What important changes have occurred in the composition of the labor force since 1960? Is the popular image of the American worker as a factory worker accurate? Describe the types of jobs Americans are working in today.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The most important change is the increasing participation of women, who composed 30 percent of the labor force in 1960 but now account for more than half. This has led to discussions of wage discrimination against women and questions of parental leave. A second trend is a declining percentage of teenagers in the labor force, after peaking in the early 1970s. Teenagers typically hold entry-level jobs, suggesting why these jobs must be increasingly filled by other segments of the labor force (e.g., McDonalds may be hiring the elderly not just for public relations but due to the unavailability of youthful workers).In 2016, just around 71 percent of American workers were employed in service-related industries, whereas only about 14 percent produced goods. Service workers included about 22.6 million in educational and health services, about 20 million in business and professional services, and over 15 million in retail trade. Manufacturing companies in the United States employed only 12 million people, and almost a third of those worked in offices rather than in the factory.