Few topics generate as much debate as the future of jobs.
A number of factors influence the discussion about jobs in the future, including current changes in the nature of the workplace, corporate restructuring, global competition, military downsizing, changes in the skill requirements of jobs, and continued shifts in production from goods to services. How these factors will play themselves out in terms of future jobs is unclear. One result of the ambiguity surrounding future jobs is a number of myths not only about what jobs will be available and what they will be like but also about how to prepare for them. This Myths and Realities examines some of the myths surrounding jobs in the future through a discussion of likely realities based on current trends. The notion that individuals will change jobs several times during their lives has been present in the literature for some time, but the recent trends of corporate restructuring and military downsizing have made this a reality for many more workers.