The Shrinking Workforce

Innovations, costs, the global economy, and productivity have eliminated or shrunk many workforces.

President Obama on June 14, 2012 in an interview with NBC’s Ann Curry said “There are some structural issues with our economy where a lot of businesses have learned to become more efficient with a lot fewer workers. You see it when you go to a bank and you use an ATM, you don’t go to a bank teller, or you go to the airport and you’re using a kiosk instead of checking in at the gate.”

Here are some of the occupations or professions in which the workforce has either disappeared or substantially shrunk in numbers.

Airline Reservation Agents

Bank Tellers

Butchers, Bakers, and Candlestick Makers

Coal Truck Delivery Man

DJ’s

Doctors Making House Calls

Elevator Operators

Encyclopedia Salesman

Fuller Brush Man

Furriers

Gandy Dancers

Garbage Men

Gas Station Attendants

Grave Diggers

Hatters

Ice Men

Journalists

Junk Men

Lamplighters

Maytag Repairman

Milk Men

Paper Boys

Parking Lot Attendants

Pullman Sleeping Car Attendants and Porters

Rendering Truck Driver

Soda Jerks

Switchboard Operators

Variety store workers