Do blue-collar workers in your country live a happy life?
I was thinking about taking up carpentry or cabinet making skill and making a life in a workers-friendly country.  So as a totally innocent young graduate I spent almost whole day bicycling around , when I saw some joinery dedicated to their work with all those roaring handtools, I stopped and asked if they need an apprentice. One of them gave me a friendly smile and we had a quite pleasant conversation.
It turned out those people are humble ,kind. However,When I told them I was a college graduate they were almost frozed and wondered why bother choosing a job you have to suffer with dust,noise and heat instead of one you can just sit in the office room with an air conditioner? Besides, One of them said "we do this because we have no choice" and another one said :"Given your education,you'll be sneered if you choose this job"……I felt extremely unconfortable when they told me these. As a matter of fact the welfare of Chinese blue-collar workers remains much to be desired.I think they should get more than they have(higher income,higher social welfare, higher social status)
Also ,I would like to enclose a few anecdotes
1. A friend from the US told me that even those people work hard they earn little and are usually looked down upon by the rich.
2. A friend from SouthAfrica who once worked in a yacht factory with me told me he wanted to change his job and work a carpenter."Because it earns more" "Many graduates choose to study law and medicine"but I told him in China there is another story. He said "may be that is how China different from the world."

So,here are my questions:

What is a blue-collar worker's life like in your society?
Are their social status affected by their career?
Do their career bother them when choosing a partner?
Am I too naive to think of working as a blue-collar and live in a friendly country(May be Australia or New zealand）?