeline is increasingly fragile. It is hard enough to deal with the attrition from the front lines. If corporate-level attrition starts to tick upwards faster than expected, how will that be managed?
2 – What is retail value proposition again? Tell me again what is the allure of an entry-level position in retail? What is the training and development pathway or possible upward mobility? There was a time where department store training programs were best in class. Now, many department stores are some of the most un-innovative and un-imaginative organizations with Saks being woefully inept, Target being dysfunctional and Macy’s wanting praise for doing the basic things that any competent retailer should do.
3 – The premium of a university/college degree is vanishing. Many fashion schools and retail programs are disconnected from the realities of the industry (we have studied the curricula and the textbooks being used). And there are many professors who still teach while being well past their “best before” date. Meanwhile, trade school enrollment is increasing and offers a far more compelling outcome after graduation.
To me, retail leaders need to be taking a hard look at the pressures being exerted on talent acquisition, retention and development. The appeal of a blue collar career is another element of pressure that I would surmise is unexpected.
After all, the panacea of AI hasn’t been realized just yet.
Of course, you could argue the WSJ examples are an emerging highlight reel. And here I am being a prisoner of the moment. Professional reinvention isn’t an overnight glow-up; it needs a step back, a pay cut, and a bruised ego. And the people who try it and flame out don’t get much of the spotlight.
It also needs to be said: skilled trades are physically demanding. I’ve watched my dad come home exhausted. I’ve seen the cuts on his right hand and the missing finger on his left. I’ve heard the job-site injury stories.
And trades aren’t 100% immune to the economy either. My dad was laid off twice, and there were stretches when the factory sat idle because the work dried up.
The grass isn’t greener on the other side, you may say.
I would say, there are sides where the grass isn’t meant to grow.
Regardless, there is a clear boost in the appeal, demand and value of blue collar work.
Now it’s time to deal with the unintended, but possible, outcomes related to this boost.
