Most “unskilled labor” is heavily skill dependant. You wouldn’t want a chef, builder or plumber who didn’t know what they were doing. And for production: machinists, mechanics and foremen make or break profit with their skills.

So what’s a better name for these jobs?

  • Skua@kbin.earth
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    17 days ago

    Traditionally it means jobs which could be done by most people with only a minimum of training, rather than specifically requiring formal education. Trades generally do not fall under this because they require significant training, whereas a general labourer who assists a tradesperson with moving materials and cleaning and such would be “unskilled” in this sense. Working the checkouts at a supermarket, doing data entry, or most positions in a fast food place would be unskilled. Any position in which the employer wouldn’t be requiring qualifications or experience if they were hiring your replacement.

    Of course they’re all still 100% real jobs and should be respected as such, so I wouldn’t be against figuring out a term that feels a bit less dismissive of them