Technology Ensures That US Will Never Recover from Manufacturing Job Losses

The United States lost millions of manufacturing jobs between 2000 and 2010. Numerous factors contributed to this decline in manufacturing jobs, including the recent recession and a decline in consumer spending on nonessential items such as cars. However, new developments in technology, such as advanced robotics, are also reducing the number of workers required to keep manufacturing plants up and running. This new technology ensures the United States will never recover from manufacturing job losses.

During the height of U.S. manufacturing, numerous workers were required to operate machinery and work on factory lines. As technology continued to improve, machines slowly replaced workers. In the early 2000s, this technological revolution caused manufacturing job losses that were compounded by the economic downturn. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the manufacturing industry lost 2.3 million jobs between 2007 and 2010 as the Great Recession took its toll.

Now that the United States is rebuilding its manufacturing base, it is clear that some manufacturing jobs are returning. In fact, President Obama and bipartisan lawmakers are creating initiatives to ensure that there is funding for new manufacturing jobs as well as training programs for skilled manufacturing workers.

However, even though the U.S. manufacturing industry is picking up steam, manufacturing job losses may not improve at the same rate. This is largely in part to technological advances. Fewer people are required to keep factory lines running, which means that even though the manufacturing industry is growing, the new jobs are not following at the same speed.

When most people think about technology displacing manufacturing workers, they envision big machines and robotic arms. However, the biggest technological threat to manufacturing jobs isn't the robot; it's also the computer. Software programs both manage and run manufacturing processes on the factory floor; software programs expedite data and analytics that used to require human brainpower to calculate. Many manufacturing industry jobs, from line operator to administrative assistant, are being streamlined or eliminated by computers.

However, there is hope. Even though new technology suggests the United States may never recover from manufacturing job losses, this same technology is likely to create jobs as well. As The Economist notes, every technological revolution in history has eventually created more jobs than it has taken away. It has yet to be seen if this current technological revolution will create more jobs, but it is a distinct economic possibility with significant historical precedent.

It appears that manufacturing job losses are here to stay. Technology is displacing manufacturing workers and contributing to manufacturing job losses exacerbated by the recent recession. However, the government is working to increase opportunities for manufacturing workers, and the same technology that contributed to job losses may also create more jobs in other industries in the long run.

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