In the event of an economic collapse or any event that causes us to be off the grid for an extended period of time, we will have to go back to our roots, I don’t mean back when we were younger, I mean back to our grandfathers roots. In the worst case scenario we will need to rebuild society from the ground up. As it has always been throughout history we will need different individuals with many different skill sets to create a functioning and thriving society. So you need to ask yourself In a post collapse scenario, what do you bring to the table?

Bartering will become the new currency post collapse, and having a skill like carpentry could be a good bartering tool to have. Today we trade time for money, post collapse we will trade work for food, clothing, or anything else our family needs.

For the most part, we will not have to go back to the dark ages and live by oil lamps and ox’s pulling plows, we have the technology in place to rebuild as long as we have the right people who can find a way to make this technology work. If I am able to put together a good system to harness solar power I am going to do that rather than live by candle light. We have the tools and technology we need to make our lives easier, we just need the right people to make it work.

One thing to consider about post collapse life will be lawlessness, the “entitleists” will always want to take what you have because it is easier, and will always be looking for a way to make a quick profit no matter how they have to do it. We will need to be able to protect the things we have stockpiled, and if we have created a stable living situation and have a sustainable food source, someone will always feel “entitled” and want to take it from you. Being able to protect what you have is just as important as having it in the first place.

Here is a list of some of the valuable skills that a society will need to have in order to rebuild and grow into a lasting, thriving community. Some skills will be more sought after than others, but having some sort of skill that enables you to bring value to a community will help you out. Someone has to clean the outhouse right?

1. Farmers

For obvious reasons a community is going to need farmers, someone knowledgeable about how to maintain a food source for an entire community. Most people will probably have their own gardens but having a large food supply would be needed if your crops did not yield enough to feed your family.

2. Construction Workers

Most of us can build something that resembles a house with 4 walls and a door, but if you want to have a solid homestead you will need a good home. While over time we can learn this skill we might need to barter for a carpenters service.

3. Doctors / Medical Experience

This could be one of the most valuable skills to have, sometimes we can diagnose a problem, but sometimes it goes beyond our skill level and we need to ask advice from someone more knowledgeable than us. There could also be some sort of outbreak and we will need someone with the skill to diagnose it.

4. Architects

Architects might not be very important in the early stages of post collapse life, but their skills will become more valuable as the community grows and expands. When it comes to protecting your preps and your family you will want to have your home as fortified as possible…just ask the architect.

5. Gunsmiths

Just like the wild wild west guns and ammo are going to be in great demand. A blacksmith will be good for not only making new guns, but fixing existing guns and reloading ammo. Ammo could even be a good bartering tool, but I don’t think I would want to give someone something they could possibly kill me with, and ammo could be a precious commodity.

6. Alcohol Production / Beer

Believe it or not there are some good uses for alcohol other than drinking, such as using it as an disinfectant and/or pain reliever. Knowing how to make beer and knowing how to make alcohol would be a valuable bartering skill to have. Used in moderation Alcohol, wine and beer are great for unwinding and moral, but there are some that will exploit this on the black market.

7. Black Market

People will always have their vises, and someone will always be looking to take advantage of those vises. Anyone having alcohol or drugs will open a black market. Although anyone that is willing to trade food, water or ammo for a bottle of booze will not last long anyway. Prostitution and bootlegging will also be a big part of the black market, making these valuable “skills” as well. I hesitate to put alcohol in this category because there are some good uses for alcohol, but I think this will get exploited in a post collapse situation.

8. Self Defense / Trainers

Protecting what you have will be just as important as having it in the first place, learning how to defend yourself might make someone looking to loot you look in another direction.

9. Wildlife Experts

Anyone can grab a rifle and go out in the woods and hunt, but the trick is to actually come back with something. Having a skilled woodsman or two will help train the community about trapping, hunting, tracking and all around survival skills. A wildlife expert would also be able to barter with fur and meat from a kill.

10. Electricians

Just because the grid will be down does not mean we need to go back to the stone ages. we have technology in place and an electrician would be able to find a way to harness solar power, and fix some of the basic items like short wave radios, cars, lights etc.

11. Teachers

Again, in the beginning teachers would not have much to offer, but as the community grows you will need to create an environment that lets kids be kids and educate them to become leaders and to insure the future growth of the community.

12. Ranchers

There might not be a McDonald’s around anymore, but that doesn’t mean we need to go without a good steak. ranchers and farmers are a cornerstone of a thriving society.

13. Military / Police

Some sort of police force will be necessary to maintain the peace. Crime and violence will be at its peak in the beginning, so some form of law will be needed. These people will also be needed for the bootleggers, black markets or anyone who has the means to hire them to protect their goods.

14. All Around Handy Man

A handy man might not have the expertise that the blacksmith or the architect does, but a handy man could do odd jobs for a lower price than it would take to hire a more skilled person.

15. Cobbler / Shoe Maker

A cobbler or shoe maker is not talked about a whole lot, but believe me, Nike will not be around and eventually your combat boots are going to wear out.

16. Veterinarian

A veterinarian could be a ranchers best friend. keeping livestock, chickens and other animals healthy will be a necessity when a chicken becomes more valuable than gold…and while i’m talking about gold, don’t barter your gold, it will regain it’s value and you could be sitting pretty in the future.

17. Politician

I hate to put this one in here, but the truth is we are going to need some sort of government for a society to grow. A public speaker would also fall into this category because of their ability to rally people together.

18. Blacksmith

The blacksmithing skill will be very valuable post collapse. most people don’t even know what type of metal a certain job requires. Blacksmiths could also fashion weapons, knives and farming tools.

19. Auto Mechanic

If a biologist could figure out a way to create a combustible fuel automobiles and farm equipment could make life much easier post collapse, but you need a mechanic to make sure these machines continue to run.

20. Biologists / Scientists

We are going to need someone who will take on the role of mad scientist, and since necessity is the mother of invention, there is no better time than the present. Scientists could help doctors, blacksmiths,gunsmiths and farmers find new ways to make life a little easier.

21. Engineers

An engineer could have any sort of background such as, electrical, mechanical, manufacturing to fabrication. an engineer could help the construction worker or the architect become more valuable.

22. Priest / Pastor

We never want to forget where we came from, and whether you are a believer or not it never hurts to have a man of god with you.

23. Dentist

If you have ever had a tooth ache you know it can be one of the most annoying things in the world. aside from the annoyance it causes a rotting tooth can also cause sickness and even death.

24. Grunt / Serf / Peasant

Someone will need to do the dirty work, as the society grows the ones who have prepared themselves for a post collapse society (you and I) will “hopefully” do pretty well and be able to help other “not so prepared” people by giving them work, while at the same time making our lives easier. Today we go through our younger years learning a skill to support our family’s, so i guess we can think of our prepping as going to the “Apocalypse Community College”

So What Do You Bring To The Table?

As history has shown us, it takes all different sorts of skill sets to create a thriving society. from everyone from the leader of the community to the person digging trenches or cleaning the out houses, it take everyone working together to make a society function regardless of the skill you bring with you.

My suggestion would be that if you don’t already have a few of these skills you might want to learn about some of them…unless you want to clean the toilets? I don’t!

Thanks,

Dale