ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on selection for blue-collar jobs. Another important consideration when designing selection programs for blue-collar jobs is the average tenure of employees. In many blue-collar industries, employees stay with their employer longer than in other industries. For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over the past decade manufacturing employees have consistently had the highest median tenure for any private sector industry, at about six years. A handful of contextual factors are important to consider when designing selection programs for blue-collar jobs. Just as the level of skill can vary across jobs classified as blue collar, so, too, can the work environment. Many blue-collar workers are represented by labor unions, which exist to protect the interests of their members, particularly around wages, benefits, job security, and working conditions. In certain regions of the country, a large portion of the applicant population for some blue-collar jobs may lack English language fluency.
