Jobs That Are On the Way Out

Posted on Oct 19th 2009, 02:21 am, under Career Advice

Whether it's because of new technological advances or external economic pressures, it's a sad fact that not all industries are sustainable. Increasing numbers of workers are now losing their jobs or shifting to other occupations because the demand for their products and services has started to dry up. 

The Boston Globe has posted a list of the most "endangered" occupations using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Here are some of the jobs that have seen the fastest decline in employment:

1. Radio and television announcers: Within the next seven years, an 8 percent decline is projected for these occupations. This drop is attributed to the mergers and consolidation of various media outfits, the rise of other media sources (such as the internet), and other forms of technology. Historically, this is also a very competitive field, with a very poor job to applicant ratio.

2. Communications equipment operators: This job description includes switchboard operators and telephone operators. Because of the rapid advances in communication technology (such as voice recognition and VOIP), these occupations have a projected decline of 12 percent and 40 percent within the next seven years, respectively.

3. Photographic process workers and processing machine operators: These related occupations will undergo a steep dive in employment levels by 2016, with respective drops of 36 percent and 50 percent. The main culprit? The rising popularity and sophistication of digital cameras, now favored by amateur and professional photographers alike.

4. Pharmacy aides: In the next seven years, there will be a roughly 11 percent decline in employment within this profession. This is because pharmacy technicians have already begun to perform most of the work their aides used to do, including administrative work, stocking shelves, and answering phone calls.

5. Farmers and ranchers: These occupations have been in steady decline for some time even before the economic crisis, due to the consolidation of various farmlands and ranches. The expected drop by 2016 comes to about 8.5 percent. However, there may be a bright spot for this industry in the near future, with the growing focus on ethanol as a potential fuel source.

6. Data entry and information processing workers: Nowadays, most people own their own computer and do their own data entry and typing. This has led to a decrease in demand for both typists and word processors (around 7 percent by 2016). Data entry specialists will also take a hit, though less so because of the cost of purchasing technology such as voice recognition software and barcode scanners.