What effect is the growing 3D printing industry having on employment?

When a new technology is produced there is the concern that it could be at the expense of people. Efficiency can potentially mean people who would previously do a job are now obsolete. However this does not necessarily have to be the case as access to this technology can open up opportunties. Therefore it is fair to ask “Are there many jobs being created in the 3D industry?”

Growing demand

According to Forbes magazine 35% of vacancies for engineering jobs have come from the 3D printing industry. As well as engineers there has also been increased demand for people with management and IT experience, so it seems that it is not just people with engineering degrees who could potentially benefit.

Of course it is also easy to forget that 3D printing also requires raw materials such as sheet metal, rubber and such the like. These industries have also seen increased demand as the companies who print using these materials seek suppliers.

Equally there appears to be a growing demand for freelancers in this industry- Elance alone has over 76,000 people listed with additive manufacturing and other relevant experience. There are also an increasing number of websites such as 3D Printing Jobs.com, suggesting that demand is high enough that specialist recruitment sites are needed.

Of course it will be interesting to see in the coming years if there are sufficient jobs for the people with the necessary experience. What is for sure is that as 3D printing technology becomes more widely available and used it is likely that those who have developed the necessary skills early on are likely to get the most benefit from it.