XIII. WOMEN IN THE LABOR FORCE-1965

In 1955 there were 20.9 million women in the labor force. By 1965 there will be 26.2 million.

Most of the anticipated increase of 5.4 million will be women in the younger and older age groups.

The 14- to 24-year group is expected to increase by 1.8 million. Little gain is anticipated in the 25- to 34-year-age group in which most women are occupied with child raising and homemaking.

Many women who need to work outside the home may be better able to do so after age 35. The 35-44 group is expected to increase by nearly 1 million.

The greatest increase will occur in the 45 years and over groups-some 2.6 million over the next 10 years.

Of the 10 million increase in the labor force during the next decade more than half will be women.

XIV. ANTICIPATED CHANGES IN THE OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE LABOR FORCE1965

Assuming a continuation of the basic trends which have been operating in this country during the first half of this century, we expect to see the following changes in the relative importance of the broad occupational groups of which our labor force is composed.

Professional and technical. This highly educated group which includes the scientists, engineers, teachers, physicians and nurses will be in great demand An increase of more than one-third by 1965 appears likely.

Proprietors and managers.—The growing size and complexity of business organizations demands people skilled in management who can plan and direct the work of others. An increase of over one-fifth is indicated.

Clerical and sales.-Record keeping and distribution services necessary to support a $560 billion economy will require a substantial increase in this group-by more than one quarter.

Craftsmen and operatives.-These large groups of skilled and semi-skilled workers who man our factories, build our homes, roads, and buildings are destined to grow nearly as rapidly as clerical and sales workers, or by about one quarter.

Service workers.—A rapidly growing population will demand many more personal and protective services-more barbers and beauty shop operators, more hotel employees, more policemen and firemen. An increase of between 10 and 15 percent appears likely.

Laborers. Although workers with limited training will be needed in 1965, unskilled jobs will decline.

Farmers and farm workers.-The decrease in farm population has been evident for many years and will undoubtedly continue. Because of great strides in productivity, through the use of machinery, chemicals in agriculture, and scientific farming methods, fewer people are needed to produce the food and fibers required by a growing population.

• Our expanding economy demands more workers
better educated and better trained.

XV. CONCLUSIONS

The next decade presents a challenge which, if met with foresight and intelligent planning, can result in the most prosperous period the Nation has ever known.

The economic strength of this or any Nation depends to a large extent on the skill, initiative, and creativeness of its people. Population growth will provide a labor force that is numerically adequate to meet future labor requirements— but we must make a conscious effort to develop the quality of our labor force. Because of the low birth rates in the 1930's, we can expect no significant increase in the 25- to 44-year-age group during the next 10 years. It should be evident, therefore, that we must develop the skill and versatility of the limited supply of workers in these age groups to their highest potential.

Nearly half of the increase in the labor force over the next decade will be in the 14- to 24-year-age group. These are the boys and girls (5-15 years of age) who today are in the elementary grades and early years of high school. By providing the best possible guidance, education, and training for these youngsters in the immediate years ahead, we can insure their entrance into the labor force as well adjusted, qualified, and competent workers.

Between 1955 and 1965 the number of workers in our labor force who are 45 years or older will increase by nearly 5 million. We must plan to fully utilize and retain, if necessary, these mature members of our work force.

The fact that women will constitute better than half of the anticipated 10 million increase in the labor force over the next 10 years demands that we provide more opportunities for them to acquire skill and plan to utilize more of them in the many occupations in which relatively few are employed today.

A PROGRAM FOR IMPROVING THE SKILLS

OF THE NATION'S WORK FORCE

THE NATION'S GOAL

• To achieve an adequate, skilled and versatile work force

• To promote equal opportunity for all qualified individuals to acquire skill

THE ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

• Find the facts and inform the Nation about the need for trained people

Help people select, prepare for and obtain the right jobs

• Promote more adequate training programs throughout the economy

The facts of the past and projections for the future used in this chart book have been assembled by a number of Federal agencies. Where a range of projections (e.g., population and labor force) have been available, either the most conservative or those in the middle range have been used. All projections assume the continuation of a prosperous peacetime economy.

What this chart book attempts to do is bring together a wide variety of socioeconomic information, point out its significance, and suggest some actions which need to be taken.

The following are the principal sources of data used:

Population and labor force: Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. Births: Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, U.S. Public Health Service.

School enrollments: Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, U.S. Office of Education.

Gross national product (in 1955 dollars):

Basic data: Council of Economic Advisers.

Projections: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Employment in major occupational groups:

Basic data: Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
Projections: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

INCREASE IN ACCIDENTS IN INDUSTRY

Mr. FOGARTY. I notice one of the suggestions with respect to health and safety is in manufacturing and it has been brought to my attention that the third quarter report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that accidents in industry are the highest since 1953. I thought from the testimony given by the Bureau of Labor Standards over the last 5 or 6 years that the accident rate was getting under control and there was a promotional program in industry that has been able to bring this accident rate down, and now we see the trend reversing.

Mr. MITCHELL. I am not familiar with the Bureau of Labor Statistics report you are referring to. There is probably an explanation here that certainly as the labor force of younger workers increases, your accident rate may also increase temporarily. The introduction of changes in technology, automation, and the training necessary could be a factor in the increase in the accident rate.

POSSIBLE ENLARGEMENT OF THE APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM

Mr. FOGARTY. Another thing that came to my mind was that with these 26 million new workers in the next 10 years, perhaps some consideration should be given to the enlargement of our apprentice training program.

Mr. MITCHELL. Of course the promotion of apprenticeship training and the training on the job is one we are constantly at. The growth in the skilled occupation training was indicated in another chart. As you know, apprenticeship training is confined to about 156 different trades and does not embrace the 26 million additional people there. I think it should be pointed out that every one in the Labor Department including myself would agree with you that greater emphasis should be placed not only on apprenticeship training but on training for all kinds of jobs, which I think this presentation demonstrates very vividly. Whether or not an increase in the number of people engaged in promoting apprenticeship training is called for at this time I do not know.

We met the other day with our Federal Advisory Council on Apprenticeship Training and we propose with them to examine the plans for the future based in part on this presentation and to counsel with them as to the amount and kind and quality of increase that will be necessary in the coming years in apprenticeship training.

PROGRESS MADE BY THE WOMEN'S BUREAU

Mr. FOGARTY. Another thing that came to my mind while one of the slides was being shown was the tremendous increase expected in the employment of women, yet the Women's Bureau is the only agency of Government specifically in behalf of the working women. That

continues to remain along approximately the same old basis that it has been for years. I was wondering if you had any plans to enlarge the Women's Bureau?

Mr. MITCHELL. I think I would take exception, and certainly the people in the Women's Bureau would take exception to the "same old basis." I think the base has been increased under the dynamic leadership of Mrs. Leopold.

Mr. FOGARTY. I think she has done a good job, with what she has to work with.

Mr. MITCHELL. I think you have to look at this and remember that the Women's Bureau is a promotional bureau and I think it is doing a very effective job in promoting the place of women in the labor force and in other areas. The actual placement of women and the employment of women depends in a large measure on how effective a job we do in making this information available to employers and also it inevitably gets into the job that the State employment agencies do.

Mr. FOGARTY. I remember Mrs. Leopold telling us a year or two ago how they were able to show that a stenographer 40 years of age was just as productive as a 21- or 22-year-old girl, but these women 40 years of age tell me it is a tremendous job getting employment once they state their age as being 40. I wondered what that research did? Has it helped the number of people over the age of 30?

Mr. MITCHELL. I am inclined to think that Mrs. Leopold will tell you that it has.

Mr. FOGARTY. I assume Mr. Secretary that every committee this year is going to scan all these appropriations to determine whether or not they can be cut back any, because of the necessity of balancing the budget.

NUMBER OF NEW POSITIONS REQUESTED IN 1961

How many new jobs are you asking for in your Department this year?

Mr. MITCHELL. Not counting the revision of the Consumer Price Index, and taking into account the expansion that will be required in the Bureau of Labor Management Reports, the change from 1960 to 1961 is a net of 56 jobs and if you add the Consumer Price Index for this year there will be an additional 94 jobs in that area, making a total of 150.

Mr. FOGARTY. How many jobs did you ask the Bureau of the Budget for?

Mr. MITCHELL. I do not have that information. Mr. Dodson can give it to you.

Mr. DODSON. I can put it this way quickly; the Bureau of the Budget disallowed 350 positions that we had requested.

Mr. FOGARTY. You asked for 350 more positions than they gave you? Mr. DODSON. That is right.

INCREASED ESTIMATES FOR 1961

Mr. FOGARTY. As I look at the totals, you have available for 1960, $550,802,900 and for 1961 you are asking for $556,886,000, an increase of $6,083,100.