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Not your average blue-collar workers
By Xu Wenwen |
March 14, 2012, Wednesday
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DO office workers who face computers all day earn more than blue-collar workers who fiddle with machines every day? The answer depends, and 20 Hangzhou blue-collar workers listed as Top Technicians say working hard is more important than working at the "right" office job.
The list of Hangzhou's 2011 Top Technicians was released earlier this month. The list included hairdressers, mechanics, gardeners, masseurs and waitresses.
The award was launched in 2008 and evaluates the 20 best technicians in the city biennially. This year every winner will receive 20,000 yuan (US$3,160).
Tea specialist Shen Liming, 34, who has been working at Hupanju Tea House for 13 years, is one of the award winners.
"The responsibility of every tea specialist is to make every customer a good tea, which is actually demanding," says Shen, adding that making tea requires experience because the amount of tea leaves, the temperature of water and the brewing time are factors in how tea tastes.
Shen believes he was selected as a Top Technician because "the tea I make is different from the tea others make." He says his average monthly income is between 5,000 yuan and 6,000 yuan, and it reaches 10,000 yuan in April and October - the peak season for tea. Shen also travels to many other places famed for tea production.
Although the job seemingly has good prospects, many young people are unwilling to give it a try because of the hard work and low pay at the beginning (around 2,000 yuan a month), says Shen, adding that in peak season they sometimes work more than 15 hours a day.
"It's the rule - destiny favors those who persist, no matter what profession or field you choose," Shen says.
Among the 20 winners, there are also examples of blue-collar workers who later became office workers.
Gong Shunying used to be a waitress at Louwailou Restaurant, a renowned old restaurant in Hangzhou. During the past 32 years, she has been promoted to team leader, manager, and now she is vice general manager.
These days she is mostly responsible for training staff and organizing banquets.
"It does not matter what your job or career is, but it matters whether you work hard or not," says Gong.
She says the most important thing about her work is "reading a customer's face."
"For example, a good waiter or waitress can judge people's taste by listening to their accent," she says, like people who speak with a Shandong accent (from Shandong Province) prefer spicy food with more garlic, while people with a Shanghai or Suzhou accent prefer sweet food.
In addition, to those walk-ins who were wandering around West Lake some economical food should be recommended, while to some who treat clients, classic local dishes are essential.
Gong also says a good waiter should understand the restaurant's history. She adds that for a waiter in Hangzhou, knowing the stories about Hangzhou cuisine and the city's culture, as well as the characteristics of the eight main cuisine styles in China will help.
Hangzhou has made it a priority to boost the service industry, which involves many blue-collar workers.
Last year the city issued a series of specific standards in the service trade, including that cafe waitresses should wear tidy, transparent silk stockings at work, public toilets should have employees on duty for over 16 hours per day, and every store should have a specialist dealing with complaints.
It is harder to hire an experienced technician than it is to hire a college graduate to work in an office.
According to Hangzhou Labor Market, among the top 10 professionals in demand last year of Hangzhou, mechanics ranked No. 2, service trade professionals ranked No.3, while technicians ranked No. 7.
The list of Hangzhou's 2011 Top Technicians was released earlier this month. The list included hairdressers, mechanics, gardeners, masseurs and waitresses.
The award was launched in 2008 and evaluates the 20 best technicians in the city biennially. This year every winner will receive 20,000 yuan (US$3,160).
Tea specialist Shen Liming, 34, who has been working at Hupanju Tea House for 13 years, is one of the award winners.
"The responsibility of every tea specialist is to make every customer a good tea, which is actually demanding," says Shen, adding that making tea requires experience because the amount of tea leaves, the temperature of water and the brewing time are factors in how tea tastes.
Shen believes he was selected as a Top Technician because "the tea I make is different from the tea others make." He says his average monthly income is between 5,000 yuan and 6,000 yuan, and it reaches 10,000 yuan in April and October - the peak season for tea. Shen also travels to many other places famed for tea production.
Although the job seemingly has good prospects, many young people are unwilling to give it a try because of the hard work and low pay at the beginning (around 2,000 yuan a month), says Shen, adding that in peak season they sometimes work more than 15 hours a day.
"It's the rule - destiny favors those who persist, no matter what profession or field you choose," Shen says.
Among the 20 winners, there are also examples of blue-collar workers who later became office workers.
Gong Shunying used to be a waitress at Louwailou Restaurant, a renowned old restaurant in Hangzhou. During the past 32 years, she has been promoted to team leader, manager, and now she is vice general manager.
These days she is mostly responsible for training staff and organizing banquets.
"It does not matter what your job or career is, but it matters whether you work hard or not," says Gong.
She says the most important thing about her work is "reading a customer's face."
"For example, a good waiter or waitress can judge people's taste by listening to their accent," she says, like people who speak with a Shandong accent (from Shandong Province) prefer spicy food with more garlic, while people with a Shanghai or Suzhou accent prefer sweet food.
In addition, to those walk-ins who were wandering around West Lake some economical food should be recommended, while to some who treat clients, classic local dishes are essential.
Gong also says a good waiter should understand the restaurant's history. She adds that for a waiter in Hangzhou, knowing the stories about Hangzhou cuisine and the city's culture, as well as the characteristics of the eight main cuisine styles in China will help.
Hangzhou has made it a priority to boost the service industry, which involves many blue-collar workers.
Last year the city issued a series of specific standards in the service trade, including that cafe waitresses should wear tidy, transparent silk stockings at work, public toilets should have employees on duty for over 16 hours per day, and every store should have a specialist dealing with complaints.
It is harder to hire an experienced technician than it is to hire a college graduate to work in an office.
According to Hangzhou Labor Market, among the top 10 professionals in demand last year of Hangzhou, mechanics ranked No. 2, service trade professionals ranked No.3, while technicians ranked No. 7.
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