Fastest Growing Occupations Occupations with the

Most Annual Openings

Georgia
Home Health Aides

Hot Netw ork & Computer Systems Admins 4.1%

5.3%

Combined Food Prep & Serv Workers, Incl

160
Area Workforce Trends
Fast Food
Hot Respiratory Therapists 3.9% Waiters & Waitresses 150

Preschool Teachers, Exc Special Ed 3.8% Cashiers 150 Projections to 2014

Retail Salespersons 140
Surgical Technologists 3.8%
Hot Registered Nurses 130
Hot Ed Admins, Preschool & Child Care
Center/Program
3.7% Customer Service Representatives 110 WIA Area # 14 – Lower Chattahoochee
Medical Assistants 3.5% Child Care Workers 80
Hot General & Operations Managers 70
Hot Registered Nurses 3.4%
Nursing Aides, Orderlies, & Attendants 60
Personal & Home Care Aides 3.4%
Food Preparation Workers 60
Nursing Aides, Orderlies, & Attendants 3.3% Hot Elem School Teachers, Exc Special Education 60

Hot Radiologic Technologists & Technicians 3.2% Office Clerks, General 60

Laborers & Freight, Stock, & Material Movers,
60
Child Care Workers 3.2% Hand
Teacher Assistants 50
Hot Instructional Coordinators 3.1% Janitors & Cleaners, Exc Maids &
50
Hot Special Ed Teachers, Preschool, Kgt & Elem Housekeeping Cleaners
3.1% Stock Clerks & Order Fillers 50
School
Hot Personal Financial Advisors 3.0%

These fast-growing occupations will have better employ-
ment prospects than occupations with slow or declining
employment. Also, conditions will be more favorable for
mobility and advancement.
Eight are found mainly in health services and one is com-
puter-related.
On a statewide basis, eight have earned the “HOT” designa-
tion for this period.
Several of these occupations have higher than average wages.
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 directly related to healthcare industry.
This area is made up of eight counties in west Georgia in and around
Three have been designated “HOT” on a statewide basis for the city of Columbus. It includes the following counties: Chattahoochee,
this period. Clay, Harris, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Stewart, and Talbot.
Eleven require short-term on-the-job training of one month
or less.
Workforce Information & Analysis Division
Although these occupations have many projected annual open- Georgia Department of Labor
ings, more than half of them pay less than average wages. Michael L. Thurmond
Commissioner
 Total Industry Growth Industry Rate of Growth Occupations with the
Total employment in WIA Area #14 is expected to grow from The area’s economy is expected to lag behind both the state’s
Most Job Growth
more than 118,000 jobs in 2004 to almost 130,000 by the year and the nation’s economy during the projection period. Area
2014, which equates to almost 1,200 new jobs added each year. job growth is expected to be 1.0 percent per year, while the Hot Registered Nurses 820
This area is the home of a regional medical center and a major state’s job growth is expected to be 1.7 percent per year and the Customer Service Representatives 670
military base. It is also the location of a major international nation is expected to have annual job growth of 1.2 percent. Combined Food Prep & Serv Workers, Incl
510
Fast Food
insurer, as well as a major credit card holding company. Sub- Nursing Aides, Orderlies, & Attendants 460
stantial employment can be found in health services, education The ten fastest growing industries in this area are listed below. Waiters & Waitresses 440
services, insurance, finance, food processing, textile mills, 440
Child Care Workers
federal government service, and electrical equipment manufac- Hot Elem School Teachers, Exc Special
Wood Product Manufacturing 7.8% 310
turing. Education
Teacher Assistants 290
Social Assistance 4.1% Food Preparation Workers 260
The top ten industries in this area with the most job growth are
Hot General & Operations Managers 240
listed below. Electronics & Appliance Stores 4.0% Janitors & Cleaners, Exc Maids &
240
Housekeeping Cleaners
Health Care & Social Assistance 4,520 Supvrs Food Prep & Serv Workers 180
Nursing & Residential Care Facilities 3.8%
Maids & Housekeeping Cleaners 180
Educational Services 2,230 Cooks, Fast Food 170
Hospitals 3.2%
Cooks, Restaurant 170
Food Services & Drinking Places 2,040 Health Care & Social Assistance 3.1% Retail Salespersons 170

Hospitals 1,850 Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable

2.9%
Goods

Administrative & Support Services 1,840 Couriers & Messengers 2.8%

Ambulatory Health Care Services
Social Assistance
These 15 occupations – out of more than 700 - are projected
to add more than 5,500 jobs over the next 10 years, almost
Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, & half of all projected job growth in this area.
1,210 2.8%
Related
Eight occupations require short-term on-the-job training of
770 Administrative & Support Services 2.7% one month or less and three require a college degree.

Nursing & Residential Care Facilities
Self-Employed & Unpd Family Wrkrs
Local Government, Excl Education &
Hospitals
690 Two are of these occupations are found in health services, a
For copies of the Georgia Career Planner, key industry in this area.
660 Georgia Workforce Trends or this publication,
call 404/232-3875 or contact your local Three have made the coveted list of Georgia’s “HOT”
Department of Labor office. Careers to 2014 for their fast job growth, high wages, and
500
plentiful job openings.