Economists Say These Jobs Will Be Gone for Good

• Author: Mary Singleton
• Posted: 2024-08-14

It's no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the type and scope of jobs in the United States. At the height of the job losses, more than 30 million Americans were temporarily without work. About 12 million people are still without the jobs they had one year ago. Although a few industries have thrived during the pandemic, overall the American economy has lost jobs. Economists and labor market analysts predict that many of these jobs just won't come back, and they made this prediction in a labor market report on February 8. Some of the jobs were already on the way out due to changing technology and decreased demands. If you work in any of these industries, now is a good time to start training or an education program to change the course of your career.

Transportation

The transportation industry had mixed results during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Manufacturing was shut down for a while. This included both pars and entire auto manufacturing facilities. Assembly centers were also closed. The airline industry took the biggest hit out of all niches in the transportation sector of the economy. Labor analysts predict that airline assembly, building and manufacturing jobs will decrease by 17.4% by 2029.

Postal Service Workers

The United States Postal Service had to deal with an unprecedented amount of mail and packages in the past year. People turned to online shopping in their efforts to stay at home and avoid crowded stores. FedEx and UPS limited how many packages they would accept from large retailers, so the overflow went to the USPS. The USPS also had an existing relationship with Amazon for last-mile delivery services and some entire trip delivery services. Small businesses also use the USPS because of its more affordable rates. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that mail sorters, processors and machine operators will deal with a 17.6% cut in jobs between now and 2029.

Machine Operators

The American manufacturing industry continues to bleed jobs. It's happening across all niches and materials types. Plastic, metal, rubber and planing manufacturing jobs are expected to decrease by at least 18.6%. The decrease is a result of these jobs going to third-world countries and an increase in automation of a lot of the work.

Nuclear Technicians

Jobs for nuclear energy technicians are expected to drop by 18.6% between now and 2029. After the Fukushima disaster in Japan, many planned nuclear projects were scrapped. Most people do not want a nuclear reactor built near where they live. Although nuclear energy would decrease carbon emissions and help the United States meet its goals for reducing the emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases that contribute to climate change, there is little interest in expanding the American nuclear energy program.

Textile Workers

People who work in textile manufacturing, pressing and garment construction will have about a 19% reduction in available jobs between now and 2029. Most of these jobs are being outsourced to other countries. There are few textile manufacturers remaining in the United States.

Drilling and Machine Borers

Most drilling and machine boring jobs are in the oil and gas industry. Some are also in the coal industry. The government is not investing in these industries because of the emissions they cause. There is more focus in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Jobs in this industry are expected to drop by at least 19% between now and 2029.

Photographic Processing

Not many people use film cameras these days. The switch to digital photography has reduced the number of jobs for photo processors and printers. Total employment in this industry is expected to drop by 19.4% between now and 2029.

Door-to-Door Sales and Street Vendors

People who do these jobs are increasingly self-employed or do the work as a side gig. While food trucks may seem to be everywhere, all other types of street vendors and door-to-door sales are decreasing. People don't want to deal with the hassle of these interactions, and the salespeople yield few sales for their efforts. Employment in this once-thriving industry is expected to drop by 20% by 2029.

Executive Secretaries and Assistants

There is a lower demand for executive assistants and secretaries. A lot of their tasks can now be automated or done remotely by gig workers, freelancers and online helpers. This field will have a 20.4% drop in jobs by 2029.