Statewide Employment Forecasted to Rise by 2.9%

The State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has released information forecasting employment statewide for the short-term future.  Their findings indicate that jobs will grow by 2.9%, or 19,760 jobs, from the first quarter of 2014 to the first quarter of 2016.

The expansion is reflected across all major industries, with the construction sector showing the fastest growth at 8.5%, creating 2,580 new jobs.  All major occupational groups are expected to grow as well, with job growth producing 10,020 annual openings, in addition to 17,050 annual openings arising from replacement needs.  Taking this into account, the average annual number of total job openings expected during the 2014 to 2016 period is anticipated to be 27,070.

Eight of the top 20 occupations with the most job openings are expected to be in the food and beverage industry, ranging from food servers and food prep workers, to restaurant cooks, hosts and hostesses, dishwashers, and cafeteria attendants.

The report forecasts that the fastest growing jobs in the construction industry will include: cement masons and concrete finishers; paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators; carpenters helpers; reinforcing iron and rebar workers; construction laborers; plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters; electricians; supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers; sheet metal workers; tile and marble setters; and drywall and ceiling tile installers.