The Elevator Pitch
It's not a pitch...
I’m a scuba diver. I crew for Nautical Divers, the only dive charter in Jacksonville. On a trip this summer, I met George, from Augusta, GA. In the course of conversation, I asked what he does, and his answer was a contributing factor for Gray Collar.
“I’m an elevator inspector.”
“Really…?” I replied. I asked him a bunch of questions, but he told me the elevator techs make well into the six figures and they’re always looking. It’s a union job, too. “Used to have to know someone. Those jobs stayed in the family,” he said.
But it’s one of those quiet careers no one thinks about.
There are thousands of great jobs out there that no one knows about, but are in-demand, pay well, and are AI-resistant. Gray collar…
Take non-destructive testing. What is NDT? Great question. Non-destructive testing techs use tools like ultrasound or X-rays to check if things like bridges, planes, or pipelines are safe on the inside without taking them apart or breaking them. There are 3 certification levels and about 9 disciplines. You don’t need a college degree, but do need some training and on-the-job proof of skills. These jobs are nationwide and once you’re at Level 2 for a discipline, you’re likely earning a solid middle-class wage. The work is interesting for many, but it’s not on the list of most kids’ “what I want to be when I grow up” essays because no one know about it.
One of our big missions is to make these careers visible to those looking for something to sink their teeth into.
Do you have a gray-collar job no one knows about? Let us know in the comments.