this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2026
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[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 5 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

I go by...

  • Skilled labour: Jobs that require education or extensive training to be able to perform
  • Semi-skilled labour: Jobs that require minimal or no education, but require some extent of on-the-job training to be able to perform the basic duties.
  • Unskilled labour: Jobs that require no education, and can be effectively performed on day one by a new hire.

I'm sure there's also a "highly skilled labour" category that encompasses jobs that require extensive education, training, and practice, but I'm not really sure where to draw the line.

[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago

can be effectively performed on day one by a new hire.

If such a job exists, I've never seen it. A first day worker on ANY job won't be as efficient as someone with experience. Even a ditch digger has skills.

[–] CanadaPlus 3 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (1 children)

On day one is a bit steep. Most unskilled kinds of jobs, like retail, include a week or two of training where you're only sort-of useful to your employer. Really really simple jobs (breaking rocks, digging trenches, turning wheels) have mostly been subsumed by machines.

From an employment market perspective, a better question is if you need to have training already to get hired, and if it's on-the-job kind of training (aka. semiskilled) or you spend significant time as a student.

[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 hours ago

I think in some unskilled labour, you can provide value on day one. You won't know all the processes, but you'd be able to perform some of the duties. Cleaning up, stocking shelves, etc.