If you are looking for a career path that offers a good amount of stability and an attractive salary, you might want to consider pursuing a career as a repairman. According to a recent article in the New York Times, those who work in the repair industry, such as electricians and plumbers, are still enjoying a steady flow of work.

Although repair jobs are not considered to be “recession-proof,” they are about as close to recession proof as one could hope to achieve. It is not just those who work on repairing homes, however, as even car repair shops are reporting that they are handling the economic downturn better than most other businesses. Why? The reasons are many.

First of all, there will always be a need for individuals who can perform repairs, particularly as the rest of society becomes more “white collar” and less capable of making these repairs themselves. Advancements in technology and in building codes have also made it more difficult for the general car owner or homeowner to make repairs him or herself.

Of course, the fact that repair jobs cannot be outsourced to foreign countries is another reason for the stability enjoyed within these industries. After all, you can’t ask someone in India to come to your home to unplug your sink in the same way you can have someone from India create a website for you.

Another reason for the general stability within these industries is the fact that a growing number of people are deciding to hang onto items and to have them repaired rather than going out and purchasing new. By saving their own money with this option, they are helping to keep business running smoothly for those companies that do the repairs.

This is not to say that contractors aren’t experiencing difficulties during the recession. For those that rely largely upon new construction, for example, the recession has certainly been difficult to weather. These jobs, however, typically go to the larger contractors. Therefore, most of the small businesses that focus primarily on repair work are still managing to keep afloat.

Even better for those who are employed in these fields, the wages are quite attractive. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, electricians made an average of $23.26 per hour in 2007. During this same year, plumbers earned an average of $23.92 per hour, while automotive repair workers earned $18.52 per our.

If you are interested in pursuing one of these career paths, visit the Top Colleges home page to learn more. Or, visit the electrician degree page, the plumbing degree page, the HVAC degree page or the Diesel Technician degree page to learn more about these specific fields.