Chicago Tribune (02/26/12) Jason Lange
U.S. manufacturers are hiring at the fastest rate in more than 10 years, but technological advances could put an end to that trend in the coming years. In 2011, factories added 237,000 jobs, and that rate is likely to continue this year. Over the long term, however, factory job creation will likely stagnate as technology advances, and manufacturers’ role in the labor market is expected to decline. According to a U.S. Department of Labor report published Feb. 1, factory employment will fall to 11.5 million employees by 2020, down from 11.9 million in January 2012.