Policymakers have focused on manufacturing not only because it is a traded sector (selling products internationally) but also because it employs a relatively significant share of middle-skilled workers – individuals who have at least some college but no bachelor’s degree. However, we see similar shares in most traded-sector industries. For example, while middle-skill workers make up a fifth of the American workforce, they make up between 25 and 30 percent in software and IT manufacturing, 30 percent of workers in manufacturing overall, 32 percent in the film industry, and 34 percent in the music-recording industry.
