Jobs Outlook 2012: Careers Headed For The DustbinAs the economy reorganizes, some once-steady career paths are being
outsourced, replaced or eliminated. Based on new projections by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic (BLS), we examined the 20 fastest-declining jobs through 2020. The list is dominated by
agricultural, production, and administrative support occupations—adding to a growing pile of careers headed for the dustbin.
The biggest projected losers are
farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers. The occupation tops the list with an expected decline of 96,100 jobs, or 8%, by 2020. In fact, the agricultural industry has been steadily eroding for years. Between 2000 and 2010, the sector (including
agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting) contracted by 260,700 jobs.
“What we’re seeing now is global specialization, with the U.S. economy
shifting towards services and technology,†says Godhwani. “Anything where the U.S. is not going to be the best, you’ll see the jobs leaving. We can now import food from all over the world.â€
The new global economy also means that
unskilled manufacturing jobs that require little to no education are also being displaced to other parts of the globe. Sewing machine operators (No. 3) are projected to decline by 42,100 jobs, or 26%. Meanwhile, electrical and electronic equipment assemblers (No. 11) will fall by 6% and prepress technicians and workers (No. 13) by 16%.
Broader changes in technology are also wreaking havoc in the ranks of federal government, home to three of the 20 industries declining the quickest. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the largest job losses are projected for the U.S. Postal Service.
On the decline are
Postal Service mail sorters and processors, carriers, clerks, and postmasters and mail superintendents—facing a total loss of 182,000 jobs. Some functions, like mail sorting, will contract by nearly 50%.
Office and administrative workers will also be hit hard in the coming years. Technology advances have enabled modern professionals to take charge of their
own typing, filing and phone calls. Thus,
switchboard operators (No. 4) will decrease by 23%,
data entry keyers (No. 7) by 7%,
word processors and typists (No. 8) by 12%, and
file clerks (No. 12) by 5%.
Most of the 20 disappearing jobs—including yet unmentioned
fast food cooks (No. 5), door-to-door salespeople (No. 9) and florists (No. 18)—require only a high school degree or its equivalent. However, occupations that require post-secondary education are expected to grow the fastest, with jobs needing a master’s degree projected to increase by 22%, a doctoral or professional degree by 20%, and associate’s degree by 18%.
The BLS projects
health care services, personal care and social assistance, and construction will experience the fastest growth through 2020.
(Construction is rebuilding to pre-recession levels but is not expected to regain all jobs lost.) The fastest-growing occupations include registered nurses, retail salespeople and home health aides.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudre ... minated/2/
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