Even automated plants have lots of labor opportunities for highschool grads. Some of the bean plants I worked in were ostensibly automated, which meant it stil

Even automated plants have lots of labor opportunities for highschool grads. Some of the bean plants I worked in were ostensibly automated, which meant it still took two or three people supervising the plant during operation. (In the un-automated plants it was more like 10-15 people needed, so there was definitely a big difference.) But even when the whole processing line is automatic you still need people around to unclog machines when they get jammed, hit them with hammers when they start acting up, replace bearings when they start screaming, rake up all the beans that fall on the floor, unclog all the drains that get filled with scum, rake beans out of the back of the truck (because moving-floor trailers never get all the beans out.) Each automated plant is also basically assured income for any local mechanic, who would typically get called at least a few times a week for any problem I couldn't fix with a hammer or wrench.