Middle Class Occupations Disappearing

New York, NY, March 9, 2015—Although the economy has regained all 8.7 million jobs lost during the recession—which lasted December 2007 until March 2010—many traditionally middle class occupations are in the process of disappearing, reports USA Today.

Financial news organization 24/7 Wall St. reviewed traditionally middle class occupations that, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are expected to contract in the 2012 to 2022 period. These jobs often require no more than an associate degree and tend to offer only minimal to moderate on-the-job training.

The jobs that are projected to shrink range from office-related occupations such as couriers and messengers, word processors, and switchboard operators to light manufacturing machinists such as extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders who work with metal and plastic, says USA Today.

Even relatively newer technologies such as word processing, data entry clerks, and computer operators are being replaced by improved software and processes. About a quarter of word processing and data entry jobs, and one of every six computer operator positions are expected to be eliminated in the decade ending in 2022, according to USA Today.