| NBC 12 | RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) – August 13, 2015 |
If your student is exploring careers, or maybe you want to change careers, there are jobs in demand that you may not have thought of. Local companies are struggling to fill many jobs, because of a shortage of qualified people. Nicholas Wyman has spent his career studying jobs. He’s author of Job U, and is CEO of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation. He’s says local companies struggle to fill jobs, because there aren’t enough people trained with the right skills. ”With technology, some are hiring outside the region,” explained Wyman. “They’re hiring overseas and that really does hurt the local economy.” He says there’s a breakdown in communication between businesses and educators. “Employers aren’t very good at saying, ‘These are the jobs we need.'” And he says too many people think a four-year bachelors degree is the only option. ”There’s plenty of other careers through apprenticeship or community college,” said Wyman. So we asked, what are the hard to fill jobs? ”When I looked at the number one shortage in this region, it’s actually electrician. Believe it or not, employers cannot find people who want to be electricians.” And Wyman says there’s a host of other skilled trade and technology jobs. ”Not only cyber security, but technology, specifically medical technology.
There are huge opportunities in medical technology,” said Wyman.
Nationwide, Forbes magazine recently listed the top 10 hard to fill jobs:
1. Skilled Trade Workers
2. Sales Representatives
3. Engineers
4. Technicians
5. Drivers
6. Management/Executives
7. Accounting and Finance Staff
8. Secretaries, PAs, Administrative Assistants, and Office Support Staff
9. IT Staff
10. Production/Machine Operators
And Wyman says these jobs aren’t just for young people starting their careers. Mid-career workers can train for many of these jobs online or at community colleges, as well.
Source:
http://www.nbc12.com/story/29770512/hard-to-fill-jobs-can-offer-future-career-opportunities