The table illustrates the proportions of employed men and women in four sector — retail, health, manufacturing, and tourism — in a small town during the years 1990, 2000, and 2010.
Overall, the employment patterns for men and women followed different trajectories over this period. The manufacturing sector for men fell dramatically, while health remained fairly stable and tourism saw a slight drop. Among women, tourism and health employment rose, reflecting a shift towards service-oriented roles.
Turning first to men, the proportion employed in manufacturing plummeted from 30% in 1990 to a mere 10% in 2010. The health sector remained relatively small but gradually grew from 7% to 9%, reflecting a slight upward trend. Retail employment stayed constant at 13% across all years, while tourism fell from 13% to 10%. For women, the health sector jumped from 9% in 1990 to 15% in 2010, marking a significant rise. The tourism industry also saw a considerable growth, from 23% to 27%. Retail employment remained nearly the same, with a small increase from 7% to 9%. However, the manufacturing sector fell to 3% in 2010 from 7% in 1990, reflecting a dramatic shrinkage in this industry’s employment for women.
Overall, the table highlights a clear shift from manufacturing toward service sect — health and tourism — for both genders over the 20-year period.