Top Ten Most Endangered Jobs for 2014
Many are the victims of technology
The job landscape is bustling with new opportunities in the information technology sector, but the proliferation of these distinctly 21st century jobs comes at the expense of other industries, says a new CareerCast report on the Most Endangered Jobs. Among the jobs that are becoming casualties of technology are mail carriers, meter readers, print newspaper reporters, and farmers.
Current mail carriers may have a safe career, but the profession is rapidly contracting for postman wannabes. Mail carrier is just one casualty of a tech-based job market that shares a unifying theme: paper.
Newspaper reporters face a projected 13% decline in hiring in the coming years. Layoffs and furloughs in the industry are commonplace.
Consumers are not eschewing reading the news or the latest bestseller, but rather are consuming their information online and not in print. Want to catch up on the latest news? Power on your smart phone or tablet and get the latest happenings from around the globe in one place. Want to read a book? Download any title instantly.
The logging industry is feeling the impact of the move from print to digital. Dramatically lower demand for paper means much less demand for wood pulp that lumberjacks help provide. The result is a 9% decline in logging industry employment. Falling demand for paper also impacts printers.
Of course, the use of paper isn’t the only factor behind technology endangering certain fields. Sometimes, advancements render the need for certain jobs moot. Meter reader is one such field. A growing number of gas and electric companies are installing electronic meter readers that instantly provide usage updates. The result is a 19% job decline for meter readers anticipated by 2022.
Below are the 10 most endangered jobs, according to CareerCast’s 2014 Jobs Rated report and statistics culled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Mail Carrier
Median Salary: $53,100
Hiring Outlook: -28%
Farmer
Median Salary: $69,300
Hiring Outlook: -19%
Meter Reader
Median Salary: $36,410
Hiring Outlook: -19%
Newspaper Reporter
Median Salary: $37,090
Hiring Outlook: -13%
Travel Agent
Median Salary: $34,600
Hiring Outlook: -12%
Lumberjack
Median Salary: $24,340
Hiring Outlook: -9%
Flight Attendant
Median Salary: $37,240
Hiring Outlook: -7%
Drill-Press Operator
Median Salary: $32,950
Hiring Outlook: -6%
Printing Worker
Median Salary: $34,100
Hiring Outlook: -5%
Tax Examiner and Collector
Median Salary: $50,440
Hiring Outlook: -4%
RELATED
EXPLORE BY CATEGORY
Stay Connected with CBIA News Digests
The latest news and information delivered directly to your inbox.