Woman Claims Her Engineer Cab Driver Earns More Than Corporate Job

In recent news, a  woman tweeted that her cab driver, who was also an engineer, earned more driving cars than through his corporate job. 

In a tweet on Sunday, Shweta Kukreja, a personal branding strategist, described how her cab driver said he earns more driving than at his corporate job at Qualcomm. 

I was in a cab yesterday and that driver was an engineer.

He said he earns more from the cab driving than his corporate job at Qualcomm. 🥲

— Shweta Kukreja (@ShwetaKukreja_) August 6, 2023

Qualcomm is an MNC known for designing and manufacturing semiconductors and wireless telecommunications products.

Twitter (X) Thread

In her next tweet, Kukreja drew attention to how the idea that some occupations are regarded as more ‘respectable’ than others is false, writing that “no job is small and if he is earning good as being a cab driver, he must be proud.”

I dont understand why being an engineer is more reputed than being a cab driver.

No job is small and if he is earning good as being a cab driver,m. He must be proud.

— Shweta Kukreja (@ShwetaKukreja_) August 6, 2023

Others added onto this thread, with one X user talking about the panipuri wala near their society earning 3-4 lakhs a month through his business of selling pani puri.

panipuri wala near my society earns a 3-4 lakhs a month hes just 6th passed he told me..now he has opened another stall in other place

— Shivanand chavhan (@shivanand_08) August 6, 2023

Change of Priorities in Society

The tweets above are quite telling about the change of priorities in our society today. We often end up prioritising careers in streams such as economics, tech, or engineering, and look down upon people who work ‘simple’ jobs. In India, before the pandemic, being an engineer, or working in a corporate organisation, was one of the most ‘respectable’ careers one could pursue - and a lot of people still think that way, claiming that jobs in these fields are well-paid and can get you connections.

In fact, because of the COVID-19-induced recession, more and more people are turning to these ‘simple’ jobs in order to keep the lights on. Corporate pride seems to be ebbing away, with one tweet describing the new situation for engineers.

panipuri wala near my society earns a 3-4 lakhs a month hes just 6th passed he told me..now he has opened another stall in other place

— Shivanand chavhan (@shivanand_08) August 6, 2023

This change can be a good thing. 'Simple' jobs like driving cabs, and cleaning up the streets, amongst other jobs are essential in keeping cities functional. Without people working in these jobs, our society can collapse. Shweta Kukreja put it best in one of her tweets on the same thread-

But isnt it a good thing? I mean I don’t understand why engineering has to be the most reputed job with good packages.

There are 100 other things to do. Be it cab driving, chai business, and whatnot.

I am just glad most people are understanding it and are not shying away from…

— Shweta Kukreja (@ShwetaKukreja_) August 6, 2023

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Views expressed by the author are their own.