Sorry. You’re really hung up on an outdated academic definition that just isn’t accurate or used the way you think it is. It’s sorta like complaining that people mean figuratively when they say literally.
That’s because you keep looking in the wrong places like USCIS as opposed to say the department of Labor. You could also just google “skilled vs unskilled labor”.
Please see my earlier comment. I can’t find DOL definition for skilled vs unskilled at all, let alone one that matches yours.
Skilled labor refers to jobs that require certification and training that imply specific distinct skill sets. For example if I tell you Im a mason, a plumber, or a radiologist you know exactly what my skills are.
My point was my job title does not imply any specific skills not that forklift operators are skilled labor (which I never claimed).
Oh, okay, sorry, I misunderstood. I think I follow now, and I’m sorry to say that your position is simply incorrect. Your stance on the CDL doesn’t make any sense. It’s not skilled because “commercial truck driver” doesn’t describe the types of vehicles you can drive?
According to the United States Government, a radiologist is not a skilled laborer OR an unskilled laborer, they are a Professional. A member of the Professions.
Nothing supports your definition that I can find. At all. Skilled labor refers to the skills you need to do the labor. Skilled labor does not refer to job titles that self-describe their skills. “Mason” is a skilled laborer because it describes what you do?
Masonry requires no special certifications at all. In fact, according to the USCIS, a mason isn’t a skilled laborer. (edit - there are masonry licenses, apologies for the mistake)
By your logic, “Warehouse Porter” with a forklift certification is not skilled labor, but “Forklift operator” would be a skilled laborer? They need special training, and the title describes exactly what they do, right?
Unfortunately while this is “a” definition of skilled and unskilled labor, this is not how the media uses the term.
When the media refers to unskilled labor, they are absolutely not referring to wine importers. Or middle managers, or authors, or interior decorators, or any of the countless jobs that do not require any special training other than a non-specific college degree.
When they are referring to unskilled labor, they are referring to work that pays criminally low wages. That’s it.
Skilled workers are persons who are capable of performing skilled labor and whose job requires at least 2 years training or experience, not of a temporary or seasonal nature.
According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (archive) a commercial truck driver - who requires special certification in the form of a Commercial Driver’s License - is an unskilled laborer.
Can you tell my skill at say driving a forklift from that title?
Sorry, but forklift certification takes less than two years. A forklift driver is not a skilled laborer according to the USCIS or the media.
I acknowledge that the citizenship service isn’t the department of labor, but the department of labor doesn’t appear to use the terms “unskilled” and “skilled” at all. They use a more nuanced categorization of five “zones” of skill/certification instead. Probably due to the issues discussed in this post.
I did, thanks. I tried to look for something better or more authoritative than this. It describes skilled labor as laborers that are skilled. I don’t see anything about a self-descriptive title.
It clearly states that unskilled labor = low economic value and low wages. It then goes on to further stratify labor into “low-”, "mid-, and “semi-” skilled jobs with vague definitions. Delivery driver is semi skilled? For ubereats and UPS? At what level is a truck driver unskilled, skilled, or semiskilled?
Customer Service Representative is semi-skilled labor? Most of the few remaining jobs have been outsourced to literally anyone who can speak the language.