Things are getting worse for the kids

Thomas Edsall has a lengthy op-ed reporting on some studies of mid-level, mid-pay jobs. Between 1980 and 2000 holders of these mid-level jobs found that the jobs available were becoming fewer and fewer unless they were in technology. These jobs required better reasoning ability, greater creativity and stronger management skills. As shown by this figure, the cognitive level demanded by these employment tasks increased from 1980 to 2000, but then dropped considerably.

What is happening now because of this is that college graduates are forced to take jobs beneath their level of educational training, moving into clerical and service positions instead of into finance and high tech. Which results in those without college degrees having to replace their service and clerical jobs taken by college students. Eventually leading to those at the bottom of the skill level becoming unemployed.