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Scroll Down To Continue See Labor Market Data at the End of This Article Introduction
In January 2002, the VTEA Industrial and Technical Statewide Collaborative began to focus on identifying Best Practice Models in California community college vocational and technical education programs. Project outcomes have included: faculty and staff workshops and trainings; student and industry surveys; posting of hundreds of vocational and technical education Best Practice Models on the www.vteabp.org Web site; collaboration with a wide variety of industry and academic partners; and, analysis of potential job growth in Engineering and Related Industrial Technologies, (TOP Code 09), occupational areas. This study supports the Collaborative’s effort by identifying TOP Code 09 high wage – high demand career opportunities that are projected to grow through the year 2010 in the State of California.
Identifying High Demand TOP 09 Occupations
Within the 50 identified occupations with the greatest absolute job growth in California, only one TOP Code 09 occupation requiring post-secondary education is included. – Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics– with a 25.6% change projected from 2000-2010. [1] Why don’t we see more vocational engineering and industrial technology careers reflected in this statewide labor market projection? The omission of TOP 09 occupations from this statewide list can, to some extent, be explained by the loss of manufacturing jobs and the decreasing number of new manufacturing jobs occurring since 1999. During the period of 1999 to 2001, quarterly job gains fell from over 117,000 jobs to less than 90,000 jobs; and job losses grew from nearly 123,000 to almost 141,000. See Chart 1, below. In eight out of twelve
quarters more jobs were lost, than created, resulting in a net loss of
213,122 manufacturing jobs.
Chart 1 – California Private Industry Manufacturing Job Gains/Job Losses by Year and Quarter[3] [3] California EDD. Dynamic Job Gains and Losses in California: Underlying Economic Change. Working Paper #2003-01. http://www.calmis.ca.gov/specialreports/Dynamic-Job-Gain-Loss-2003-1.pdf
Opportunities
Still, there are TOP 09 occupational areas that are projected to grow in California, particularly as aging baby boomers get ready to retire and leave the workforce. Table 1, below, shows job growth figures for TOP Code 09 occupational areas. Each area represents a collection of related occupations so, for example, TOP Code 0934 (Electronics & Electric Technology) includes Electrical & Electronics Drafters, Technicians and Mechanics.
Separations by 2008 due to retirement are highest in occupational areas of: § Industrial/Manufacturing Technology – 113,800 openings due to separation § Electronics & Electric Technology – 111,000 openings due to separation § Construction Crafts Technology – 85,900 openings due to separation § Mechanical Technology, General – 48,300 openings due to separation
Combined with job growth estimates, occupational areas with the highest number of projected jobs due to growth and separation are: § Electronics and Electric Technology – 213,400 new jobs (51.8% increase) § Industrial/Manufacturing Technology – 195,900 new jobs (40.1% increase) § Construction Crafts Technology – 151,800 new jobs (42.5% change increase)
These new jobs
represent significant opportunities for students receiving degrees and
certificates in related TOP 09 vocational education disciplines, with
over 1.1 million projected new positions becoming
available through 2008.
Chart 2 – Highest Number of Job Openings for Selected 09 TOP Code Occupations
Table 1
California Statewide 1998-2008 Job Projections by 4-digit 09 TOP Code
Source: California EDD: www.calmis.ca.gov/FILE/COCCC/00California.xls
Identifying High-Wage Occupations - Chart 3 and Table 2, below-
Chart 3 and Table 2 show mean hourly and annual wage data for a selection of high growth TOP 09 occupations in the State of California. Those occupations with the highest hourly wages include:
§ Aeronautical & Aviation Technology - $56,394 § Construction Inspection - $54,125 § Electrical - $49,120 § Civil & Construction Technology Management - $48,936 § Marine Technology - $48,231 § Industrial/Manufacturing Technology - $48,050 § Other Engineering & Related Technologies - $47,159
The lowest paying occupations include Mill & Cabinet Work ($24,805), Electronics & Electric Technology ($25,679), and Welding & Cutting ($29,284).
Chart 3 Chart 3 – Mean Annual Wages for Selected High Job Growth TOP 09 Occupations
Table 2
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