Many jobs in Rhode Island are expected to grow faster than the state average throughout the next few years.
By 2014, Rhode Island is expected to employ 573,437 people, an increase of 55,292 jobs, or 10.7 percent, from 2004. According to an article by the Rhode Island Department of Labor & Training, employment is projected to grow at all education and skill levels, including jobs that require only on-the-job training and those that require advanced degrees.
“During the projection period, it is estimated that employers will need to find workers to fill over 186,000 job openings,” the article notes. “Job openings result from the need to replace workers who leave an occupation and from the need to fill vacancies created by business expansion. Nearly one-third of the projected job openings is attributed to the economic growth that is expected to occur during the projection period. The remaining job openings are due to replacement needs resulting from employee turnover.”
Rhode Island has a number of jobs that are expected to grow faster than the average growth rate of 10.7 percent for all industries in the state. These occupations are projected to create at least 50 job openings each year and pay salaries above the state average of $38,752. As a whole, these occupations should account for about one out of 10 job openings and 2,000 total job openings each year.
The jobs include:
- registered nurses with 565 annual openings and an average annual wage of $58,198
- accountants and auditors with 196 annual openings and an average annual wage of $56,389
- general and operations managers with 194 annual openings and an average annual wage of $83,096
- plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters with 103 annual openings and an average annual wage of $43,118
- supervisors of construction workers with 97 annual openings and an average annual wage of $57,096
- computer systems analysts with 90 annual openings and an average annual wage of $67,371
- electricians with 82 annual openings and an average annual wage of $49,213
- firefighters with 79 annual openings and an average annual wage of $42,869
- computer and applications software engineers with 74 annual openings and an average annual wage of $79,498
- licensed practical and vocational nurses with 73 annual openings and an average annual wage of $43,805
- loan officers with 69 annual openings and an average annual wage of $58,302
- financial managers with 65 annual openings and an average annual wage of $85,322
- personal financial advisers with 57 annual openings and an average annual wage of $53,706
- management analysts with 56 annual openings and an average annual wage of $59,862
- computer and systems software engineers with 53 annual openings and an average annual wage of $80,600
- securities, commodities and financial sales agents with 51 annual openings and an average annual wage of $89,835
Most of the jobs are in the healthcare, construction, finance and professional and business service industries, and many require secondary education.
“Skills learned on the job in long-term job training and instruction programs or knowledge gained through post-secondary education programs are a necessary requirement for entry into one of these jobs,” the article adds.
