Recent American employment trends have some very clear patterns. There are more jobs in industries focused on caring for and supporting the growing aging population. Meanwhile, automation and advancements in wireless technology have made other roles obsolete. These are the jobs that are going to grow in the US, and those that aren't, according to forecasts up to 2026 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  

As more people make health and wellness a higher priority, paired with the flexibility massage therapy employment offers, it’s no surprise this is one of the fastest-growing jobs. Opportunities are diverse, from spas to sports teams, healthcare to cruise ships. According to the American Massage Therapy Association, 30% of practising therapists work out of their own homes. And it's not a badly paid career option, with the typical pay for massage therapists in 2018 reaching $41,420 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Much as the name implies this is a more administrative counterpart to forest fighters. Duties regularly include enforcing fire regulation, making recommendations for prevention and control measures, and conducting fire education programs. With increasing drought conditions and wildfires in places like California the demand is up for forest fire inspectors at government agencies and specialist firms alike. Someone in this role can expect to earn around $39,600 per year according to 2018 figures. 

With the growing preference for smart devices, social media and all things digital, the world is awash with data. An operations research analyst can take data and, using complex scientific and mathematical methods, develop insights that can solve issues an organization might have. For instance, optimizing a school district’s bus routes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found roughly one-third of operations research analysts work in the finance and insurance sectors. And it's a lucrative role, with a typical salary reaching $83,390 in 2018.

The rise of cyber warfare, and not just on government targets, but also retailers including Target, Home Depot and hotel chain Marriott, has further spurred demand for security. Information security analysts plan and carry out measures to prevent hackers from stealing data or breaching computer systems. Not only is the number of jobs growing, the responsibilities are continually expanding as cyber attacks increase. Working in this sector could give you a salary of $98,350 per year.

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Helping with the activities of daily life, occupational therapy assistants serve patients of all ages. In addition to an aging population driving demand, new regulations, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, are emphasizing early intervention and other new initiatives for younger patients, according to the American Occupational Therapy Association. To become a licensed assistant requires an associate degree, however the responsibilities will be restricted from that of a therapist. This role had a typical salary of $60,220 per year in 2018.

Preventative healthcare and advancements in testing have supported job growth for genetic counselors, who help patients make sense of an inherited health issue. There’s also increased curiosity from the public. Think of at-home testing kits, says Beverly Yashar (pictured), director of the University of Michigan’s Genetic Counseling Program. She says: “It’s not uncommon for students to have their job secured by January of their second year, or to have multiple interviews or offers." A generic counselor typically earns $80,370 a year, according to 2018 figures.

As more cities look to reduce the environmental impact of vehicles, bike commuting and cycling for recreation continues to grow in popularity. Knowledgeable staff who can help keep customers’ equipment maintained and in working in order are valuable for sporting goods and specialist shops, which are where repairers are primarily finding work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The typical salary for fixing up bikes was $28,960 per year in 2018.

Increased demand for computer software has created a multitude of opportunities for developers, whether with a focus on applications or systems. Higher growth is expected for applications software developers in order to meet the needs of the health and medical insurance industries as they move toward fully-digital platforms for enrolment and other policy management. It's a well-paid career, with software developers taking home as much as $103,620 a year.

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Demand for physical therapy is expected to grow in response to the healthcare needs of an older population, especially for those with chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity. In addition to physical therapist assistants, there’s also an increase of 29% forecasted in physical therapist aide roles, and 28% for physical therapists. This role had a typical salary of $58,040 per year in 2018.

With the abundance of available data opening up new areas for analysis, statisticians, along with mathematicians (up 30%), are seeing opportunities grow in their industry. Statistical analysis is highly prized for helping with informed business, healthcare, and policy decisions. Currently, more than one-third of statisticians are employed by the Federal Government, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And what salary could you expect? In 2018, the typical pay packet was $87,780 per year.

Often described as an advanced practice registered nurse, these people will play a vital role in diagnosing and prescribing medication for the aging population. Plus, as primary healthcare increases its emphasis on preventative care, a significant component of a nurse practitioner’s duties, the industry will be well poised for further growth. Nurse practitioners typically earn $107,030 per year, according to 2018 figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Like nurse practitioners, physician assistants are mid-level practitioners who are not doctors but take on much of their work. More than half are employed by physicians’ offices, which will continue to see increased patient loads as the population ages. Another 20% of physician assistants are employed by hospitals. A physician assistant's typical salary was $108,610 per year in 2018. Similarly, the demand for medical assistants who are cross trained to perform both admin and clinical duties is expected to grow by 29%, a role which had a typical salary of $33,610 per year in 2018.

Trends are showing the baby boomer generation may be hesitant to leave their homes as they age. This will further increase demand for the services of home health aides, and personal care aides (expected to grow by 39%), who assist people with their daily activities. In some states, home health aides may be able to administer medication or check vital signs under the direction of a nurse or other healthcare practitioner. A typical salary for a home health aide was $24,200 in 2018.

The fastest-growing industry in America mirrors the worldwide shift toward renewable energy and a number of US cities setting goals to be carbon neutral. The renewable energy industry in general is experiencing prolific job growth. As well as a 105% increase in the number of people working installing solar photovoltaic panels, the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a rise of 96% in the number of wind turbine service technicians. A solar photovoltaic installer typically earned $42,680 in 2018, while wind turbine service technicians took home slightly more at $54,370 per year.

Machine operators work across many industries, and as foreign competition has led to industrial decline in areas such as textiles and steel, machine operators are finding themselves less in demand. Since 1997, more than 600 textile mills have closed in the US, according to the National Council of Textile Organizations, and many blame the 1994 introduction of the National Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the US, Canada and Mexico. Those mills that have stayed open have cut jobs or transitioned to meet demand for specialty fabrics. 

Print may not be dead, but it’s been struggling. That’s one factor in the decline of prepress technicians, who prepare layouts for printing. Besides printing fewer newspapers, magazines and other materials, software advancements have made much of the prep work obsolete.

With foundries employing the highest percentage of these workers, much of this job loss can be attributed to offshore production, foreign competition and increased automation. According to the American Foundry Association the US is still a major player, ranked third behind India and China. However the number of plants has dropped from 6,150 in the US in 1955 to 1,915 today.

It’s not just email causing a decline in traditional mail delivery. Americans are increasingly paying bills online or electronically. And in May the Postal Service announced it will pilot a fleet of self-driving mail trucks. As fewer postal jobs are required to sort and deliver mail, there will be a drop in supervisory roles for postmasters and mail superintendents.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the coal industry is the predominant employer of mine shutter car operators, although workers are only located in five states. But the outlook for the coal industry does not inspire optimism for those who work in it, and in June 2019 renewable energy sources provided more energy to the US than coal for the first time. For what remains of the industry increasing automation will exacerbate job losses. 

While automatic telephones made switchboards almost entirely obsolete, telephone operators worked at computer consoles through the end of the 20th century. With smartphones, email and other digital and communication advancements the few operator roles that remain will continue to decline, along with switchboard operators and answering services. Telephone operator roles are set to see a decline of 22.6% by 2026.

Initially computer operators had steady work with mainframe systems requiring monitoring and other day-to-day management. As the more hands-off personal computers have replaced older systems there is still some work for computer operators, particularly at data centers, though the components of the job have changed. The sector will see a decline of 22.8%.

The decline of the steel industry in the US is hardly new following the economic struggles of the 1970s and the 1980s closures of many mills. It’s not just foreign competition costing the industry jobs, there have also been advancements in automation and production. Much like the coal industry, even when steel is doing well, the jobs will not resurface. In tangent, jobs for metal pourers and casters will diminish by a similar 23.4%. 

When it comes to making cars Japan overtook the US in the 1980s. Now ranked sixth, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, the US's installers will struggle to find similar work in other industries with electromechanical equipment assemblers forecasted to decline by 21.4%, and electrical and electronic equipment assemblers by 20.8%. Employment as coil winders, tapers and finishers (used in electrical components) will see a similar decrease of 20.7%.

For an industry that weathered the storm of digital watches, it was only the eye of the hurricane. It now faces the smart watch. Not only that, with cell phones to check the time, and smart devices worn on the wrist to track step count, many have eschewed analogue watches. Similarly there is a predicted 20.1% drop in timing device assemblers and adjusters, who perform the precision work of digital clocks and timing devices with electrical or electronic components.

Personal computers have brought a drastic change to the word processor and typist roles. Initially it was the time-saving brilliance of editing electronically rather than typing out two, three or more drafts. However, as managers and other professionals learned touch typing and how to compose their own documents on the computer, fewer secretarial staff were needed. Likewise, data entry keyers will decline by 21.2%.

Primarily employed by local government, fewer workers are needed as smart parking and app-based systems are implemented across US cities. Sensing technology can be deployed to detect whether a parking spot is full, and further improvements will enable the car to “talk” to the spot to make payment.

The National Board for Respiratory Care eliminated the certified technician designation in 1999. While there are still technicians employed in several states, the National Board only recognizes two levels of respiratory therapist: the certified respiratory therapist and the registered respiratory therapist. On the flip side, respiratory therapists will be in high demand, and employment is projected to grow 23%.

With advancements in autonomous trains and artificial intelligence the number jobs for on-train operations is the fastest declining. Typical tasks for a locomotive firer include monitoring instrumentation, and watching for obstacles on the track or dragging equipment. General Electric is developing smart freight locomotives, equipped with high-definition cameras that could enable the train to make real-time decisions.

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