joined the workforce

USAGE SUMMARY

"joined the workforce" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are talking about someone entering the job market. For example: After graduating from college, James joined the workforce.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

46 human-written examples

First, women joined the workforce, giving families a second income.

The New York Times - Books

Some 820,000 women have joined the workforce since Mr Abe came to office in 2012.

The Economist

This caricature insults the women who joined the workforce in such great numbers.

The Guardian - Books

A growing body of female politicians, teachers, doctors, midwives and entrepreneurs has joined the workforce.

The Guardian - Opinion

In the early years of this century, more than fifty million women joined the workforce across the Muslim world.

The New Yorker

The generation of women who joined the workforce in the late 1970s fought, successfully, for many basic rights — maternity leave and benefits among them.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

14 human-written examples

Each year 13m Indians join the workforce.

The Economist

Robots are joining the workforce around the world.

MIT Technology Review

Young people trying to join the workforce for the first time were hit particularly hard.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Men earned less money, forcing more women to join the workforce to make ends meet.

The New York Times

Statistics show there are fewer babies being born and fewer young people to join the workforce.

The Guardian - Money

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the specific context when using "joined the workforce". If you mean a specific company, it's better to say "joined [Company Name]".

Common error

The phrase "joined the workforce" signifies entering employment, so using it in the context of retirement would be contradictory. Instead, say someone "left the workforce" or "retired".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "joined the workforce" functions as a verb phrase indicating the act of becoming employed or entering the labor market. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and commonly used to describe this transition.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Science

14%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "joined the workforce" is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase that refers to the act of entering the job market or becoming employed. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. The phrase is frequently used in news and media, with occasional use in scientific and formal/business contexts. Given its prevalence and clarity, this phrase is appropriate for most professional communication where indicating entry into employment is required. When using this phrase, remember that it indicates the start of someone's career or their entry into the job market and it is essential to consider context to avoid any possible misinterpretation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

entered the workforce

Focuses on the action of entering, implying a transition into employment.

entered the labor market

A more formal term for entering the workforce.

became employed

Highlights the state of being employed, shifting the focus to the result.

became a member of the workforce

Highlights integration into the working population.

started working

A more general term emphasizing the commencement of work.

became a working professional

Highlights professional status upon entering employment.

began their career

Highlights the beginning of a professional path.

secured a position

Emphasizes the act of obtaining a specific role.

found employment

Emphasizes the act of securing a job.

landed a job

An informal way of saying someone found employment.

FAQs

How to use "joined the workforce" in a sentence?

You can use "joined the workforce" to describe someone's entry into the job market, like "After graduating, she "joined the workforce" as a software engineer".

What can I say instead of "joined the workforce"?

You can use alternatives like "entered the workforce", "became employed", or "started working" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "joined to the workforce"?

No, the correct phrase is "joined the workforce", without the preposition "to". The verb "join" directly connects the person to the workforce.

What's the difference between "joined the workforce" and "entered the workforce"?

While both phrases are similar, ""joined the workforce"" implies becoming a part of an existing structure, while ""entered the workforce"" simply means to begin participating in the job market.