• Highly skilled individuals who have skills in problem-solving and creativity
• People who perform non-repetitive, complex work and combine skills of both the
  white-collar and the blue collar worker
• College educated, usually at the associate degree level
• High demand in our society and can demand high wages

What do these workers have in common?

• Computer engineers
• Aircraft systems maintenance technicians
• Network administrators
• Electricians
• Carpenters
• Medical sonographers
• Nurses

They can problem solve, assimilate new knowledge, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information. They are normally highly creative, computer literate, and have portable skills that allow them to move anywhere that their intelligence, talents, and services are needed. They are able to work collaboratively with and learn from others. Gold collar workers are willing to take risks, they learn from their mistakes, and they are lifelong learners.

Peter Drucker calls these highly skilled workers “knowledge workers” or “gold-collar” workers. He first coined this term in 1999.

Get more information about Gold Collar Workers:

Brown, B. (1999). Knowledge Workers. Eric Clearinghouse: Adult, Career, and Vocational Education. Trends and Issues Alerts. http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/erica/docs/tia00072.htm

Drucker, P. (1994, November). The age of social transformation. Atlantic Monthly, pp. 53-78.
Gray, Kenneth C., and Edwin L. Herr. (2000). Other Ways to Win. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.

IT Staff: Getting Them and Keeping Them. HR 2000: Full Sail. CUPA Eastern Region Conference. May 10, 2000. http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/gspencer/cupa00/1-TotalRewardsCUPA%20begin/1-TotalRewardsCUPA%20begin.PPT.

Wolf, L. (2003, September). Between blue and white shines gold; New class of workers leading industry into the future. http://www.tccp.org/x/tccp/other/tt_sept03_cvr_sty.pdf#search='Knowledge%20workers%20gold%20collar%20workers'.