The Changing Labor Force: What’s Driving It, And What To Prepare For In The Near Future

The Changing Labor Force: What’s Driving It, And What To Prepare For In The Near Future

Cars are moved through the assembly line by giant robot arms at Tesla Motors, California's only ... [+] full-scale auto manufacturing plant, in Fremont, Calif. (Photo By Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) American workers have faced historic disruptions and hardships since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the labor market in March 2020. Nearly one-third of American adults have difficulties covering usual expenses, and the unemployment rate hovers above pre-pandemic levels. In addition to these new, pandemic-related challenges, larger demographic and technological forces also have accelerated, bringing about changes that were not anticipated or expected for decades to come. As we approach entering our third year under the pandemic, Americans are getting caught in an economy transformed by rapid technological change. While the Department of Labor recently projected that we could see nearly 12 million jobs added to the economy in the coming decade, the labor landscape will experience a whirlwind that is expected to look very different than it does today, thanks to the creative destruction brought on by revolutionary technologies. This turbulence will affect us all, but it will largely be driven by four key technologies affecting particular industries. By identifying these sectors of the economy that