Where are the good jobs and what do we need to do to get them? These are the questions that will interest most people seeking jobs or in jobs. Workers of the 21st Century are more likely to be interested in these questions because of the increased uncertainties of the labor markets in the new century.
Rapid technological progress along with the social and economic changes experienced in the new century have made the job markets as unpredictable as possible. To make a smart decision in the face of this uncertainty, it is necessary to obtain quality information on jobs. The job seekers would need this information, and the state has responsibility to provide this information and oversee the production of this information.
In this context, this study reviews conditions to provide information on good jobs. First, it surveys the criteria used to generally define "good jobs". The most commonly used criteria are "fast growing" jobs, with "high pays" and "a large number of job openings". These three criteria are commonly requested as conditions for good jobs. Also, depending on the background of the job seekers, definition of good jobs can be different. Depending on the target groups of the job information, lists of good jobs are presented for such groups as the youth, the aged, female workers, and part-time workers. The criteria used to select good jobs for these groups given in this study may not obtain universal agreement. However, at least, they suggest a way of selecting good jobs for target groups.
The study then examined fast growing industries in Korea, Japan, and the U.S.. Behind good jobs, there are always booming industries. Therefore, an overview of industrial trends in the three countries can shed a light on the prediction of good jobs in these countries. The study also looked at good jobs that are predicted and presented to be good jobs by numerous studies, from the ones presented by the U.S. News and World Report to the good jobs predicted by the Department of Labor in Korea.
In the second part of the study, the study first examined the making of the national infrastructure to provide quality information on good jobs. The study presented the case of the United States and its job information system as an example. Then, it contrasted the structure with that of Korea. Then, implications of the study on production and utilization of information on good jobs are presented. The study discusses how the diverse criteria of good jobs presented in the 1st part of the study can be applied for future production of information on good jobs. The study also discusses flaw in the job information infrastructure in Korea to produce information on good jobs. The study points to major problems which obstruct creation and delivery of useful information on jobs. Then, it proposes solutions to build stronger job information system in Korea. It also suggests projects for future study of good jobs which need to be undertaken to produce both in the short and long runs.