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MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS June 26, 2004 by Linda Hirvonen Delta County EDA Director Occupational Outlook to 2010 for Careers in the U.P. One of the concepts that the Cool Cities initiative has right is that we must retain our young people in order to remain vital communities. This is not a revelation in the UP; perhaps it hasn’t been so obvious in other areas. If we are going to keep our young people, we must have good employment opportunities for them. Our mobile society is not as keen anymore to do what many others have done before…give up career aspirations in favor of “just finding work” that will keep us in the UP. But we do have more opportunities than ever to do meaningful work wherever in the UP we prefer to live. A look at the 2010 occupational projections can give us as parents, teachers, counselors, relatives, and potential employers some guidance in assisting our young charges to pick careers that have a better chance of succeeding in the UP. There are 30 occupations in the UP given “critical” status. Here are the five with the greatest number of annual openings and the information given about each in the full report (www.michlmi.org)
Other critical occupations include: systems analyst (60.2%); financial managers (12.3%); police patrol officers (22.3%); designers except interior (25.4%); teachers-special ed (16.7%); medical/health managers (17%); electricians (10.9%); advertising/marketing/pr/sales managers (12.4%); office/admin support supervisors/managers (14.7%); Computer support specialists (60%); Engineers/natural sci/computer/info systems managers (22%); marketing/sales supervisors (9.1%); accountants/auditors (10.7%); auto mechanics/service tech (14.4%); machinists (23.7%); social/human services asst (28.4%); teachers-elementary (4.8%); HVAC mechanics/installers (27.4%); loan officers/counselors (22.7%); sheriff/deputy sheriff (30.1%); computer engineers (58.1%); construction managers (12.2%); securities/commodities/financial services (53.8%); dental hygienists (16.1%); and sheet metal workers (28.3%). While all sectors are expected to add jobs between now and 2010 (except farming), the fastest growing by percentage rate is computer support specialists at 60%. This, however, only adds up to 135 jobs spread over the 2000-2010 decade. Cashiers, for instance, represents the greatest growth in terms of numbers of expected openings, or 650 by 2010. Following are graphs representing both sets of predictions: the high growth and the largest numeric growth occupations. There are a number of conclusions that can be drawn from these numbers. But one that is certain: if people train for the jobs with the greatest expectation of hiring to occur in the UP, their chances of staying in the UP are increased. And that’s good for all of us! Learn More About It: all of this information came from the Michigan Department of Career Development’s Labor Market Information web pages (www.michlmi.org). Michigan Works! The Job Force Board has several comprehensive reports of interest this website. Clicking the button for educators/workforce developers and then, under publications, choosing “statistics and analysis for local planning” is the fastest way to get to three useful reports: workforce analysis; annual planning; and occupational forecasts. Or here’s the direct link: http://www.michlmi.org/workdev/layout020301.jsp Come Grow with Us in Delta County! Linda A Hirvonen, Executive Director Delta County Economic Development Alliance 230 Ludington Street Escanaba MI 49829 (906) 786-2192 or fax (906) 786-8830. |
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