Srikanth K.N. is a hard-working 26-year old driver. He has lived in Bangalore his whole life; he lives in Whitefield with his retired parents. Being an only child, Srikanth completely supports his mother and father financially. He is fluent in English and has completed his tenth standard high school education. He began earning a living as a driver at the age of 20 and now sustains his entire family.
Srikanth currently works as a driver for an app-based, all-electric car fleet service, Lithium Urban Technologies, Bangalore. The company provides car services to companies such as TESCO, VMware and Total Environment who require inter-campus transportation for their employees. He joined Lithium Urban Technologies in May 2015, when he got his job through babajob.com. He is happy with his present job since his salary enables him and his family to survive comfortably.
His work hours are from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., six days a week. His monthly base salary is Rs.15,600, and he has the opportunity to earn an additional incentive pay of Rs.2,600, per month (Rs.100/day x 26), if he shows up to work on time every day and does not incur any damages to the vehicle lent to him by Lithium. If all goes well, each month his total salary amounts to Rs.18,200. Srikanth takes one day off a week – usually on a Sunday. He has the freedom to choose which day of the week he prefers to take off.
Being a driver is a very good profession for someone who otherwise would have limited prospects. Srikanth knows that despite having just a 10th standard education he is making a good salary and he has control over his future. He understands that if he continues to perform well in his job he will have the opportunity to be promoted to supervisor roles within the company. Srikanth is hard working; a dedicated young man with ambitions and a desire to eventually get married. He is currently saving up to provide for his mother’s operation.
Srikanth enjoys working for Lithium; the company partners with large enterprises that have professional employees who require his services. He is required to pick up and drop off employees between campuses. The employees truly appreciate his services and treat him with respect. Srikanth may not have a white-collar job, wherein he gets to work in an office environment, but he definitely feels that he has more freedom than his white-collar counterparts. It may seem surprising to some but these days blue-collar jobs, such as that of a driver, actually can pay better than some white-collar jobs.
Let’s give a shout out to all the blue-collar workers we know, like Srikanth, to show our appreciation for their contribution to the society we live in. They are the unsung heroes that make our everyday lives easier. They are the financial support of their families and the human pegs in our society who keep the wheels turning.