What This Could Mean to YOU . . .

Doing research online about future job availabilities is a good way to determine whether or not you should pick a certain field. Some fields, even those that demand significant educational preparation, may disappear thanks to advancing technologies. In fields that require less education, job loss is expected to be higher.

For example, cashiers working in American retail and food stores, 73% of whom are women, may soon lose their jobs.

New technology will allow shoppers to buy goods without having people ‘ring up’ or ‘check out’ their orders. And we’re not talking about ‘self-checkout lines,’ either. Cameras connected to facial recognition software will watch customers as they take items off the shelves and directly charge the purchases to their payment accounts. No waiting in lines. Just grab-and-go. And debit or credit.

This is just one example of how a low-skill job is being eliminated by advancing technology. If you want a living wage, you have to perform well enough in high school to secure a higher paying job. Solid performance in high school will be your ticket into a trade, an industry credential, or a two-year or four-year college degree.

Note: Cashiers make between $8,000 and $12,000 per year. The federal government considers a single person making that amount of income to be living below the poverty line.