[zenithscribe]

Be it MT or any other profession, ultimately it is the skill set of an individual that would set her/him apart from the rest.  I have been hearing for the last 10 (of my 15 years) that this industry is going to "die".  I DISAGREE. The industry has definitely matured, evolved and moved from low-end basic typing to higher end where proofing skills are more sought after and would definitely be wanted in the future that is forseeable.  Only those that are able to keep pace with the evolution and adapt to a changing environment would survive but that is true for every industry from auto manufacture to hospitality services industry - keep pace with time and reinvent yourself to cater better to the customer.  I have worked with this industry for the last decade and a half starting from as an MT to managing teams of 80 people until moving to entrepreneurship.  I have evolved and adapted and continue to enjoy my work.  There were immense speculation at a time when the industry was shifting to speech engines and there is a deja vu as we move to EMR in a bid to bring costs down.  There will be more changes in time to come and that is a good thing rather than being in an industry where age-old methods are used for centuries.  For such people looking at static environment, may be cottage industry or handloom activity might just suit.  Thanks.