Opinion: The blue-collar conundrum | Calgary Herald

Article content

In a city known for its energy and work ethic, it’s puzzling to see high unemployment alongside unfilled blue-collar positions. Calgary’s unemployment rate — at 7.5 per cent — is the second-highest in the country, yet many trades and labour positions remain vacant, especially in the construction industry. The disconnect between the demand for workers and the supply of willing hands raises the question: what’s going on here?

Article content

At the heart of the issue lies a cultural disconnect. Despite the tangible rewards of blue-collar work — steady income, job security and the satisfaction of creating something with your hands — many Calgarians seem to shy away from these jobs. The root of this aversion seems to be cultural rather than economic.

Any Gen-X Calgarian will likely tell you that the path to a good life was through university. It was a mantra repeated during school years: if you want a good job, go to university. We were told that unless you wore a suit and worked in an office, you hadn’t really “made it.”

For those of us who weren’t academic standouts, the message was clear: manual labour or the trades would be our future. Career tests in junior high? They felt like a sorting hat, with some kids being steered toward “respectable” professions and others toward blue-collar work, subtly devaluing the latter. This belief became ingrained. Even though tradespeople could earn a solid living, sometimes outearning their white-collar counterparts, the idea persisted that blue-collar jobs were inferior.

Article content

Article content

This divide isn’t just theoretical; it shows up in everyday interactions. A few years ago at our corporate Christmas party, we rented a high-end downtown restaurant. My wife was chatting with one of our field workers — she had her glass of wine, and the worker requested a rum and coke. It took the servers 20 minutes to bring him his drink, while the white-collar staff were served immediately. The difference in treatment was subtle but undeniable. It was clear they viewed him differently.

Needless to say, we never returned to that restaurant.

This kind of social divide, though often unspoken, reflects a hierarchy of work that places trades and labour in a lower tier, despite their critical role in keeping the city functioning. The stigma around blue-collar work remains powerful, even when the demand for these jobs is urgent.

The irony is that skilled trades are essential to Calgary. The cranes lining the skyline don’t operate themselves, and the homes and offices we rely on don’t build themselves. Take, for instance, the crew working tirelessly on the Bearspaw South Feeder Main — they’re essential to the city’s infrastructure, yet their work often goes unnoticed.

Article content

In today’s economy, where university graduates face underemployment and student debt, the stability of trades is undeniable. Many white-collar jobs are being automated or outsourced, but it will be a long time before AI is wiring houses or installing toilets. Yet these jobs remain unfilled because of the outdated stigma surrounding them.

We need to start seeing tradespeople as professionals with specialized skills who are as vital to the city’s future as office workers. This should be the message that today’s students hear, rather than the outdated “university or bust” narrative.

There’s no quick fix to Calgary’s blue-collar labour shortage. But the first step is recognizing that our culture, which has long prioritized white-collar success, must change. We need to value work for what it truly contributes to our lives, not for the title it carries.

Progress will come when we treat all workers — whether they’re building homes or balancing spreadsheets — with equal respect. Because, in the end, we’re all building something important.

Mike Robinson is president and owner of Gerow Group Ltd. He is a development consultant, construction manager and business consultant.

Article content