There is no single definition for skilled labor. It is generally any type of occupation that requires some degree of skill or training but does not require a college degree. Common skilled laborers include electricians and plumbers and those in the repair and maintenance industry. Skilled laborers require less education and training than professionals such as doctors, lawyers, engineers and architects.
Immigration Services Definition
According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS), skilled workers are “persons whose job requires a minimum of two years training or work experience.” The CIS also states that skilled work cannot be seasonal or temporary. To get a visa, CIS requires evidence of training or certification.
Skilled labor need not be manual labor, although it often involves working with your hands. Although many factory jobs are low skilled or unskilled, some involve technological know-how. These jobs may involve operating computerized machines and usually involve specialized training. Business writer Shruti Singh states in an article in Bloomberg Businessweek that these types of jobs are usually found in companies that manufacture heavy equipment, such as tractors.
Trade jobs require some training and sometimes an apprenticeship. Examples of skilled laborers for these jobs include carpenters, construction workers, plaster workers, house painters, plumbers and electricians. Those who work in trade jobs may even work for themselves. Some specialized trade jobs, such as welder, require certification and can pay very well. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median wage for welders was $16.13 per hour as of May 2008, but the top 10 percent of welders earned more than $24.38 per hour.
Not all skilled labor involves factories or heavy machinery. For example, landscape gardening and tree trimming are skilled-labor jobs. Some types of skilled labor can even be done in an office, such as clerical work. Many repair and maintenance jobs involve skilled labor, such as fixing cars and copy machines. The food services industry also includes skilled laborers -- cooks and brewers, for example.
- United States Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition -- Welding, Soldering and Brazing Workers
- Turning Factory Hands Into Skilled Workers; Shruti Date Singh; 2011
- New York Times; Despite Recession, High Demand for Skilled Labor; Louis Uchitelle; 2009
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Employment-Based Immigration -- Third Preference EB-3
- pothole repair image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com