Toy Industry Workers

Going forward, the employment outlook depends on factors such as the type of job done, the amount of automation introduced into the workplace, and the amount of production that is moved overseas. Additionally, the demand for toys is closely linked to the state of the economy. When the economy is strong, people spend more money on toys. When it is weak, toy purchases often decline.

Games and puzzles, arts and crafts, and learning and exploration toys, as well as smart toys with electronic components, continue to be popular, which may create more job opportunities for toy workers with skills or experience in these areas. Additionally, video games that are popular with older children and even adults should make the future bright for this segment of the industry. On the other hand, some video games or game parts are imports from abroad, which may limit the number of new jobs to be found here. Also, if toy preferences change, employment patterns may shift in coming years in ways that are hard to predict now. Nevertheless, there is a fairly high rate of job turnover among production workers due in part to the low pay and repetitive work. Because of this, replacement workers are usually needed.

For those in other areas of the industry, such as design, engineering, and marketing, employment outlooks should follow the overall health of the toy industry as well as the economy.