Jobs in the health care field are projected to grow at a rapid rate the next eight years in the Springfield region, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.
Of the Top 10 growing job categories in southwest Missouri, four are health care related, including Nos. 1 and 2, social assistance and ambulatory health care services, respectively. Conversely, manufacturing is in seven of the bottom 10 projected categories, with apparel manufacturing estimated to shrink by 51.7 percent through 2018. A high number of food manufacturing jobs also are projected to slip.
MERIC’s data considers Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, Stone, Taney and Webster counties.
Jobs in VogueThe top 10 job categories in the Ozarks, based on projected job growth through 2018:
2008 2018 Percent
Employed Projection Change1. Social assistance 2,594 3,415 31.6%
2. Ambulatory health care services 9,544 12,302 28.9%
3. Mining (except oil and gas) 259 326 25.9%
4. Telecommunications 1,726 2,162 25.3%
4. Local government 7,928 9,935 25.3%
6. Specialty trade contractors 8,143 9,857 21%
7. Professional, scientific 7,187 8,689 20.9%
and technical services
8. Nursing/residential care facilities 5,791 6,931 19.7%
9. Waste management 392 467 19.1%
10. Health and personal care stores 1,709 1,983 16%
Old Hat JobsThe bottom 10 job categories in the Ozarks, based on projected job growth through 2018:
2008 2018 Percent
Employed Projection Change94. Apparel manufacturing 147 71 -51.7%
93. Animal production 135 108 -20%
92. Computer/electronic 712 574 -19.4%
product manufacturing
91. Wood product manufacturing 451 382 -15.3%
90. Food manufacturing 3,238 2,784 -14%
89. Electrical equipment, 795 688 -13.5%
appliance and
component manufacturing
88. Furniture/related 444 397 -10.6%
product manufacturing
88. Transportation equipment 2,108 1,885 -10.6%
manufacturing
87. Publishing industries 1,408 1,343 -4.6%
86. Gasoline stations 2,166 2,179 0.6%
Source: Missouri Economic Research and Information Center
Projected Growth

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