For questions 1-7, mark Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with the
information given in the passage; N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the
information given in the passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is
not given in the passage. For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the
information given in the passage. JOBS A person planning for a
career today must look carefully at the expected occupational trends and changes
in the job market. Affecting the economy are changes in the size, age, and
distribution of the population, as well as developments in technology. These
changes also affect employment opportunities. For example, an aging population
has increased the need for medical care and other health services. Computer
technology has not only eliminated or changed the nature of many jobs but also
created new occupations. By analyzing the changing economy and the factors
causing these changes, a person can forecast, or predict, future trends in
employment. A New Labor Force The United States labor
force—the total number of people over the age of 16 who are employed or are
actively seeking work totaled 127 million in 1992. By the year 2005, the labor
force is expected to reach 151 million, an increase of 19%. This increase
represents a slight slowdown in the growth of the labor force compared with
growth during the previous 13-year period, 1979-1992. The slowdown is largely
due to slower population growth in the United States. The U.S.
labor force will become more diverse by 2005. White non-Hispanic men will make
up a slightly smaller proportion of the labor force than in 1992, while women
and minority group members will make up a larger share. Between 1992 and 2005,
blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and other ethnic(种族的) groups will account for roughly
35% of all people entering the work force, In addition, women will continue to
join the labor force in growing numbers. In 1979, women made up 420% of the
labor force. By 2005, their share is expected to be 48%. The age
make-up of the U. S. population Will change from 1992 to 2005. There will be a
smaller proportion of children and teenagers and a larger proportion of
middle-aged and older people. The decline in the proportion of children and
teenagers reflects the lower birth rates of the 1980s and 1990s. The large
increase in the middle-aged population reflects the aging of the baby boom
generation—people born between 1946 and 1964. The rapid growth of the older
population reflects both the high birth rates before the 1930s and improvements
in medical technology that are allowing Americans to live longer.
The changing age make-up of the U. S. population will directly affect
tomorrow’s work force. Young people age 16 to 24 are expected to make up roughly
the same percentage of the labor force in 2005 as they did in 1992. However, the
percentage of workers age 25 to 34 will decline dramatically, from 28% to 21%.
The baby boom generation will continue to add members to the work force, but
their share will decline slightly. The most striking change will be a large
increase in the percentage of workers between the ages of 45 and 54. These
workers will account for 24% of the labor force in 2005, up from 18% in 1992.
Workers in this age group usually have more employment experience than younger
workers. Thus, employers will be able to choose from a larger pool of
experienced applicants, people seeking jobs, in coming years. Education: A
Prerequisite(先决条件) for Employment The education level of the
labor force has risen dramatically in recent years. In 1980, for example, 19% of
all workers age 25 and older had completed four years of college. In 1992, 27%
had a bachelor’s degree or higher. The trend toward higher educational
achievement is expected to continue. From 1992 to 2005,
employment growth will be faster for occupations requiring higher levels of
education or training than for those requiring less. Managerial, professional,
and technical positions will make up an increasing proportion of new jobs that
become available. Many of the occupations projected for grow most rapidly are
those with higher earnings. Office and factory automation,
changes in consumer demand, and the movement of factories overseas will continue
to affect job opportunities. Employment in jobs requiring little formal
education may decline. They may also stagnate, or stay the same, making job
opportunities for people who have not finished high school increasingly limited.
In addition, those workers will be more likely to have low paying jobs with
little opportunity for advancement. Goods Vs Services
Today industries providing services employ more people than those
providing goods. Currently, about 21% of the labor force is employed in
goods-producing industries, such as mining, manufacturing, and construction.
About 79% of United States workers are employed in service-producing industries,
such as health care, education, transportation, communications, and banking.
Economists forecast a continued increase in the number of jobs in
service-producing industries. By 2005, service jobs are expected to make up 82%
of the job market. Employment Trends in Service Industries
Health services will continue to be one of the fastest growing industries
in the U.S. economy from 1992 to 2005. For example, home health care is the
second most rapidly growing industry today. The in creased demand for health
services is due to improvements in medical technology, the growing size of the
U.S. population, and the increasing proportion of older people in the
population. Business services also will generate many jobs by
2005. However, this industry will grow more slowly than it did from 1979 to
1992. Business services include one of the fastest growing industries in the
U.S. economy: computer and data processing services. This industry’s rapid
growth is due to advances in technology, worldwide trends toward office and
factory automation, and increased demand by companies, government agencies, and
individuals. Other service industries also will experience
growth from 1992 to 2005. Education, for example, is expected to add 2.8 million
jobs due to population growth and rising school enrollments. Employment in
social services is expected to increase by 1.7 million. In fact, the most
rapidly growing industry in the U. S. economy today is residential care. The
economy will also see strong job growth in the passenger transportation
industry, including travel agencies. Employment in the communications industry,
however, is expected to decline by 12%. This decline is due to labor saving
technology and increased competition among companies. Employment Trends in
Goods-Producing Industries Overall employment in
goods-producing industries is expected to show little change between 1992 and
2005. However, growth will vary among industries, with some industries
experiencing an increase in jobs and others experiencing a decrease.
Employment in the construction industry, for example, is expected to
increase 26%, from 4. 5 million in 1992 to 5.6 million in 2005. The need to
improve the nation’s roads, bridges, and tunnels will offset(补偿) the declining
demand for new homes and office buildings. Also, after declining for many years,
overall employment in farming, forestry, and fishing is projected to grow by
14%, from 1.7 million to 2 million jobs. Jobs in other
goods-producing industries will continue to decline. For example, employment in
manufacturing is expected to decrease by 3% from its 1992 level of 18 million
jobs. Most of the jobs that will disappear will be production jobs, as machines
continue to replace people. However, the number of pro fessional and technical
positions in manufacturing will increase. Mining employment, which includes the
petroleum industry, is expected to decline 11% by 2005, from 631,000 to 562,000
jobs. Increased competition among companies and labor-saving technology will contribute to a loss of jobs in ______.