Poll: After 20 Years, Most Say New Job Skills Needed

(CBS)

The vast majority of Americans believe the job market has changed dramatically in the past 20 years, a new CBS News poll finds, as nearly nine in ten say the job market now requires different skills than Americans needed two decades ago.

Eight-seven percent said the skills needed in approaching the job market have changed since 1990, while just ten percent said they could get by with the same skills. These views were widely held by high- and low-wage earners, college and non-college graduates and all age groups.

With unemployment at ten percent, the majority of Americans are concerned about potential job losses in their households. Twenty-nine percent overall say they are very concerned, while another 34 percent are somewhat concerned. Just one in three say they are not concerned about household job loss.

Americans are concerned about job loss in their households in all areas of the country – and particularly in the South and the West.

The poll was taken as part of CBS News' "Where America Stands" series, an in-depth look at where the country stands today on key topics and an outlook for the future decade.

See More Stories and Videos from the Series: Where America Stands
Fighting Closure in Connecticut
Read the Complete Poll

A CBS News/New York Times poll last month found that less than half of unemployed Americans expect the jobs lost in their community to return.

Eighty percent of those surveyed in this poll say the state of the economy is bad, while just 18 percent characterize it as good. Despite the negative assessment, Americans have a more positive outlook than they did last February, when 94 percent said the state of the economy was bad.

---

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1048 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone December 17-22, 2009. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

[twomany]

I am an older American. I think we have made a mistake by raising the retirement age. Jobs use to work like supply and demand. When people retired at age 62 or 65 that left jobs for the young people beginning their careers. I have friends who are in their late seventies still working. Good for them, but it does reduce the opportunities for younger people who need to work to raise their young families. Also we need to keep manufacturing in the United States. All manufacturing jobs should not require a college education. Blue collar jobs are a must.

[plonwal]

We need substantial tax breaks for large corporations to give them reason to bring jobs back to this beautiful country. Higher import tax might also be a insentive for bringing those jobs back.

[macdoodle1]

WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE new tech and green tech and water desalinization

WE NEED TO STOP lobbyist $$ influence on congressional and senatorial decision making.

WE NEED To DISCOURAGE big biz sending semi skilled and management jobs overseas.

WE NEED to BLOCK supply created artificial inflation of housing and apt prices. They need to fall and stay where they are more realistic and affordable
and consider housing a 20-30 year investment again.

WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE building of smaller homes and other items again. Excess got us here.

WE NEED TO ANALYZE and REPAIR the local non profits and state and local agencies that bleed FED $ out the bottom. While they do employ many, they most often fail more.
WE NEED TO REPAIR a system that was broken long before it was broke.
WE CAN NOT CONTINUE to go back to the problem to ask it to fix itself.

WE CAN NOT CONTINUE to play politics who cares if there is global warming in our future no science can prove for sure either way .
WE CAN SHOW a need to reduce pollution and stop loss of species and problems of over population, water concerns,
and oil and other big biz fuel and resource dependence.

WE DO NEED TO ASK OUR GOVT TO create legislation so that stock holders (owners) don't suffer the big bonuses and retirement and excessive pay checks of the few when they are not tied to profit.

WE DO NEED TO WORK ON GETTING CEO to LABOR pay ratios back to the 1940s /50's levels.

WE DO NEED TO FIND A WAY to get more developmentally delayed out of institutions IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT CONTINUE TO push others to live in the road.

WE NEED LESS STATE AS PARENT - Parents to be responsible for all post HS fed loans for education for children with disability and ability until age 23.

WE NEED MORE RELIGIOUS ORGS and PARENTS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY for making a religious choice to bring children who will suffer and need into the world. Private insurance coverage and religious org resources. With ever more limited resources and ever increasing need, this would help those who did not choose. Those with physical and psyche, war and other on the job injury, and development of disease will not be so often left without or continue to be too often pushed to the road.

WE DO NEED TO RETHINK MEDICARE -MEDICAID and offer a mid range program Healthy MEDICARE and only by certain demonstrated medical need would a full medicare kick in.
(not as it is done now by group disability type or age affiliation vs medical need )

WE NEED TO SEPARATE THE WAR COSTS including VA, retirement, disabIlity GI BILL and al other related costs and sell war bonds and free up some of those funds for INVESTING in domestic isues and opportunities, while GIVING PEOPLE a SAFE RETIREMENT INVESTMENT too.


to begin...

[energytohigh]

no news agencys are speaking the truth about job loss in our country. lets face it prat, and whitney did not cut jobs they simply gave them to another country, as did ford, gm, chrysler whom gave the jobs they cut from americans,to mexico,Etc. At&t gave jobs to india, so did gateway,dell just to mention a few, millions of jobs cut in america are now with other countrys, that is the truth, our jobs have been outsorced, period. Our leaders call it nafta, north american free trade agrement. we were lied to when we were told nafta would create new jobs here in the USA, It was an outright lie. It sure did create jobs, if you live in india,mexico,china,japan,etc. we americans call it take our jobs and give them to someone else.And why,? avoid paying all the bennifits of the american workers, or to put it another way if we move our companys we will not have to pay overtime, medical bennifits, etc. do you get it yet. It is all for profit. Companys like gm,chrysler,wells fargo,Aig,etc. Who we just gave billions of dollars to, have been busy building plants in mexico and china just to mention a few. Of course lets not put that on the six oclock news. which leads us american tax payers to believe , The 800 billion in bailout money, simply created jobs in other countrys and we taxpayers footed the bill,It built bridges for the rich countys, Example conneticut, There were earmarks for our buddys, we dont have to say anything about all of this though. boy what a gullable breed. Now that you have let me sound off, how can we fix the problem. Stop letting the epa and overtaxation cause american companys to look elseware to build their plants. To put it another way stop lying to the american people about how good nafta is, Revoke the laws that allowed all of our jobs, which were given to someone making 10 cents an hour in another country. Force the companys to bring the jobs back to america, Or dont sell their products in america. Speak truth on the six oclock news heres an example, Today the lawmakers in our country, allowed chrysler and any other company who sees fit, to file bankruptcy in america, dont worry though, we will be stealing money from all you americans, to keep them afloat,while allowing them to build new plants in mexico, or any other country of choice, again we will be paying for this from money which we take from you taxpayers. we will also be giving congress a 10,000 dollar raise next year, per person as you americans loose your jobs and your familys suffer. we will be laying you off now. But not to worry our ceos will be getting a raise, as will the members of congress who created this mess in the first place. further more there will be an increase in your taxes to pay for all of this. we will be continuing to retire at the tune of 700,000 dollars a year after serving just one term in the congress though. we will also be getting free medical care, and will not be paying into social security ourselfs, we are to good for that. However we will be giving your hard earned social security to ilegall imagrants, whom decide to move here to retire. we will not be asking you for permission, Heres why, These illegal imagrants will be voting for us next elections and we need them here as soon as possible. Again thank you taxpayers for being gullable,otherwise we would not be able to continue making you believe that we are trying to make things better for you, while in fact we are stuffing our pockets and taking care of our familys and friends while you all suffer. we really enjoy our lavish lifestyles, which all you taxpayers pay for . by the way, we lawmakers know that if we do not change our ways , our country will soon be out of taxpayers and voters who support us, and we will loose our jobs next elections,we also havent given any thought to the tax base which pays for government, "Slash" , our fun, while we are in office. We in congress also seem to be forgetting that every job lost in the USA, Is another 6,000 of the taxbase which we are spending wrecklessly Right now, If we keep losing our own source of income we may have to go to work for real someday. for if we do not, we lawmakers will bankrupt not only wells fargo, and leman brothers, but perhaps the good ole USA. There is no fix for the mess that this administration seems to be building.God help our kids.

[energytohigh]

no news agencys are speaking the truth about job loss in our country. lets face it prat, and whitney did not cut jobs they simply gave them to another country, as did ford, gm, chrysler whom gave the jobs they cut from americans,to mexico,Etc. At&t gave jobs to india, so did gateway,dell just to mention a few, millions of jobs cut in america are now with other countrys, that is the truth, our jobs have been outsorced, period. Our leaders call it nafta, north american free trade agrement. we were lied to when we were told nafta would create new jobs here in the USA, It was an outright lie. It sure did create jobs, if you live in india,mexico,china,japan,etc. we americans call it take our jobs and give them to someone else.And why,? avoid paying all the bennifits of the american workers, or to put it another way if we move our companys we will not have to pay overtime, medical bennifits, etc. do you get it yet. It is all for profit. Companys like gm,chrysler,wells fargo,Aig,etc. Who we just gave billions of dollars to, have been busy building plants in mexico and china just to mention a few. Of course lets not put that on the six oclock news. which leads us american tax payers to believe , The 800 billion in bailout money, simply created jobs in other countrys and we taxpayers footed the bill,It built bridges for the rich countys, Example conneticut, There were earmarks for our buddys, we dont have to say anything about all of this though. boy what a gullable breed. Now that you have let me sound off, how can we fix the problem. Stop letting the epa and overtaxation cause american companys to look elseware to build their plants. To put it another way stop lying to the american people about how good nafta is, Revoke the laws that allowed all of our jobs, which were given to someone making 10 cents an hour in another country. Force the companys to bring the jobs back to america, Or dont sell their products in america. Speak truth on the six oclock news heres an example, Today the lawmakers in our country, allowed chrysler and any other company who sees fit, to file bankruptcy in america, dont worry though, we will be stealing money from all you americans, to keep them afloat,while allowing them to build new plants in mexico, or any other country of choice, again we will be paying for this from money which we take from you taxpayers. we will also be giving congress a 10,000 dollar raise next year, per person as you americans loose your jobs and your familys suffer. we will be laying you off now. But not to worry our ceos will be getting a raise, as will the members of congress who created this mess in the first place. further more there will be an increase in your taxes to pay for all of this. we will be continuing to retire at the tune of 700,000 dollars a year after serving just one term in the congress though. we will also be getting free medical care, and will not be paying into social security ourselfs, we are to good for that. However we will be giving your hard earned social security to ilegall imagrants, whom decide to move here to retire. we will not be asking you for permission, Heres why, These illegal imagrants will be voting for us next elections and we need them here as soon as possible. Again thank you taxpayers for being gullable,otherwise we would not be able to continue making you believe that we are trying to make things better for you, while in fact we are stuffing our pockets and taking care of our familys and friends while you all suffer. we really enjoy our lavish lifestyles, which all you taxpayers pay for . by the way, we lawmakers know that if we do not change our ways , our country will soon be out of taxpayers and voters who support us, and we will loose our jobs next elections,we also havent given any thought to the tax base which pays for government, "Slash" , our fun, while we are in office. We in congress also seem to be forgetting that every job lost in the USA, Is another 6,000 of the taxbase which we are spending wrecklessly Right now, If we keep losing our own source of income we may have to go to work for real someday. for if we do not, we lawmakers will bankrupt not only wells fargo, and leman brothers, but perhaps the good ole USA. There is no fix for the mess that this administration seems to be building.God help our kids.

[PR_in_Alabama]

Education is overrated and is too expensive...My Son will like to be a Chef, we looked at a few schools, it will cost him $85K for 3yrs of culinary school.

[macdoodle1]

Always look at fed predictions for job openings in various careers at the library or online.
Smaller Schools cost less and can give often him the same job opportunity.

[eightsigma]

The problem is not taxes. The problem is free trade.

[wearenotsheeple]

How can anyone expect job growth when our Government has been forcing industry to off shore countries for decades now. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that our corporate tax rate is the first stumbling block to jobs creation, as well as the unwanted health care reform that is being rammed down our throats just because it is what the "Messiah" wants.

Pass the Fair Tax into law, abolish the IRS, and lower our corporate tax rate to at, or below the worlds average and the jobs will be so plentiful that we won't be able to fill them all. We need to break the "China Connection", and start producing quality goods that are "Made in America" once again, which in turn will create new jobs. There is no quick solution to the problem because industry has been decaying for a long time now, and there is very little industry left in this country to provide jobs. There are just so many McDonald's restaurants around for jobs creation.

Why would anyone think that shipping all of our jobs overseas due to governmental over regulation and extremely high corporate taxes would ever be good for this country. And currently, a lot of businesses are not going to hire new workers until they see how much this Marxist style of a health care reform will cost them. Why do they (the Obama Administration) continue to ignore the Bill of Rights?

Czars in our Government(Who knows how many by now) are in direct conflict with the laws of this land, so what's this all about? If they are the ones sworn to uphold the laws of this land and they are intentionally ignoring the very laws and regulations they are sworn to protect, who will hold them accountable? Lets hope the voters who actually got "Change they can believe in" can see that change for what it really is and VOTE THEM OUt before they destroy this nation once and for all. Its now a simple case of

The wolves are guarding the Hen House now, and it's time to remember the old battle cry..."Throw the bums out", and do so with your vote !!

[RonCollins1]

There are concerns about education of our people. Education has become unaffordable. Today, in NC, it costs about $16K a year at a state supported college. Most students are way in debt by the time they graduate, if not them, their parents. We (the country, the government, the taxpayers)need to determine ways to make college affordable again. Are the public colleges really public or have they merely become profit centers? Your news segment talked about students in other countries. How many of them had to pay the price we have to pay for their education?

There are concerns about jobs however we (again, the country, the government, the taxpayers) continue to entice manufacturing jobs out of this country. You say "entice"? Yes, we make it advantageous for companies to move manufacturing out of this country, mostly on the premise of a "global economy".

Pulling this country up begins here in the USA, not everywhere else!

[mamacass50]

So, once we become innovative and create new ideas and employment, how many of these U.S. companies will once again outsource and we lose all those jobs again. Plus, we DO have a lot graduated engineers in the U.S. who are now working blue collar jobs, but when the time comes, they will be available to use their engineering skills, so I don't believe we don't have the people to staff the positions. I was just laid off my medical transcription job due to advancement in computer use and voice recognition, so we are up against computers and robotics in the doing human jobs in the U.S. also. I sure hope we can turn this nation around...