Definition of Skilled Labor

A debate has been raging for decades about the concept of skilled labor and how it's being applied in the modern era. Certain professions that once fell under the term are falling by the wayside, whereas new jobs are claiming this definition as their own.

Simplified Definition

The word "skilled" has two similar definitions. The first refers to a person being described as skilled, as in showing a skill or being an expert. The second refers to a job as being skilled, meaning that to accomplish the job the worker must have the appropriate skill or training. Skilled labor then is work that must be accomplished by an expert with proper skill or set of skills.

Tasks Vs. Skill

Most jobs require some kind of training and orientation. Whether a person is a convenience store clerk, security guard or welder, he receives training. While this could technically fall under "skilled labor," this kind of training is not what the term commonly refers to. Knowing how to operate a cash register or time clock is not a skill, but a simple task. Skilled labor, on the other hand, refers to tradesmen who use tools to do more than simple tasks. While anyone can learn to use a carving knife, a screwdriver or a hammer, only a carpenter has enough skill to carve and assemble a beautiful seamless chest of drawers. This expression of manual or mechanical skill or art is a measure of quality in work that shows a combination of ingenuity, knowledge and craftsmanship.

Origins of Craftsmen

The common perception of what separates a skilled laborer from an unskilled laborer is how much training, time and practice a person must go through to learn a manual or mechanical trade. In the past, certain professions, such as carpenters and smiths, required those learning the craft to apprentice under a craftsman. The person might spend years as an apprentice, cleaning up, caring for tools and doing grunt work for the craftsman, tasks which built familiarity with the trade. The craftsman would then teach the apprentice the basics of his craft and explain the intricacies of the work. Once an apprentice showed competence in the craft, he would advance to a journeyman and hopefully a craftsman.

Changing Times

While many skilled-labor professions, such as carpenters and masons, still thrive, other crafts, such as blacksmiths have become quaint or fallen by the wayside to mass production. Blacksmiths are used mainly for specialty ironwork and shoeing horses. Cobblers, too, have been relegated to niche markets because of technology for shoe production. Even as these crafts change, new fields develop that require specific tool training, knowledge and craftsmanship.

New Skilled Labor

While the apprentice system isn't used as often, skilled labor is alive and thriving. Gunsmiths are in high demand in states with high rates of firearm ownership. Other skilled laborers in high demand include: electricians, automotive mechanics, design and civil engineers, computer technicians, environmental services technicians.