Even though the data contained in this publication can be immensely helpful in making career decisions, it really is only a small part of the full spectrum of information available from the Department of Workforce Services (DWS).You can access much of the department’s career planning information by logging on to the Utah Occupational Explorer, an online tool powered by the Utah Economic Data Viewer. From within the Utah Occupational Explorer you can find not only occupational projections and wage data, but also learn about the skills required by the occupation, see if any licensure is needed, find schools and training providers, and—perhaps most importantly—few the current job openings posted with DWS.
Getting to all this information is easy. From the Utah Occupational Explorer start page you can search for an occupation that interests you by either entering part of its name in the keyword search box or by looking for it in the occupational title list box. After finding the occupation you are interested in, you will be prompted to select the full report to reveal everything the Utah Occupational Explorer has available.
Utah Occupational Explorer: http://jobs.utah.gov/jsp/wi/utalmis/gotoOccinfo.do
For more information visit our web site at http://jobs.utah.gov/wi.
If you don’t read anything else in this booklet, read this article. It can provide you with some important and basic facts about the information you’ll find here.
It’s about the long run. No, there may not be many openings for construction workers right now. However, these are ten-year projections. Perhaps the industry is suffering a downturn at the moment, but in the long run we expect it to recover.
There are no real crystal balls. This information is projected from current trends added to what we currently know about the economy. We do our best. But, we don’t have the capability to actually predict the future. (We’d be independently wealthy if we could do that.)
Star ratings are for informational purposes only. We rate occupations to help you understand the projections data. We recognize that sometimes it’s difficult to sort out the meaning of the numbers. The ratings aren’t perfect. They don’t make any judgments about the value of a particular occupation. We just use a particular methodology to highlight occupations with good employment outlook and better-than-average pay. Please don’t make a career decision based on the star rating of an occupation alone.
The training groupings for the star ratings for statewide and metro occupations have changed. In the past, ratings were made for three training-level groups. This year, instead of lumping all “on-the-job training” jobs together, we’ve pulled out long-term on-the-job training and occupations that require previous experience in another occupation into a separate group.
The training-level groupings for Cache County, Washington County, and Balance of State areas are different than those for Statewide and Metro. Because fewer occupations meet publication and rating criteria, only two training-level groupings are used for these areas—those requiring post-high school degrees or certificates and those classified as requiring “on-the-job” training.
Data is published for different areas than in past releases. We’ve prepared projections for areas supported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics survey. However, smaller areas (Cache and Washington counties, for example) will have fewer occupations with publishable data—and star ratings.
There’s more! The occupations in this booklet represent just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Statewide, we’ve assigned star ratings to more than 600 occupations. Find out more on our web site: http://jobs.utah.gov/opencms/wi/occi.html.
Ratings are meant to provide guidance for those seeking
high-demand/high-wage positions and are not the final word on the desirability
of a particular occupation.
The star rating is based on employment outlook and wages:
For statewide and metro projections, the star ratings are based on rankings within the four following training-level groups:
For Cache County, Washington County, and nonmetro projections, the star ratings are based on rankings within the two following training-level groups:
Keep in mind that a “five-star” occupation in an on-the-job training group will pay less than a “five-star” occupation requiring a college education.
Not Rated occupations are excluded because of low employment levels or because they represent “residual” occupations—a grouping of similar occupations.
This category includes professional degrees (such as law and medicine), doctoral degrees, master’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and occupations where work experience is required in addition to a bachelor’s or higher degree (such as managers).
Associate degrees usually require at least two years of full-time academic schooling after high school. Many of these occupations are health related. Occupations in the vocational training/applied technology category generally require completion of applied technology training programs or courses that do not result in a degree. Program lengths vary greatly and can lead to certification or a diploma. Some of these occupations require a license.
These occupations require work experience in another occupation. Most of the employment in these occupations is a variety of first-line supervisors/managers and sales representatives. Long-term on-the-job training means the occupation calls for more than 12 months of on-the-job training or combined work experience and formal classroom instruction before workers develop skills needed for average job performance.
These occupations typically require from just a few days or weeks training to, at most, 12 months of on-the-job training. Training can include watching experienced workers. Trainees can be given progressively more difficult assignments as they show their mastery of lower-level skills. These positions can be separated into two levels—moderate-term (one to 12 months) or short-term (a few days to several weeks).
In this rating system, five-star jobs are those with the strongest employment outlook and high wages. The employment outlook rating is based 90 percent on the number of annual openings projected for that occupation and 10 percent on the rate of new employment growth in that job. Wage rankings use the median annual wage from the Utah wage survey that we conduct.
The system groups jobs by training level; a high-paying or five-star job with on-the-job training will not match the wages of a high-paying five-star job requiring a college education.
It’s nice there is information about jobs, but what does it really mean
to you?
This is only the start! If you are serious about choosing a career that you will enjoy and that will provide you with the lifestyle you want, do some research! The web site, careers.utah.gov is another helpful resource.
Just because an occupation is listed in this publication, with what seems to be more than enough job openings, it doesn’t mean jobs will be easy to find!
These openings cover only the “demand” for occupations. Every good economist knows you also need to look at the supply side of the eequation. In other words, you need to know what the competition is. Unfortunately, that isn’t easy. There’s not much supply side data available. An occupation may create hundreds or new openings a year. BUT, if thousands of workers are qualified for those positions, a bunch of people won’t be able to find work in that career!
In other words, think about the supply of labor for a particular occupation—not just the demand data you find here. We do have some figures on the number of people completing certain degree or training programs at public institutions. However, that excludes many, many qualified workers. So, do your homework! Check with people already employed in the occupation and employers who hire that occupation to determine whether there is an over- or under-supply of workers.
ON AVERAGE, the five-star jobs in the higher education/training categories pay higher wages than those in the lower education/training categories.
KNOW which jobs are growing so you can pursue education and training that will continue to meet your needs.
Education pays: A phrase you’ve surely heard more than once, and that’s not just because those in the know like the sound of their own voices. It’s because those two words couldn’t be truer or more important. Want to live in a big house and drive a fancy car? Then get an education. Want to travel the world? Stay in school. The most direct route to a high-paying career runs straight through the world of education. The more education you have the more likely you are to find yourself in a career that affords you the kind of lifestyle you desire most.
Study after study concludes that education has a significant and positive impact on an individual’s expected wages. The data in this publication is no different. Notice that, on average, the five-star jobs in the higher education-training categories pay higher wages than those in the lower education/training categories. For example, the average yearly wage for a five-star job in the “Bachelor’s Degree or Higher” category is about $86,600; for jobs in the “Short and Moderate On-the-Job Training” category the average is roughly #33,600.
Another, less touted, benefit is the more education you have, the less likely you are to find yourself unemployed. In slow economic times, maintaining employment may be just as critical as earning that desired wage. How does education help workers avoid unemployment? There are a couple of ways. First, because the specialized skills that come with education are less common in the labor force, they are harder and more costly to replace. Employers will strive to avoid turnover in their high-skilled positions. In times of downsizing, employers are more likely to lay off low-skilled workers first, and to hold on to higher-skilled workers. Additionally, those with higher levels of education are more likely to compete for jobs requiring a specific knowledge base. This leads to a smaller labor pool of qualified candidates for a particular job, which increases the chances of obtaining employment.
Whether you view it from the perspective of wages or steady employment, education is by far the most direct way of helping to ensure yourself a successful career over your lifetime.
The best jobs take time. Okay, that’s rather ambiguous and it sounds like something your mother would say. What are we really getting at? There are typically two routes to getting better-than-average paying jobs: either get a good education or get a lot of experience on the job. Plus, the best-paying jobs generally require both.
Formal education may not be the best fit for you. Perhaps you are tired of school and you don’t want to spend another day in the classroom. But, if you aren’t going to put in the time to get a formal education, and you still want to do well, you’ll probably need a whole lot of experience. That means either learning a trade that takes lots of on-the-job training or moveing up into supervisory and management positions from positions on the ground floor.
However, when trying to move up to a supervisory position from the ground floor you may be competing with others who have schooling and experience. There is one big advantage to learning on the job—you get paid. And, there are many opportunities for those willing to work hard and learn difficult tasks. On the other hand, statistically, you are less likely to earn the wages of your college-educated friends—particularly those who have chosen high-demand careers. The bottom line? The best jobs require you to put in the time—either at school or on the job.
Is the inexperienced wage the same thing as an entry-level wage? Not exactly. The inexperienced wage captures the average wage of the bottom third of those individuals working in an occupation. Because of that it shouldn’t be confused with an entry wage, which is what employers pay new workers to start. Rather, the inexperienced wage should be thought of as just that, the wage paid to workers who have worked at a new job for a little while, but who are inexperienced and are still learning the ropes.
OK, but the data is so old! The wage data contained in the publication is the most recent and complete occupational wage information available for Utah. Because it takes time to collect the data from employers and process it for correctness, the data can only be published once each year and one year after it has been collected. With that said, it is the best data available.
Hmmm, this wage is way different from what I make!
It is important to remember that the wages reported here are merely a measure of
the middle of the range of wages for any given occupation. For that reason, if
what you are paid is somewhat—or even a lot—different than what you see in this
publication that doesn’t mean the data is wrong, it merely means that your wage
isn’t necessarily representative of the middle of all people in your particular
job. There are also other factors that can contribute to why an advertised wage
may be different than our published wage, for example: location—firms located in out-of-the-way
areas or in high-demand zones may have to pay higher than normal wages to
attract workers; size of firm—larger firms tend to have more money on hand to
recruit potential workers; etc.
Q: The occupation I’m interested in has only a two-star rating. Does this mean it isn’t a good career choice?
A: Since economist (an occupation near to our hearts) gets a two-star rating, our short answer is “no.” The star ratings are for informational purposes AND, they aren’t perfect. AND, the two-star job you are interested in may be high-paying, but have relatively few employment opportunities.
Now is the time to examine the numbers and wages. There will be employment opportunities in any occupation that is rated. Even declining occupations will have replacement openings when workers retire or leave the occupation for other reasons. The star rating just lets you know that you may need to job hunt harder, faster, longer and be really good at what you do to find a career in that field. Plus, the star ratings consider only the demand for workers—not the mix of supply and demand which truly determines whether you’ll have a hard time finding a position.
Q: Why is this information so old? Right now it is 2009, but the projections start in 2006.
A: Collecting, projecting, compiling, reviewing and publishing the data takes a long time. Plus, we generally wait until the U.S. projections are complete and use the same time frame so the state and national figures can be compared. Also, please realize that we redo this projection cycle every two years, so the projections are never truly more than two years old.
Q: Why are the five-star lists so short for some of the projection areas?
A: Smaller projection areas have fewer publishable occupations because of small sample sizes and confidentiality issues.
Q: To become a police officer in Utah, you need to attend the Police Academy. Why is this occupation listed in “on-the-job training?”
A: The on-the-job training categories (particularly long-term) can include some misture of classroom and on-the-job training.
Q: The career I’d like to pursue isn’t listed anywhere in this publication. Where can I get more information about it?
A: Go to our web site: http://jobs.utah.gov/jsp/wi/utalmis/gotoOccinfo.do for a searchable database of occupations.
Q: Teaching is a great profession. Why doesn’t it get a “five-star” rating?
A: Star ratings are based on three things—training level, employment outlook, and wages. We’re not making any judgments about the value of a particular occupation. Star ratings are intended to simplify career investigation. Because most school teachers have a nine-month contract, their annual wages tend to be lower than wages for a number of other degree-required positions calling for year-round employment. On the other hand, their median wages are higher than many occupations requiring at least a bachelor’s degree.
Q: I know someone with training in a five-star occupation, yet they are competing with lots of other individuals for every job opening. Should this occupation REALLY have a five-star ranking?
A: Star rankings are based on employer demand. Unfortunately, we don’t have good data for occupational “supply.” So, even though there may be many openings for a particular job, and excess supply of workers may make obtaining a position difficult.
Q: My county’s information is lost among many other counties in the non-metro group. Why don’t you do projections for every county?
A: We’d love to do projections for every county. However, the sample size of the survey which provides occupational information is too small to support any smaller areas.
Q: If an occupation has a lot of openings, is that a guarantee that it will be easy to find a job?
A: No. Openings only tell you what’s going on from the demand (employer’s) side of the labor market. The other factor to consider is supply (workers). If there are many workers looking for employment in an occupation, then competition for those openings will be strong.
Q: Where can I find more information?
A:
THE BEST JOBS require you to put in the time—either at school or on the job.
What skills and knowledge do we project will be most in demand in the future? Well, it’s not all reading, writing and arithmetic, but it is darned close. Check out the list above. These skills don’t exactly fall in the “rocket science” category. However, employers tell us many of today’s workers lack these basic skills (and can’t pass a drug test).
When it comes to getting good, transferable skills, it really goes back to the basics. Get a good knowledge and skill base in reading, writing, math, customer service, etc., and you’ll be able to get the job you want—now and in the future. Another point—you will be in a continual learning mode throughout your worklife.
If you are wondering what types of tools, computer software and technological knowledge are in demand for a specific occupation, visit http://online.onetcenter.org and click on Tools & Technology Search.
Job skills do not always come from employment. You may have developed job skills through common activities such as budgeting or managing finances, teaching or caring for a child, hobbies, or interacting with others (people skills).
High school and college placement offices help their students and alumni find jobs. Some invite recruiters to use their facilities for interviews or career fairs. They also may have lists of open jobs. Most also offer career counseling, career testing, and job search advice. Some have career resource libraries; host workshops on job search strategy, resume writing, letter writing and effective interviewing; critique drafts of resumes; conduct mock interviews; and sponsor job fairs.
Many professions have associations that offer employment information, including career planning, educational programs, job listings, and job placement. To use these services, associations usually require that you be a member; information can be obtained directly from an association through the Internet, by telephone, or by mail.
The Internet includes many job search web sites with job listings. Some job boards provide national listings of all kinds; others are local. Some relate to a specific type o work; others are general. To find good prospects, begin with an Internet search using keywords related to the job you want. Also look for the sites of related professional associations. Consider checking Internet forums, also called message boards. These are online discussion groups where anyone may post and read messages. Use forums specific to your profession or to career-related topics to post questions or messages and to read about the job searches or career experiences of other people.
In online job databases, remember that job listings may be posted by field or discipline, so begin your search by using keywords. Many web sites allow job seekers to post their resumes online for free.
Many people find jobs with business and organizations with whom they have
interned or volunteered. Look for internships and volunteer opportunities on job
boards, career centers, and company and association web sites, but also check
community service organizations and volunteer opportunity databases.
In 2008, Utah began a gradual descent into an economic downturn. However, it pays to remember that when it comes to business cycles, what once went down has always come back up. The current 10-year occupational projections reflect that historical fact and suggest moderate expansion for the state between 2006 and 2016. As in the current occupational composition of the economy, office/administrative support, sales, construction/extraction, food preparation/serving occupations are expected to generate the most new openings over the next decade.
On the other hand, occupational groups expected to experience the highest growth rates include healthcare, computer/mathematical, and community/social services. An aging baby boomer population is projected to require more healthcare services in the years ahead. And, rapid expansion in computer-related occupations is a direct result of technological change and the automation of more and more activities.
Currently, Utah metropolitan counties are experiencing an economic downturn along with the rest of Utah and the United States. Our projections do not focus on today’s economic news but take a longer ten-year average view of how industries in Utah will grow.
Between 2006 and 2016, Utah’s metro labor market will create about 32,500 new jobs each year as the economy expands. In addition, there will be 25,9—job openings each year because of retirements or people leaving the labor market for other reasons. Therefore, the total number of job openings each year will equal about 58,400 due to industry growth and other turnover.
A review of jobs with the most openings and good wages show that healthcare occupations at all training levels from on-the-job training, technical, and college degree programs will provide a large number of opportunities to job seekers. Other rapidly growing occupational groups for metro Utah include information technology, construction, transportation, food preparation/serving occupations, and retail trade.
Box Elder
Davis
Juab
Morgan
Salt Lake
Summit
Tooele
Utah
Weber
For statewide and metro projections, the star ratings are based on rankings within the four following training-level groups:
Between 2006 and 2016, Utah’s metro labor market will create about 32,500 new jobs each year as the economy expands. In addition, there will be 25,900 job openings each year because of retirements or people leaving the labor market for other reasons. Therefore, the total number of job openings each year will equal about 58,400 due to industry growth and turnover.
Utah’s nonmetro counties, while still growing, are succumbing to the influence of the slowing national and state economies. However, the projections included in this publication are not focused on the present, rather they cover a longer ten-year average view of how the economy will grow.
With that said, the prospect for employment growth appears to be strong throughout nonmetro Utah in the decade ending in 2016. With a projected average annual increase in jobs of 2.3 percent and annual openings of roughly 5,400, opportunities throughout the region should be available. However, the mix of job openings will depend on your location. For example, high levels of openings are projected in construction and extraction occupations, but these jobs are located, for the most part, in eastern Utah. Tourism-related occupations are also projected to fare well and these can be found in most areas of rural Utah.
Beaver
Carbon
Daggett
Duchesne
Emery
Garfield
Grand
Iron
Kane
Millard
Piute
Rich
San Juan
Sanpete
Sevier
Uintah
Wasatch
Wayne
For Cache County, Washington County, and nonmetro projections, the star ratings are based on rankings within the two following training-level groups:
Currently, Utah its counties and the nation are experiencing an economic downturn. The occupational projections in this publication are not focused on today’s economic situation, but rather, take a longer ten-year view of how industries in Utah will grow.
The Cache County labor market will grow at an average three-percent pace between 2006 and 2016. This is slightly higher than the rate projected for the state as a whole.
Five occupations in the “associate/applied technology training to a bachelor’s degree or more” group include three that are related to higher education at a university. The other two are registered nurses and general and operations managers.
In the group of occupations calling for less than an associate/applied technology training, the five-star list is longer. Of the ten titles in this list, six of the occupations are managers or first-line supervisors. Other occupations include team assemblers, accounting clerks, medical secretaries, and heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. These five-star jobs are certainly not the only “good” jobs that will be available. Check the full list of occupations for Cache County at http://jobs.utah.gov/opencms/wi/pubs/outlooks/cache/index.html.
For Cache County, Washington County, and nonmetro projections, the star ratings are based on rankings within the two following training-level groups:
In 2008, Washington County’s economy (particularly its construction industry) experienced a downturn. However, ten-year projections suggest that construction will rebound in the years ahead. In fact, construction occupations are expected to generate the highest number of openings between 2006 and 2016. Current projections also suggest that office/administrative support, food preparation/serving occupations and sales-related positions will continue to supply many new Washington County jobs. In general, employment expansion in Washington County is expected to outpace statewide growth. Health-related occupations are expected to show the most rapid rate of growth over the next decade. Other rapidly growing occupational groups should include food preparation/serving occupations, community/social services jobs, and computer/mathematical employment
For Cache County, Washington County, and nonmetro projections, the star ratings are based on rankings within the two following training-level groups:
WANTED: FARMER
Description—On an ownership or rental basis, operate farms, ranches, greenhouses, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural proeuction establishments which produce crops, horticultural specialties, livestock, poultry, finfish, shellfish, or animal specialties. Includes operators of cotton gins, packing houses, and other post-harvest operations. May plant, cultivate, harvest, perform post-harvest activities, and market crops and livestock.
Consider this—Even though this occupation is expected to contract dramatically, there will still be opportunities for those who want to make farming their occupation. Farming has the oldest workers of any occupational group. As these workers leave the profession, they will provide younger workers with the opportunity to take up farming and ranching.
Description—Analyze science, engineering, business, and all other data processing problems for application to electronic data processing problems for application to electronic data processing systems. Analyze user requirements, procedures, and problems to automate or improve existing systems and review computer system capabilities, workflow, and scheduling limitations. May analyze or recommend commercially available software.
Consider this—This profession is part of one of the fastest growing occupational groups—computer and mathematical occupations. Its high wage and employment opportunities make it a five-star job.
Description—Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; select, assemble, check and operate equipment.
Consider this—This job may not have many openings but it is a high-growth occupation, indicating that there will continue to be a demand for people in this job in the future. This job requires at least an associate degree and licensure by the state of Utah. The demand for workers in the healthcare industry is expected to continue to grow, so choosing a job in this industry will help ensure that you have a job.
Description—Provide beauty services, such as shampooing, cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. May also apply make-up, dress wigs, perform hair removal, and provide nail and skin care services.
Consider this—Stiff competition is expected for jobs and clients at higher-paying salons as applicants compete with a large pool of licensed and experienced cosmetologists for these positions. There are roughly 23,000 cosmetologists licensed in Utah, but fewer than 7,000 individuals working in the profession (including self-employed). If you decide to pursue this popular occupation, be prepared to compete with many others for the good jobs.
Description—Instruct or coach groups or individuals in exercise activities and the fundamentals of sports. Demonstrate techniques and methods of participation. Observe participants and inform them of corrective measures necessary to improve their skills.
Consider this—While the pay is good, many of these jobs are part-time and usually require people to work weekends and nights. There may also be strong competition for the available jobs. When choosing a job it is important to think about the hours you must work, the type of work you will be doing, and whether there will be tough competition for jobs.
· Utah hourly median wage—$22.50
· Utah projected openings per year—160
· Utah annual growth rate—2.8 percent
· Stars—five
Description—Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.
Consider this—When choosing a job it is wise to seriously consider those that will have many openings and good pay.
Description—Receive and disburse money in establishments other than financial institutions. Usually involves use of electronic scanners, cash registers, or related equipment. Often involved in processing credit or debit card transactions and validating checks.
Consider this—This occupation has many job openings and a very low growth rate. However, most of the openings are created from turnover. These jobs generally require on-the-job training and the pay is usually low.
· U.S. Hourly Median Wage—Not Available
· Utah Projected Openings per year—10
· Utah Annual Growth Rate—3.8 percent
· Stars—one
Description—Compete in athletic events.
Consider this—Competition is intense for the relatively few professional athlete jobs. This is true because many people dream of entering this occupation. Some sports, like baseball, basketball, hockey, and even football, have “minor” leagues. Jobs in the minors are a little easier to get, but you still must compete with many other people for these jobs. Also, this profession doesn’t offer much job security; an athlete can lose his or her job because of any injury, or can be replaced by a “better” player at any time. It is good to have a Plan B—even if you can’t be a professional athlete there are many jobs that support this activity or are related to it. For example, physical therapists are needed to assist injured athletes, marketing analysts help promote teams, journalists write about sports and, of course, coaches.
Description—Perform routine clerical and administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, and providing information to callers.
Consider this—Job opportunities should be best for applicants with extensive knowledge of software applications and for those with advanced communication and computer skills. It is important to stay current in new technology and software to be successful in most occupations, but it is a necessity to succeed as a secretary in the modern workplace.
Description—Attend to children at schools, business, private households, and childcare institutions. Perform a variety of tasks, such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and overseeing play.
Consider this—Rather than planning for a career that will likely last at least 30 years, women often become childcare workers as a short-term job—“just until” they get married, or “just until” they save enough for a down payment on a house, or “just until” their own children are born. But, “just until” often turns into many years in a low-paying occupation.
Description—Perform duties which combine both food preparation and food service
Consider this—Although this occupation requires only a small amount of on-the-job training, the unemployment rate for fast food workers is typically almost double the rate for the average worker.
WANTED: COMPUTER SOFTWARE
ENGINEER
Description—Research, design, develop and test operating systems-level software, compilers, and network distribution software for medical, industrial, military, communications, aerospace, business, scientific, and general computing applications. Set operational specifications and formulate and analyze software requirements. Apply principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis.
Consider this—This occupation is one of Utah’s highest paying jobs, with 100 or more openings per year. Most of the openings will occur as businesses add new jobs. This job requires at least a bachelor’s degree, and skills include analyzing needs and product requirements to make a design, mathematics, and programming. While it may require extensive education and training, this job is work it because it pays so well and you will likely be able to find a job.
Description—Plan and design structures, such as private residences, office buildings, theaters, factories, and other structures.
Consider this—Women can do this job too! Architect is considered a non-traditional job for Utah women because there are very few who choose this line of work, compared to men. It is a high-paying professional occupation, but architects certainly earn that money when occasionally deadlines and workload require them to work in the evenings and on weekends.
Description—Provide basic patient care under direction of nursing staff. Perform duties, such as feed, bathe, dress, groom, or move patients, or change linens.
Consider this—If caring for people is your cup of tea, a job as a certified nursing assistant is a great way to start in the healthcare field. The downside is the demanding physical work and the relatively low pay. However, hard work and a few more years of training can move you along the healthcare career path—possibly even into a career as a nurse.
· U.S. Hourly Median Wage—$30.00
· Utah Projected Openings per Year—Fewer than five
· Utah Annual Growth Rate—0.8 percent
· Stars—Not Rated
Description—Design clothing and accessories. Create original garments or design garments that follow well-established fashion trends. May develop the line of color and kinds of materials.
Consider this—Although there are very, very few openings for fashion designers in Utah, if you have the desire, the determination, the passion and the aptitude, you can still find work. However, realize that because there are so few jobs, you’ll have to work harder, faster, and smarter than your competition. Or, you may have to leave the area.
Description—Plan, direct, coordinate, or budget, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems. Participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling, and implementation. Includes specialized construction fields, such as carpentry or plumbing.
Consider this—Do you have strong professional, business, and organizational skills, but can’t picture yourself sitting behind a desk all day? If so, construction management could be a great career for you. A word to the wise, however; beware of the tenuous and high-pressure nature of project scheduling and deadlines. Each stage of the construction process is dependent on the previous stages, so scheduling and budgeting are continual challenges from the beginning to the completion of a project. But the reward of hard work is very tangible when you can see a building erected before your eyes and know that you played a key role in making it happen.
Description—Perform precision work involved in photographic processing, such as editing photographic negatives and prints, using photomechanical, chemical, or computerized methods.
Consider this—Technology has certainly changed the world of photography, and nowadays most people take their pictures with digital cameras and edit the photos themselves on their home computer. This is why photographic processing is a declining occupation in Utah. What few openings there will be in the future will probably be with professional photographers who take studio-type photos for families and special occasions.
Description—Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management.
Consider this—If you loved your job as a CNA, you’ll probably find nursing to be an even more rewarding career. The additional training will pay off—not only in wages, but also in the level of care you are capable of providing. And, because people need nurses 24 hours a day, there are opportunities to work night shifts, swing shifts, and other non-traditional schedules. In addition, nurses are able to specialize in specific medical fields, such as surgical, emergency/trauma, and HIV/AIDS, to name a few.
Description—Analyze, design, test, and evaluate network systems, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), Internet, intranet, and other data communications systems. Perform network modeling, analysis, and planning. Research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software. Includes telecommunications specialists who deal with the interfacing of computer and communications equipment. May supervise computer programmers.
Consider this—This is one of Utah’s fast growing occupations with a high volume of annual job openings. Business expansion, as opposed to the need for replacements, will be the source of the majority of job openings in the coming decade. Jobs that have a lot of openings and a high growth rate are good options for people who want to stay employed.
Description—Study the chemical composition and physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena. May conduct research to further understanding of the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity. May determine the effects of foods, drugs, serums, hormones, and other substances on tissues and vital processes of living organisms.
Consider this—This occupation typically requires a doctoral degree. Like most occupations which require a high level of education, the unemployment rate for biochemists/biophysicists typically measures less than 1 percent—far less than average.
Description—Interact with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products and services and to handle and resolve complaints.
Consider this—This occupation already employs many Utahns. It will provide many employment opportunities due to both growth and replacement needs.
Description—Convert project specifications and statements of problems and procedures to detailed, logical flow charts for coding into computer language. Develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information. May program web sites.
Consider this—More than 90 percent of all computer programmer jobs are located along the Wasatch Front. Few opportunities exist for this profession in nonurban settings.
