US Workforce to Add 11.5 Million Jobs by 2026

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Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

projection

Noun

prəˈdʒɛkʃən

a prediction, an estimate of something in the future

Revenue projections indicate that we will have a very good year.

Let's begin by looking at some of next year's sales projections.

I spent a quarter of my time this week doing sales projections.

According to my projections, the company should be making a profit within three years.

brisk

Adjective

brɪsk

confident and fast

He talked about the opportunity in a brisk tone.

pace

Noun

peɪs

the speed at which something is moving, happening, developing, etc.

She's having trouble keeping up with the pace of her job.

She's jogging along the beach at a slow pace.

meager

Adjective

ˈmiːɡər

small and insignificant

It's hard to live on such a meager income.

Exercise 2

Article

AI Generated Audio––:–– / ––:––

US Workforce to Add 11.5 Million Jobs by 2026

The U.S. economy is expected to add another 11.5 million jobs by 2026.

The projection comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which says job growth will accelerate slightly from its current pace, but will not return to the brisk gains seen over the previous decades.

Over the decade, nine out of 10 new jobs will be in the services sector, particularly health care. Employment by companies that produce goods is expected to grow at a meager one-tenth of one percent a year, with a gain of just 219,000 jobs by 2026.

The workforce is expected to become more diverse as Asian and Hispanic parts of the U.S. population grow more quickly than average. Whoever is in the workforce will find additional education important, as two out of three jobs in the fastest-growing areas require at least some post-secondary education and training.

The whole U.S. economy is predicted to expand at a two percent annual rate. That is faster than the current growth rate, but below the gains seen in previous decades.

Exercise 3

Questions

What does the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, say about job growth in the country?

Which sector will provide the most jobs in the next decade?

Why is the workforce expected to diversify?

Exercise 4

Discussion

What are your thoughts on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' projections?

Why do you think the U.S. economy is unlikely to return to "the brisk gains seen over the previous decades?"

How would you explain the fact that the service sector is expected to grow at a faster rate than goods-producing companies?

What would you say are the advantages of a culturally diverse workforce? Please explain your answer.

Do you expect the U.S. economy to continue growing beyond 2026? Why? Why not?

Exercise 5

Further Discussion

How difficult is it to find a well-paying job in your country? Please explain your answer.

In what ways might the job market in your country change over the next decade? Please explain your answer.

Would you be willing to retrain if necessary? Why? Why not?

What would you say is the fastest growing economic sector in your country? Please explain your answer.

Do you expect your country's economy to expand over the next decade? Why? Why not?

Exercises for Further Self-Study

These self-study exercises are optional and should be carried out after the lesson has finished.

Exercise 6

Sentence Building

Write at least one sentence for each of the words in Exercise 1: Vocabulary. Begin by making sure you understand the definition of each word. Use the example sentences as a guide if you are unable to think of a sentence. Practice reading your sentences out loud.

Exercise 7

Summary

Make a brief summary of the article. Focus on the main topic and consider which pieces of information are most important. Make sure you include details such as what the article is about, who is mentioned in it, where and when the events took place, and also how and why they happened.

Parts of this lesson are based on:

An article by Voice of America.