The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times
AD
The Epoch Times
Support Us
US News
Featured

What Happened to the Great American Worker?

Blue-collar industries still desperate to hire as college graduates face layoffs

What Happened to the Great American Worker?
A woman walks by a "Now Hiring" sign outside a store in Arlington, Va., on Aug. 16, 2021. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
Kevin Stocklin
Kevin Stocklin
Reporter
9/1/2022|Updated: 9/8/2022
0:00

As the recession sets in, the U.S. labor market appears to have a split personality.

Industries such as oil and gas remain desperate for workers, while many college graduates may soon find themselves collecting unemployment. At the same time, the post-pandemic period has seen record numbers of able-bodied workers dropping out of the labor pool altogether, coupled with declining productivity among those who stayed in it.

Kevin Stocklin
Kevin Stocklin
Reporter
Kevin Stocklin is a contributor to The Epoch Times who covers the ESG industry, global governance, and the intersection of politics and business.
Author’s Selected Articles
Netflix CEO Faces Criticism From Lawmakers on Warner Merger
Feb 05, 2026
Netflix CEO Faces Criticism From Lawmakers on Warner Merger
Wells Fargo Follows JPMorgan in Cutting Ties With Shareholder Proxy Advisers
Feb 01, 2026
Wells Fargo Follows JPMorgan in Cutting Ties With Shareholder Proxy Advisers
Why the ‘Hype Phase’ of Wind and Solar Is Over
Jan 30, 2026
Why the ‘Hype Phase’ of Wind and Solar Is Over
US Exits Paris Agreement, as Trump’s 2025 Pledge Becomes Official
Jan 27, 2026
US Exits Paris Agreement, as Trump’s 2025 Pledge Becomes Official
Related Topics
unemployment
jobs
labor market
quiet quitting
Add to My List
Save
The Epoch Times
Copyright © 2000 - 2026 The Epoch Times Association Inc. All Rights Reserved.