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Unit 1 Career Exploration
More than three-fourths of the 15.6 million new jobs that
will exist by 2016 will be service-oriented. All are focused on
producing some type of service. Figure 1-4 shows the numbers of
new jobs that will be created during the period, not the millions
that already exist. The US occupations that produce goods are
construction, agriculture, forestry, fi shing, manufacturing, and
mining.
Information Technology
Another focus of today’s economy is information. The
computer and the Internet are American inventions. These are the
tools of the information economy. What people learn with these
tools helps them to create new services, improve business methods,
and lower costs.
As you will see in Chapter 8, technology has a major impact
on the work people do. For example, laptop computers, tablets,
smartphones, and Wi-Fi connections allow people to work on
airplanes, in cafés, or in their cars.
Source: US Department of Labor
Figure 1-4. These 10 occupations are projected to see the greatest growth
in terms of jobs openings.
Occupations Offering the
Greatest Number of New Jobs, 2006–2016
Occupation
Number of
New Jobs
(in thousands)
Percent
Increase
Registered nurses 587 24
Retail salespersons 557 12
Customer service representatives 545 25
Combined food preparation and
service workers, including fast-food
452 18
Office clerks, general 404 13
Personal and home care aides 389 51
Home health aides 384 49
Postsecondary teachers 382 23
Janitors and cleaners, except maids
and housekeeping cleaners
345 15
Nursing aides, orderlies, and
attendants
264 18
Teaching Tip