Another interesting article in the Korean Herald; this one about what constitues a 'good job.' It seems that Korea has also fallen into the trap of thinking that only certain jobs are desirable; in Korea's case it's office work. In the US it might be described differently but it's also some sort of 'office' or 'intellectual' type of work. Think engineers, doctors, programmers, managers, lawyers, etc.
Fabulous show about 'good jobs.' Check out Kim Dae-myeong and Im Si-wan in Misaeng; An Incomplete Life.
The article interviews a number of people who have chosen different paths. Their jobs range from a caulker to a mosquito screen installer to a house painter, and more. And to a number, they find their careers interesting, fulfilling, and lucrative. This appreciation for the trades - or blue collar jobs - is refreshing.
Skillset that is needed all over the world!
In Korea they put an especially high value on office jobs in large corporations or civil service jobs because they appear to have great stability. Here in the US we focus on college educations even when the student takes on enormous debt to complete. Having worked in the printing business most of my adult life I can tell you that skilled press or bindery operators can certainly make as much (or more) than your typical office worker or civil servant. Yet it's hard to find people who aspire to those types of positions.
Trust me, cranking up these machines so the building rumbles is a thrill.
At no point do I mean to denigrate college educations as I generally think more education is better than less education. But, I also have a strong appreciation for those individuals who chose a different path in life and find fulfillment in their career choice. Check out the link; it's an interesting read! ~ Judy
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