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Trends in the Growth and Distribution of Skills in the U.S. Workplace, 1960–1985

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  • David R. Howell
  • Edward N. Wolff

Abstract

Using new measures of job skills and standard measures of education and earnings, the authors examine the effects of changing occupational and industry employment patterns on the skill composition of work between 1960 and 1985. The results show a strong upgrading of cognitive and interactive skills—combined, however, with a substantial slowdown in the rates of growth of those skills—and a declining demand for motor skills. The earnings mix of jobs did not show the same high correlation with employment growth as skill and education levels, because high-wage, low-skill jobs declined in the goods industries while low-wage jobs requiring at least moderate skill levels grew rapidly in the services.

Suggested Citation

  • David R. Howell & Edward N. Wolff, 1991. "Trends in the Growth and Distribution of Skills in the U.S. Workplace, 1960–1985," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 44(3), pages 486-502, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:44:y:1991:i:3:p:486-502
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    Cited by:

    1. John Robst & Kathleen Cuson-Graham, 1999. "The effect of uncertain educational requirements on education and wages," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(1), pages 53-63.
    2. Nikolov, Plamen & Jimi, Nusrat & Chang, Jerray, 2020. "The Importance of Cognitive Domains and the Returns to Schooling in South Africa: Evidence from Two Labor Surveys," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    3. Murnane, Richard J. & Willett, John B. & Braatz, M. Jay & Duhaldeborde, Yves, 2001. "Do different dimensions of male high school students' skills predict labor market success a decade later? Evidence from the NLSY," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 311-320, August.
    4. David R. Howell & Margaret Duncan & Bennett Harrison, 1998. "Low Wages in the US and High Unemployment in Europe: A Critical Assessment of the Conventional Wisdom," SCEPA working paper series. 1998-01, Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA), The New School, revised Aug 1998.
    5. Manuel Cabral & Rod Falvey & Chris Milner, 2009. "Does Skill Content Explain Total Trade and Intra‐Industry Trade?," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 71(5), pages 601-619, October.

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