High School Report Cards and Jobs Across the Eras – What do They Say about Kids’ Life Preparedness?
What were some of the common jobs people worked in the 1920s? 30s? 40s?
You probably know that the prevalent occupations during many of the last 10 decades were very different from the careers available today. And you’re also aware that our schools have always been charged with preparing young people to become independent adults, ready to enter the workforce and face the challenges of the real world. So why have Americans been studying the identical subject matter in high school for more than a century?
The traditional high school curriculum covers Math, Science, Social Studies, English, Foreign Language, and some form of Arts. That was true in 1920, and it’s still true today. Our question is: how well did high school prepare young Americans to enter the workforce in eras gone by, and to what extent – if any – has that life preparedness changed across the years?
To begin answering that question, we dug up some historic high school report cards from each of the previous 10 decades. Then we contrasted the subjects being taught with some of the typical and interesting jobs people might have worked during those ages.
1920s
1920s Report Cards
For the 1920s we found three report card examples. The first two, from the 1927-28 school year, show in-depth grading scores for a single student in two individual classes, Physics I and Typing III. The third is from 1926 and indicates grades for a single student on the full curriculum studied during her 9th-grade year.
These examples indicate a basic curriculum listing that looks quite familiar today. English – both Literature and Composition – head the lineup, followed by Math, Social Science, Music, Art, General Science, and Physical Training.
A couple of interesting highlights stand out when looking at these 1920s samples. First, as the cards appear to represent female students, the study of Typing, Bookkeeping, and Homemaking are notable; girls of that era likely would have been expected to take roles as either homemakers or clerical workers after high school.
Second, we note the inclusion of “Social Consciousness” and/or “Citizenship” in the grading schema. As shown in the first two cards, “Social Consciousness” refers to “Good manners, correct English, neat appearance, respect of associates, friendliness.” Although we can’t see the definition of “Citizenship” in the third card, it’s reasonable to surmise that it’s defined similarly. This construct is one of the few areas that would probably look much different in our modern times.
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 1920s
The most prevalent job in the U.S. during the 1920s was farming, particularly dairy farming. Both men and women performed farm work, with more than 10 million Americans working in the dairy farming industry alone.(1) The dawn of the industrial age brought many new jobs in manufacturing, making such items as automobiles, radios, and electrical appliances. Other popular jobs were found in the building/construction trades, coal mining, printing occupations (book and newspaper), and railroad work.(2) The steel and petroleum industries were just beginning to get underway. And as businesses expanded, the demand for white-collar workers – like clerks and managers – also grew.
For women in the 1920s, just a few jobs were considered acceptable: teachers, nurses, switchboard operators, department store clerks, waitresses, and domestic help (maids and cooks). Although some women did work in factories, they were mostly relegated to sweatshop jobs like those in the textile and clothing industries.(1)
Knocker-ups
Here’s an interesting job from the 1920s era: the Knocker-up. Prior to the invention and widespread use of the personal alarm clock, the “human alarm clocks” known as Knocker-ups were actually paid to get up early in the morning and knock on people’s doors or windows to wake them up.(3) Although this position came into being in the mid-nineteenth century, Knocker-ups were still at it in the 1920s, helping people arise on time for their early factory shifts.
Lector
Also back in the 1920s, Lectors were hired to read news and literature to factory employees while they worked long hours at their workstations – most often in the cigar-making trade. The purpose was to keep workers’ minds engaged while they worked at boring, repetitive tasks. Some employees reportedly kept working past their shifts just to hear how a story played out.
1930s
1930s Report Cards
We located just one report card from the 1930s decade. This student earned Magna Cum Laude honors in 1930, designated as the “Winner of medal given for general excellence.”
Although she did not study all the available curriculum choices noted on the report card, this student took four courses related to English (reading and literature, composition, grammar, and spelling); Arithmetic/Algebra; Music; Physical Training; Drawing; Foreign Language (unclear which language); and Biology. Her school was also teaching Penmanship, two Social Studies classes (History and Geography), two Homemaking classes (cooking and sewing), Community Civics, and four options related to clerical work.
Also note the marks awarded in the interpersonal categories shown at the top of the card – notably “Conduct Self-control” and “Personal Habits.”
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 1930s
As the Great Depression lingered for most of the decade, the 1930s were an age of high unemployment and desperate poverty. The unemployment rate, which was only 3.2% in 1929, had risen to almost a quarter – 24.9% – by 1933. That meant more than 12.8 million people in the U.S. were out of work.(4) During these hard times, people had to scramble to feed their families. Some took on temporary day labor to survive; others grew their own food.
The farming industry took a hit during the Dust Bowl drought that occurred between 1934 and 1937, which displaced over 2.5 million people.(5) Some of these migrants became farm laborers in California, but many ended up in large cities performing factory jobs.
The Depression had a huge effect on manufacturing, especially in industries like the automotive trade, with many plants closing and putting skilled workers out of jobs. As the economy slowly rebounded, factories reopened and new ones were built. However, a trend toward mechanization meant unskilled workers never regained their jobs, which were given to younger, semi-skilled employees who were able to master the newer technology quickly.
Service jobs such as in retail, housekeeping, and restaurants saw a downturn at the beginning of the decade but bounced back during the second half. Almost one-third of working women had jobs as retail clerks or salespersons during this time.
Coin Washer
In 1938, the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco employed its first Coin Washer, a position that still exists today. This person is tasked to wash every coin that passes through the hotel’s tills. The coins are washed for seven hours in a borax soap solution with an antique burnisher, then put back into circulation.(6) The hotel established this practice in the 1930s to serve its wealthy female patrons, who wore white gloves which were easily soiled during the exchange of money.
Bowling Alley Pinsetter
Up until 1936, when the mechanical pinsetter was invented, bowling alleys hired humans to manually set up and organize the pins for each game.
1940s
1940s Report Cards
Here’s an interesting tidbit from the 1940s: we found Johnny Cash’s 11th-grade report card from 1948-49 for his English 4 class. Note that his semester grade was C- in the first semester and D in the second. So how did this barely passing D student in English become one of the greatest poets and songwriters of the twentieth century?
Note that Johnny scored straight As for Conduct across the board, but his Effort and Exam grades left something to be desired. Apparently Mr. Cash just wasn’t applying himself.
Here’s another report card from the 40s, a 9th-grade sample from 1940-41 that indicates the full curriculum the student was studying. It’s unclear what the abbreviation “M.T.” stands for – Musical Theater? Mathematical Theory?
At any rate, Norman Stringer was clearly a pretty good student that year. Note that the apparently elective subjects – Band, Chorus, and Physical Education – weren’t given a letter grade, but just acknowledged as receiving “Credit.” The grading system shown in the upper righthand corner also is interesting: below 75 was considered failing? Today’s grading curve would probably be far more forgiving.
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 1940s
As America slowly dug itself out of the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal helped lift many of its citizens out of poverty by creating construction jobs on massive public works projects like the Hoover and Bonneville dams. Then the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entered World War II.
The war made a huge impact on employment, as manufacturers put more and more effort into supplying the military’s wartime needs. Raw materials like steel, rubber, nylon, silk, and other fabric were in short supply. Automotive manufacturers converted plants to build tanks and aircraft. Civilian shortages led to changes in product design: clothing became tighter and more versatile; buildings and furniture became simpler and more functional.(7)
Many rural dwellers came to the cities to work in factories. While most American men donned military uniform, women were called upon to fill the roles they left empty. So women became skilled shop technicians, engine mechanics, aircraft and shipbuilders, and munitions factory workers.
The government’s iconic “Rosie the Riveter” campaign encouraged women to join the war effort and 19 million women answered the call, making up 37% of the workforce by 1945.(8)
Pigeoneer
Most men between 18 and 40 years of age during WWII were in the military, and some of the jobs with which they were tasked seem odd today. One of those was the Pigeoneer, whose job was to breed, train, and care for the carrier pigeons who delivered messages during the war. Specialized pigeon training included learning to deliver only at night, or at which locations they could find food and water. According to the U.S. Army Communications Museum, more than 90% of messages sent by pigeon were delivered successfully.
Aircraft Listener
Before the invention of sonar, militaries used acoustic location devices to detect approaching enemy aircraft. The typical design looked like giant horns, which were attached to stethoscope-like earphones worn by the operators – who were called Aircraft Listeners.
1950s
1950s Report Cards
Below are two 1950s report cards issued by a San Francisco high school, one from grade 11 dated 1958 and one grade 12 dated 1959.
Again, this curriculum lineup looks fairly similar to those from previous and recent decades: English, some form of science (Physics, Chemistry), math (Advanced Algebra, Math Analysis), Civics, foreign language (German), and physical education (Tennis, Gym). Note that the student or students received “Citizenship” grades for each individual course, as well as for their Home Room conduct. The Senior Problems course in the 12th-grade year may be a precursor to the in-depth senior projects many high schools require for graduation today.
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 1950s
Post-WWII America in the 1950s enjoyed an economic boom and prosperity, with incomes and purchasing power growing higher than ever before. People who grew up during the Great Depression and sacrificed for their country during the war were now marrying, having children, and entering the workforce. By the middle of the decade, the robust economy had yielded the birth of the American middle class.(9)
President Eisenhower’s government helped curb inflation by imposing price controls on common goods and passing antitrust legislation to prevent corporate takeovers. Small Mom-and-Pop businesses like newsstands, shoe repair, candy stores, drugstores, and small markets flourished.
Men were the primary breadwinners, mainly working in either industry or agriculture. Typical blue-collar jobs included mechanics, bus drivers, warehouse workers, plumbers, and road construction. Men in white-collar professions were mostly executives or middle management. The relatively few women who worked in the 50s were likely secretaries, teachers, nurses, stewardesses, or stenographers.(10)
Milkman
In the 1950s, every morning the Milkman would deliver bottles and jugs filled with fresh milk to homes across America. Some milkmen delivered butter and eggs as well. After the rise of home refrigeration, although households continued to buy and consume milk, the Milkman profession fell by the wayside.
Elevator Operator
Back in the day, elevators didn’t work automatically but required an operator to control the doors, select the direction, and guide the speed of the car. Hotels and businesses hired Elevator Operators to serve these functions until automatic elevators were invented that enabled anyone to work the controls with a simple button push.
1960s
1960s Report Cards
We located two report card examples from the 1960s. The first one, dated 1966 – 67, is for a 9th grader. This card is interesting because it lists out all the courses that would have been available for the student to take in addition to the ones actually taken. Note the explanation for the Advisory scores: “The first mark in the Advisory column indicates the pupil’s standing in his studies. The second mark indicates his attitude in class.” Apparently the student’s “Attitude” score was meant to be incorporated in each course line – but in this case, the teacher chose not to do so. Also see that the “Citizenship” mark appears at the bottom of the card.
Some of the course choices are also noteworthy – for example, what do you suppose they studied in “Family Living”; and was Latin really still being taught at this school?
The second card represents a 12th-grade student in New Jersey during the 1967 – 68 school year:
Source: https://www.anacostia-kidagain.net/1967-kramer-jr-high-report-card.html
This straight-A student was taking a pretty hefty workload that included Calculus, Physics II, and Chemistry in addition to the usual English, U.S. History, and P.E. Do the typical jobs of the time help clarify the career for which he might have been preparing? Probably not.
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 1960s
The 1960s era in history was marked by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Vietnam War and associated Counterculture Movement, and the Civil Rights Movement. After Kennedy’s assassination, President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted expansive reforms that included Medicare and Medicaid to help low-income people access health care; Head Start, which prepared young children for school; and the Job Corps, which trained unskilled workers for jobs in a deindustrializing economy.(11) Johnson also established the Model Cities program, which offered federal subsidies for urban redevelopment and community projects.
According to the U.S. Census, industries in the 1960s were divided into 11 top categories: Agriculture, Mining, Contracting, Manufacturing, Transportation, Communication, Electric/Gas/Sanitary Services, Wholesale/Retail Trade, Finance/Insurance/Real Estate, Services, and Government.(12)
Common blue-collar jobs for men this decade included construction, plumbing, and carpentry. White-collar positions were expanding to include more advertising executives, doctors, lawyers, and banking professionals. Women continued to fill secretarial, teaching, airline stewardess, and nursing positions.
However, men began to gain interest in professions previously occupied by women, like teaching and nursing; and met few obstacles to entering those jobs. Conversely, amid the rise of Women’s Liberation and civil unrest, women had begun to pursue traditionally male roles like doctors, lawyers, and firefighters; but rarely were hired to fill those positions.
Human Computer
Computers weren’t always comprised of CPUs and motherboards. If you’ve seen the movie Hidden Figures, you know that computers were once human. For example, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory hired a cadre of talented women who went on to become some of the world’s first computer programmers.
Switchboard Operator
It’s hard to imagine now, in the digital age, how many American women in the 1960s worked at gigantic switchboards. Switchboard Operators connected long-distance calls and directed communication before digital exchange came into play.
1970s
1970s Report Cards
Here’s a grade 12 report card dated 1972 – 73. This student seems to be preparing heavily for an office career – taking Business English, Office Machines, Clerical Practice, Bookkeeping, and Data Processing. Senior Band and P.E. are the only courses unrelated to office work.
We also found this 9th-grade sample from the academic year 1973 – 74. This student appears more artistically inclined, taking Arts & Crafts, Photography, Art, and Speech & Drama. Those subjects stand out as outliers alongside the more traditional English and Geography that we might expect to see on a junior high report card.
But this unfortunate student from Utah seems to be struggling in all subjects, with C being the top mark achieved that year and a GPA of 1.111.
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 1970s
Two major trends marked the 1970s decade in the U.S. workforce: increased unemployment and labor disputes. The 1973 OPEC oil embargo led to rapid inflation and a recession; unemployment had edged up to 7.9% by 1979. In 1970, more than 200,000 U.S. Post Office workers walked off the job, the first mass strike in USPS history. Two longshoreman strikes closed all major ports on the East, Gulf, and West Coasts in 1971; the first legal strike by state employees occurred in Pennsylvania in 1975; miners conducted one of the longest strikes in the coal industry in 1977 – 78; and a nationwide Teamsters strike among 219,400 long-haul and local truckers ended the decade in 1979.(13)
New technology – like the introduction of the microprocessor, floppy disc, VCR, and laser printer – had begun to revolutionize work in the 70s. Some of the fastest-growing sectors included space technology and aviation.(14) Services jobs like transportation, information technology, and finance also were growing. On the flip side, the textile and livestock industries saw record employment drops during this period. Agriculture, construction, and mining jobs also were on the decline; automation made more and more factory jobs obsolete.
Keypunch Operator
Prior to digital technology, computer programmers created, edited, and stored their programs line by line on single-use punch cards. Punch cards were also common in data processing applications or to control automated machinery. A Keypunch Operator entered data onto the cards using a machine.
1980s
1980s Report Cards
This report card shows all four high school years for the same student between 1980 and 1984. What stands out about this card is how generic the subjects seem: English and Math across all four years; Science across the first two years. Only at the 11th- and 12th-grade levels did the topics seem to specialize much, with Science branching into Chemistry, Biology, and Physics and the addition of Composition in grade 12. It’s also interesting that the marks are awarded as percentages, rather than a letter grade.
This student also took French for the first two years; Industrial Arts in the 9th grade; and Typing in the 10th.
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 1980s
The 1980s U.S. economy created millions of jobs, with the government reporting the number of non-farm workers at an increase of almost 20 million between 1979 and 1989. Ongoing debate ensued, however, over job quality. Many economists contended that most of these jobs were low-skilled, low-paid positions that would not afford people a decent standard of living.(15)
The occupational classification system for the U.S. Census was revised significantly in 1980. Part of the reason for this revision can be attributed to the rise of the personal computer and the advent of the Internet, which began to dramatically alter how Americans worked.
According to the Census Bureau, two occupation groups – “managerial and professional specialty occupations” and “technical, sales, and administrative support” – recorded 81% of job growth between 1972 and 1983, with 54% of working Americans in one of these job groups as of 1983. The largest gain was among “professional specialty” occupations, which increased by about 4 million.(16) This group would have included such positions as CPAs, lawyers, scientists, and engineers.
Women represented two-thirds of occupational growth in the early 1980s, with 22% of employed women working in managerial or professional jobs. However, overall, women primarily remained in traditionally “female” positions like private household service and administrative/clerical support.
Knitting Mill Operator
The knitting mill was invented in 1906 and surged into popularity in the 1930s. During the 1980s, nearly 180,000 Americans were employed in knitting mills, but that figure had dropped to 17,700 in 2017 – a 90% decrease.(17)
Video Store Clerk
The first video store popped up in 1977 and the industry boomed throughout the 80s. These stores served as a hub of entertainment, as American households with VCRs grew from 1.9 million in 1980 to 64.5 million in 1989. DVDs replacing VHS tapes, the rise of Netflix in the early 2000s, and the advent of streaming services made video rental stores a thing of the past.
1990s
1990s Report Card
Take a look at this 11th-grade report card from 1997. This student, Jason, took many of the typical high school courses we’ve seen across history, including English, American History, Algebra, Spanish, and P.E. Since this report card was taken from a Catholic high school, he also took Religion – probably a requirement. Interestingly, some of the teacher comments appear as quotes at the left-hand bottom of the card. It’s also notable that the report card indicates Jason’s ranking among his classmates – 173 in a class of 337, putting him at the 51st percentile.
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 1990s
The U.S. moved even farther toward becoming a nation of service providers in the 1990s, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.(18) The stock market crashed and the economy sank into recession in 1990-91,(15) but recovery began in 1992 and escalated throughout the decade, with total nonfarm employment increasing by nearly 21 million workers.(19)
Private service-producing industries fueled most (90%) of the job growth during the 1990s. Personnel supply services – for example, employment agencies and temporary help supply firms – saw the highest rate of growth, adding over 2 million jobs.(18) Other growing service industries included transportation; wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; hospitality and recreation; and business, social, legal, and health services.
Productivity increased with the introduction of new and cheaper computer technology across all economic sectors. Conversely, blue-collar professions dropped, with the mining industry losing nearly a quarter of its workforce.(19) The rise of widespread Internet use and low interest rates in the late 1990s facilitated an increase in online startups, labeled “dot-coms” after the URL extension letters used to indicate a commercial enterprise. The dot-com boom began to displace some of the more traditional workplaces.
Travel Agent
Before we had Expedia, Travelocity, and Trivago, we had to book flights with a travel agent. Travel Agents advised travelers, arranged and sold all the transportation, accommodations, and tours for a trip. While some travel agencies still exist today, their function has been mostly displaced by inexpensive, easy-to-use online travel platforms.
Sassy Magazine Editor
Sassy was a teen magazine targeting young women that got a lot of attention in the early 90s when the evangelical women’s group Women Aglow boycotted the publication due to its sexual content. Despite the popularity of Sassy and its boys’ spinoff Dirt, the magazine went defunct in 1996.
2000s
2000s Report Card
This 9th-grade report card from the 2003 – 2004 school year has a fairly basic curriculum that indicates the student’s English I class covered “Reading/Writing.” This student also took Applied Algebra and Health Education in addition to P.E., Art I, and Principles of Science. Note the teacher comments on the righthand side of the card – apparently the student failed P.E. for being disinclined to dress for class; and had some incomplete and missing Art assignments. The Citizenship grade is shown in the line item for each course. Interestingly, the student did quite well in English and Science. According to the author’s blog (see link), he is now a writer and poet.
Source: https://strangeoxygen.com/2018/04/14/the-roots-of-a-writer
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 2000s
In 2000 the dot-com stock market bubble burst, sending many startups out of business when they failed to produce adequate profitability for their stockholders. Those that survived, however, became quite successful, particularly online retailers – notably Amazon. Traditional storefront companies like Walmart also discovered that online retail service was a profitable addition to their marketing strategy.
The fastest-growing industry during the 2000s decade was computer and data processing services. This industry included jobs like software development, computer and data systems design and management, and computer-related consulting. Further top areas of growth were seen in residential care, health services, cable and pay television jobs, personnel services, and warehousing (possibly related to online retail supply).(20)
The subprime mortgage crisis triggered the Great Recession in 2007-08 – resulting in 8.6 million lost jobs – from which the country would not fully recover until the mid-2010s.
Toys “R” Us Worker
The brick-and-mortar toy store was rendered effectively obsolete by the rise of mass merchants and online retail. While people were still lining up before dawn on Black Friday to buy that year’s hot toy through the 2000s, toy retailer Toys “R” Us was destined for bankruptcy in 2017 and closed its last physical store in 2021.
Electronics Store Clerk
Once a giant in retail electronics, Radio Shack reached its peak in 1999 with 8,000 stores worldwide. But by 2015, the company had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after experiencing 11 consecutive months of losses.
2010s
2010s Report Card
Following is an 11th-grade report card example from the 2015 – 2016 academic year. This one is interesting in that the student is taking several AP (Advanced Placement) and high-level courses, including AP English, Biology, and History alongside Pre-Calculus, Pathophysiology, Professional Communication, Advanced Dance, and Cheer.
Although this well-performing student clearly would not need one, it’s noteworthy (as stated in the top left corner) that a parent/teacher conference would be required for any grade under 70.
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 2010s
As the entire Baby Boomer generation cruised past age 55, the 2010s saw highest growth in occupations related to health care, personal care, and social assistance. Next-highest growth was experienced in professional and business services. Construction trades were expected to expand, partly due to federal contracts awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) – President Obama’s initiative to end the Great Recession and spur economic growth. Retail trade also was projected to grow.(21)
Manufacturing and the federal government were expected to experience losses in job numbers that decade. The federal government’s losses could mainly be attributed to cuts in the U.S. Postal Service.
The surge in online interactivity brought about by Web 2.0 and social media led to a variety of new occupations that made use of these new platforms. Titles like Web Designer, User Interface Director, Social Media Marketer, Blogger, App Developer, and Market Research Data Miner began to emerge in the job marketplace.
Admissions Consultant
As employment trends leaned more and more toward favoring candidates with higher education degrees, parents became more and more concerned with getting their children into the best possible schools. The 2010s birthed a new occupation called Admissions Consultant – someone who helped ease the process of interviewing and testing into schools, from preschool to college. These consultants often leverage their personal connections with school administrators to advocate on a client’s behalf.
Chief Listening Officer
As the web became more interactive, companies sought to capitalize on consumer opinions. Chief Listening Officers are tasked to keep their ears and eyes on social channels and real-life conversations to monitor what customers are saying about the company.
2020s
2020s Report Card
And that brings us up to today. Here’s a report card from the 2020 – 2021 school year.
This 10th-grade student was taking a courseload that reflects the current emphasis on college preparedness. The abbreviation “MYP” presumably refers to the Middle Years Programme, an educational framework developed by the International Baccalaureate® Organization for youth aged 11-16 that “encourages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world.”(22)
The inclusion of the course “Critical Thinking” in this student’s curriculum also reflects today’s buzz phrases about teaching beyond the test – giving young people greater capability to apply their learning in real-world life situations.
Typical and Interesting Jobs in the 2020s
As in the 2010s, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts highest levels of growth this decade in professions related to health care and social assistance. Factors driving this growth include the aging baby boomer population, longer life expectancies, and growing numbers of individuals with chronic health conditions. Jobs like nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, and physician assistants are projected to increase by as much as 30%.(23)
The same report projects manufacturing to lose about 445,000 jobs between 2019 and 2029. This change can be attributed to new productivity-enhancing technologies and factors – like robotics and international competition – that are likely to automate many manufacturing tasks and displace human workers.
For that reason, we’re looking at not only interesting jobs that are emerging during the 2020s, but also those that are likely to become obsolete this decade.
Emerging 2020s Jobs
Cybersecurity Professions
Cybercrimes like Malware, Ransomware, Phishing, and Social engineering are skyrocketing, making it essential for public and private organizations to protect their information and assets from a broad range of cyberattacks. Cybersecurity careers are likely to dominate the technology job market throughout the 2020s.
Social Media Influencers
A whopping 4.48 billion people worldwide use social media as of 2021, more than double the number in 2015. A Social Media Influencer is a person who uses a variety of social media platforms to express their opinions about specific brands or products. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the influencer job market has grown to $16.4 billion in 2022, and businesses make a $5.01 ROI on every $1 spent on influencer marketing.(24)
Fading 2020s Jobs
Newspaper Reporter
Although hard-copy newspapers still exist, their decline over the past 20 years has been staggering. This change is due not only to the rise of the Internet and digital media, but also to changes in how people consume news and the economics of the newspaper industry. Fewer resources for investigative journalism and the narrowing of topics covered by the mainstream media will soon put the traditional Newspaper Reporter out of a job.
AI Automated Positions
Millions of robots in factories around the world now build our cars, pack shipping cartons, deliver goods, and complete all kinds of repetitive tasks humans used to perform. In the next decade, here are some jobs that are likely to be eliminated by automation: Factory Worker; Fast Food Worker; Supermarket Cashier; Waiter/Waitress; Shelf Stocker; Bartender; and Truck Driver. Although automation will lead to job growth as well, 54% of workers will need to acquire new skills and more education will be required to land those new jobs.(25)