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Safe Future Jobs: Engineering and Science

Robert Heiny

Research Scientist of Learning and Education
Flight Instructor
According to the Information Technology Industry Council, “the tech industry continued to add jobs even as national unemployment increased sharply as the economic crisis took hold.” ITIC drew these numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The job growth rates in science R & D and computer systems design were back to pre-crisis levels by as early as Summer, 2010, and employment in management and technical consulting services was back at pre-crisis levels by early 2011.

Signs point to the tech sector’s ability to innovate as a reason why it rebounded ahead of other sectors.

That doesn’t mean everyone should be an engineer or a scientist to be employed now or in the future.

It does mean that those who plan to work soon and in the future should get to places where new ideas and innovations occur. Mastering technology and moving up the "value chain" are "absolutely critical."

I add: Of course, another option is to wait for someone else to make a job for you, which may also become obsolete with the next innovation.
 

Robert Heiny

Research Scientist of Learning and Education
Flight Instructor
The article nor the report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics don't define innovations or name specific products other than by implied contrast to those used in positions held by people unemployed. In general from standard use in the tech-science industries, if a job has repetitive activity, it's vulnerable to being replaced at least in part by a machine. These industries develop parts and new products that result in machines that replace human effort.

Posts in TRDebates describe advances in development and uses of synthetic human tissues, computer-design systems, nano scale robots, and other "innovations."
 

LPH

Flight Director
Flight Instructor
The distinction is the use of technology being refined versus designing and building something new; We are making improvements in increments. Society shifts with radical changes.

Which leads me to one idea for job safety - create your own job.
 

Robert Heiny

Research Scientist of Learning and Education
Flight Instructor
As to social change, you described one theory: society changes with radical shifts. Among other views, society changes in increments. perhaps the ITIC uses the latter view to consider implications of the reported data.
 
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