Hector F.

Hernandez Argumentative Synthesis

English 103 April 11th, 2011

The Future Of Employment; You Snooze, You Lose America is rapidly globalizing each day, so what does this mean for the future of your job? There are plenty of statistics and projections that can help the average person prepare for this unknown future. Theyre needed because many American workers at the threshold of the twenty-first century are embarking on mysterious voyages, seeking glittering destinations but travel along roads with numerous pitfalls and unexpected diversions (Judy & DAmico, 1998, p. 319). Throughout the course of history there has already been two successful globalization revolutions, which is a great indication that the current global revolution, globalization 3.0, is also going to be as successful (Friedman, 2005, p. 323). Depending on what job you currently hold, this may or may not affect you but it is wise to be well read on possible threats or advantages of your current employment marketability. The bottom line is if you dont continually improve or diversify the skills on your resume, there is a high probability of being unemployed in the future.

Diversifying your resume isn't a new concept of the modern workforce. As a former military employee I can attest that this idea is nothing radical. The military has always recognized the cost of effectiveness of training its employees in various jobs. This is easy for them because military personnel rarely have any say in what they have to learn. By the time the average person leaves the military they are qualified to perform more than 15 jobs! The old method of preparing for a future job has changed and it ought to be common sense for the individual to change too. Globalization went from

globalizing industries to globalizing individuals (Friedman, 2005, p. 323). According to Thomas L. Friedman, the evidence that the world has become flat is constantly present in our everyday lives. Technology has allowed communication, ideas, thoughts, services and jobs to reach the global population twenty times faster then ever before. This requires not only a new level of technical skills but also a certain mental flexibility, selfmotivation, and psychological mobility (Friedman, 2005, p. 324). More and more individuals now undertake their own journeys through the labor force, rather than hitching rides on the traditional mass transportation provided by unions, large corporations, and Government bureaucracies (Judy & DAmico, 1998, p.319). People are realizing that we can no longer depend on others to secure our future retirement. Theyre becoming more aware of the importance of diversifying their skill's portfolio.

Who will be the winners among the American workforce? According to various sources, people who have a specialty for a living dont have to worry much (Friedman, 2005, p. 325). These people perform functions in a way that are so special or specialized that they can never be outsourced, automated, or made tradable by electronic sources. They are untouchables because they involve some specific local knowledge or because they require face-to-face, personalized contact or interaction with a customer, client, patient, colleague, or audience (Friedman, 2005). For Example positions such as barbers, doctors, nurses, surgeons, and teachers are considered service jobs (Blinder, 2006, p. 327). Services now account for more that 70 percent of the U.S economy (Lohr, 2006, p. 336) Statistics show that Service-providing industries will generate almost all of the employment gain from 2006 2016 and will provide more than three-quarters of all jobs in 2016 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 2006, p. 330). The group of untouchables that continue to improve their skills in diverse areas such as languages, science, math, entrepreneurship, technology, and

leadership will be the ones to strive or practically write their own career paths (Reitz, 2007, p. 334).

Who will be the Losers? Many employees will be replaced with technology. There are already such machines like automatic check out lines in super stores or automatic pill dispensers in pharmacies. Automation will continue to displace lowskilled or unskilled workers in Americas manufacturing firms and offices (Judy & DAmico, 1998, p. 320). Many jobs have been exported to other countries because its cheaper. Those who have these easily off-shorable jobs include radiology, software programming, call-center staffing, computer manufacturing, and factory workers (Blinder, 2006, p. 327). Education has always played a big role in preparing us for our future jobs but now it just wont suffice. Its obvious that we must now go above and beyond and obtain more than just high school diploma or Bachelors degrees. We must carefully choose what we learn in order to broaden our horizon. In many global industries now, you have got to justify your job every day with the value you create and the unique skills you contribute. And if you dont, that job can fly away farther and faster than ever (Friedman, 2005, p. 324).

There are experts like Alan Greenspan that say There is always likely to be anxiety about the jobs of the future, because in the long run most of them will involve producing goods and services that have not yet been invented (The Economist, 2004, p. 328). For every issue there are always two sides to a coin. Although many articles support the idea that history shows new jobs will always be available due to new ideas, it is rather hasty to choose an occupation hoping that an innovation will provide you a secure job. The Bureau of labor statistics claim that The need to replace workers who retire or leave the labor force for other reasons, called replacement needs, is projected

to create a significant number of additional job openings (US Department of Labor, 2006, p. 330). While anticipation in these job openings sound relieving for the average worker, the Bureau of labor statistics are assuming these new jobs are going to be filled only by Americans. If jobs go unfilled in the U.S., they will quickly migrate elsewhere in our truly global economy (Judy & DAmico, 1998, p. 320). Unless we implement policies in the future that prevent foreign workers from acquiring those jobs, in exchange for cheaper pay, we have to count on the fact that people in china and India are also starving for our jobs (Judy & DAmico, 1998, p. 323).

This essay serves as an introduction to the broad topic of employment statistics. In light of it all, what the worriers always forget is that the same changes in production technology, that destroy jobs, also create new ones (The Economist, 2004, p. 327). Will you be well prepared to take advantages of these jobs? Knowledge is power and the more skills you possess the better protected you are from volatile economies and demanding global markets. What you learn has the ability to determine your happiness and those who depend on you.