It didn’t generate a lot of headlines last week, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics released a discouraging report about the future of job growth in the U.S.
[T]he jobs that will be most in demand in the coming years require specific skills that aren’t necessarily tied to a bachelor’s degree, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Of the 10 occupations expected to experience the most growth by 2010, only one — software engineer — will require a bachelor’s degree.
This little tidbit hasn’t quite reached the GOP talking points about the new jobs created in the last few months by Bush’s less-than-sterling economic agenda. The economy is adding some jobs, but what kind of jobs are they?
Just to be clear, I’m not dismissing Americans who enter the workforce without college degrees. My point is that the future of job growth in this country looks dispiriting when one realizes that the economy will likely place a stronger emphasis on less-lucrative careers, such as the food service industry, in the coming decade.
I also wonder what kind of political impact this may have. Bush has embraced outsourcing of U.S jobs, with the hopes of a long-term benefit for our economy. The BLS report, however, points to a future that isn’t exactly bright.