20-Year Prospect

20-Year Prospect

Tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors learned they didn't need to rely on no fancy-pants natural shelters dagnabit―they could build their very own out of the rocks around them (talk about mind-blowing). We've basically been doing it ever since, and there is no indication we'll stop doing it any time soon. People love building with stones; the look and feel of a nice granite hearth or marble floor is always in demand.

Some of the more basic jobs such as rock-breaking may be automated in time, but it's not a likely transition to happen in the next twenty years. The more specialized jobs like stone carving are likely to require a human touch for even longer.

As the population increases and more buildings are needed, stonemasonry is expected to see close to a 30% increase in jobs (source). Not a bad growth rate for one of the oldest professions on the planet.