Six out of 10 South Korean Gen Z job seekers (born in the late 1990s to early 2010s) consider blue-collar jobs appealing, with high salaries and job stability being key reasons.
According to a survey by job search platform Catch out on March 28, 58% of Gen Z job seekers preferred blue-collar jobs with a 7 million won salary and shift work, while 42% chose white-collar jobs with a 3 million won salary and no overtime.
Among the respondents, 63% said they have a favorable view of blue-collar jobs, 30% were neutral, and only 7% held a negative opinion.
The main reasons for favoring blue-collar jobs were “high salary” (67%), followed by “having skills that reduce the risk of layoffs” (13%), and “less stress from overtime and promotions” (10%).
For those with negative views, the top concern was “physical strain” (47%), followed by “difficulty in gaining social recognition” (15%), “low pay for the work” (11%), and “limited growth opportunities” (11%).
When asked about technical fields of interest, Gen Z job seekers favored “IT, battery, and semiconductors” (29%) and “automobiles, shipbuilding, and aviation” (29%), followed by “electronics” (16%), “beauty, cooking, and baking” (15%), and “construction, civil engineering, and interior design” (8%). Some 21% said they were not interested in blue-collar jobs.
The growing interest in blue-collar jobs is also evident in job ad views. Last year, Hyundai’s job posting for mobility technology personnel attracted around 100,000 views.
“Gen Z’s perception of blue-collar jobs is evolving, with many now seeing them as high-paying careers that offer specialized skills and job stability,” said Kim Jung-hyun, division head at Catch. “Rather than focusing on societal perceptions, they are prioritizing salary, work-life balance, and jobs that align with their personal values.”
