Southwest Georgia Workforce Projections 2012 - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Total Industry Growth

Total employment in WIA Area #17 is expected to grow from more than 153,500 jobs in 2002 to more than 166,000 by the year 2012, which equates to more than 1,250 new jobs added each year. This area is the chief producer of agricultural products in Georgia and is the largest producer of both peanuts and pecans in the United States. In addition to having substantial employment in education and healthcare, this area is also a principal producer of food and kindred products, apparel and other textile mill products, and paper and wood products. The top ten industries in this area with the most job growth are listed below.

Industry Rate of Growth

The area's economy is expected to lag behind both the state's and the nation's economy over the projection period. Area job growth is expected to be 0.8 percent per year, while Georgia's job growth is expected to be 1.6 percent per year and the nation is expected to have annual job growth of 1.4 percent. The ten fastest growing industries in this area are listed below.

Occupations with the Most Job Growth

• These 15 occupations - out of more than 700 - are projected to add almost 5,400 jobs over the next 10 years, about 43 percent of all projected job growth in this area.
• Nine occupations require short-term on-the-job training of one month or less and two offer apprenticeships as the usual route to job entry.
• Two are in the healthcare industry.

Fastest Growing Occupations

• These fast-growing occupations will have better employment prospects than occupations with slow or declining employment. Also, conditions will be more favorable for mobility and advancement.
• Four of the fastest growing occupations are found in the healthcare industry.
• Eleven of these jobs do not require any formal education beyond high school.

Occupations with the Most Annual Openings

• Most of the annual openings in this list will result from the need to replace workers who change jobs rather than from new job creation.
• Two of these jobs are in healthcare and one is directly related to the agricultural industry.
• Eleven require short-term on-the-job training of one month or less.
• Although these occupations have many projected annual openings, more than half of them pay less than average wages.

Source:
Georgia Department of Labor Workforce Information & Analysis
Michael L. Thurmond Commissioner

For copies of the Georgia Career Planner, Georgia Workforce Trends in Brief or this publication,call 404/232-3875 or contact your local Department of Labor office.