Sociology / Unit 9 Soc 1552 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Polarization of the Labor Market
Captions available
The idea
Labor market polarization is a growing gap between low-end and high-end jobs, with employment opportunities shrinking for people with mid-level skills.
In practice
Outsourcing and automation together eliminate mid-skill manufacturing and clerical roles while demand grows at both the low-wage and highly credentialed ends.
Where people slip
Polarization describes where jobs are growing and shrinking; it is not itself a claim about which workers deserve which outcome.
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