The Disappearing of Middle Class Jobs

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Over the last few decades the middle class job has experienced a dramatic fall from its once glorified position in the American job market. Since the 1980s there has been a significant decline in the demand of middle class jobs, also known as middle skill jobs, due mostly in part to advancement in technology in addition to outsourcing these occupations to countries located overseas. Following this decrease in middle class jobs there has been a moderate climb in high and low skill occupations in the American job market. If this trend of a declining middle skill job demand continues this could lead to severe consequences as individuals will be left with a choice of pursuing a rigorous college education or working in a low skill occupation. The effects of outsourcing these jobs will also contribute to weakening the American economy while at the same time strengthening foreign economies. The middle class job certainly does not have the same foothold in the American economy as it once did during the industrialization period all the way up until the 1980s. Over the last three decades this job sector has seen a major decline in demand, but to understand how and why this need has fallen it is imperative to understand what exactly constitutes a high, middle, and low skill job occupation. Middle skill jobs usually involve carrying out routine and procedural based tasks. Occupations in this sector include jobs in sales, office and administrative support, production, construction, and transportation (Tüzemen, p 4). High skill jobs typically require a significant amount of college education. Individuals located in this job sector usually possess a bachelor’s degree or higher and work in managerial, professional, and technical occupations, inc... ... middle of paper ... ...m benefits may provide more profitability to the corporations exporting the jobs, the long term consequences will undoubtedly resort to the United States being increasingly dependent on foreign nations. The future of middle skill jobs is unclear at the moment, but if the trend of replacing these workers persists the face of the American economy will without a doubt be irrevocably changed. Works Cited Tüzemen, Didem1, and Jonathan2 Willis. "The Vanishing Middle: Job Polarization And Workers' Response To The Decline In Middle-Skill Jobs." Economic Review (01612387) 1 (2013): 5-32. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Avagliano, Vincent C., student author. "The Second Wave: IT Outsourcing, Globalization, And Worker Rights." Penn State International Law Review 23.3 (2005): 663-699. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

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