November 09, 2006
Contact: Curt Stewart 801.526.4315
The Department of Workforce Services (DWS) has just released
new projections on jobs in Utah through 2014. DWS economists use computer models
and their professional expertise to predict the growth rate and number of annual
job openings in Utah for hundreds of occupations, based on current employment
trends and projections of industry growth. Projections offer valuable information
for anyone wanting to choose a career, or change careers. They reflect the demand
employers are expected to have for each occupation. The projections do not address
whether the supply of workers will or will not be adequate to meet the demand.
Lecia Langston, DWS economist, says “The current set of occupational projections
reinforce what is true today: education pays. Those willing to invest in education
and training for occupations that are projected to show high demand can expect
to receive the best wages. In addition, higher education correlates with lower
unemployment rates. In other words, to get a high-paying job, invest in training
and education. To suffer less unemployment, invest in training and education.”
Some of the best job opportunities will be in health care and in the computer
and technology fields. The data suggests that jobs with the best employment
outlook and wages in the future will require additional education after high
school and/or substantial on-the-job training. The share of jobs requiring a
Bachelor’s degree or higher is expanding, which means that getting a higher
education is more important than ever.
Occupations are ranked by a five-star rating system based on employment outlook
and wages. Jobs with five-star ratings have the best wages and strongest employment
projections for the future, as ranked by training level.
The new occupational projections are on the Web at jobs.utah.gov, at the Workforce
Information link. They are also published in the booklet entitled Utah Job Trends.
This booklet is also on line in its entirety, and single printed copies are
available free at all DWS employment centers.
For more information about the new occupational projections data, call Lecia
Langston at
435-688-3115. To request a free hard copy of Utah Job Trends, call 801-526-9786,
or email wipublications@utah.gov.
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