If you take a look back over the last century and a half, you’ll see that technology has completely reshaped the world of work. It has changed what jobs look like, who does them, and the skills people need to thrive. This isn’t just a list of facts, it’s a story about how our lives and economies evolve along with technology.
Let’s start at the end of the 19th century. Back then, a huge chunk of the U.S. workforce was still doing farm work, around 41% in 1900. But by the year 2000, that number had dropped to just 2%. What caused that? Machines. When farmers got tractors, combine harvesters, and other mechanical tools, it made sense to use those instead of hand labor. This was part of a bigger trend called mechanization. Factories were popping up with machines that could do the work of skilled craftspeople in a faster, cheaper way. Think of textile mills churning out knitted socks or factories producing shoes with machines instead of hand stitching. That changed the game completely.
As a result, millions of people moved from countryside farms to cities where factories were booming. Instead of crafting a whole product themselves, workers now often repeated the same step on an assembly line under strict schedules. It wasn’t always an easier life, factory jobs could be harsh and repetitive. But it was a new economic reality. This shift also sparked the early labor movement, as workers organized to fight for better wages and safer conditions.
Moving into the middle of the 20th century, we saw another big tech push. Assembly lines got faster and more electrified, and office work wasn’t the same either. Typewriters, calculators, and eventually computers started to change the roles people had in offices. Sure, some routine clerical jobs became obsolete, but new roles emerged to manage these machines and the growing flow of information. It wasn’t just about physical labor anymore; it was also about managing and programming technology.
Then things accelerated again in the late 20th century with the digital revolution. Personal computers and the internet created entirely new industries and jobs. In fact, this wave has generated over 19 million new jobs in the U.S. alone, roughly 10% of the working population. But it also split the labor market in interesting ways. Many middle-skill jobs in manufacturing or routine office work started vanishing. On the other hand, high-skill technology jobs and lower-skill service jobs multiplied. This split means some workers find great opportunities while others struggle to adapt.
What’s fascinating is that new jobs keep appearing, some that didn’t even exist before. For instance, roles like distance-learning coordinators or informatics nurse specialists are products of this ongoing innovation. These jobs ask people to bring problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork to the table, things machines still can’t do well.
Looking at all these changes together, one thing is clear: technology keeps reshaping what work looks like but doesn’t just erase jobs. Instead, it shifts them and creates new forms of work. This isn’t an easy process. Some regions and workers adapt better than others, so education and continuous retraining are vital. Making sure people have the tools to keep up is just as important as the technologies themselves.
The history of work over 150 years shows us a rhythm of change, a cycle of disruption and opportunity. From horse-drawn plows to digital dashboards, technology changes the rules we all live by, and the labor market adapts along with it.
