Trends in Occupations - Fastest Growing Occupations, Most Rapidly Declining Occupations, Are We Too Educated For The Future Job Market?

Our society is changing. The types of jobs of the future are changing as well. Advances in technology have fueled a tremendous increase in the need for computer professionals. The population of those 65 years old and older is expected to double from 35 million in 2000 to 70.3 million in 2030¹. As the population ages and more and more elderly are staying in their homes, there will be a greater need for home health services. The shortages of doctors and nurses will create a demand for assistants. With more people taking advantage of the health care system, insurance paperwork will increase. The first panel discusses the 20 fastest growing occupations.

Technology will create many new jobs, but will also eliminate many jobs. Many jobs that were once performed by one person in a company have now been integrated into the job responsibilities of others in the organization. The second panel will discuss the top 20 declining occupations.

Many of the new jobs created will require at least some college education, with most requiring a degree. Will we be able to keep up with the increasing need for a highly educated workforce? The next three panels present a surprising answer.

Over 8 million people worked two or more jobs in 1997. The fourth panel provides answers to why we need (or want) to work more than one job. The fifth panel discusses those that work full-time, but do so by working part-time jobs.

The number of independent contractors has increased since the mid-1990s, totaling nearly 8.6 million in 2001. The next three panels present a picture of who they are, where they work, and whether they can earn a living working in this non-traditional work arrangement.

Home-based businesses have been growing in number, but home-based businesses as a percentage of all small businesses have been declining. The last panel in the chapter attempts to explain this phenomenon and shows that with technological advances and the Internet, home-based businesses may increase their percentage of the small business market.