Technology Changes Everything: Computers Really Are Taking Our Jobs

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The last great recession began in December 2007 and officially ended in June 2009. But it doesn't feel like it's over. Even though productivity and in many cases corporate profits have rebounded, unemployment and underemployment remain high. We have seen this pattern after each recession since the 1990s and it has been dubbed "jobless recovery."

There are many arguments about why unemployment remains so stubbornly high. Some explain that because the economy is weak employers are afraid to grow and reluctant to hire. Others have argued that the economy is facing stagnation and a failure of innovation, especially relative to booming economies in Asia and India. For educators, the "skills gap" explanation has been the most pertinent. This posits that employers now require higher skill levels from their workers and education is not providing what is needed. Consequently too many people are simply unprepared for work in the 21st Century.