Steel Industry Workers

Strong foreign competition, an increase in imported steel, decreases in domestic manufacturing, the increasing use of labor-saving machinery (such as computer numerically-controlled [CNC] machine tools and robots), and overproduction of steel on the world market has negatively affected the U.S. steel industry and its workers. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) predicts that employment in the steel industry will decline through 2033. Opportunities will be slightly better for workers employed at electronic arc furnace mills, which are more cost-effective than traditional steel mills. The DOL predicts that job opportunities for CNC machine programmers will be strong. Employment in this career is expected to grow by 15 percent from 2023 through 2033. This is much faster than the average for all occupations.

One growth area for steel manufacturers in the coming years is the field of renewable energy. According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, "steel is at the core of the green economy...it is the main material used in delivering renewable energy—solar, tidal and wind; and the only material that reduces greenhouse gas emissions in all phases of an automobile’s life: manufacturing, driving and end-of-life."