Survey predicts 36,000 new jobs by 2006

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Employment in the Ozarks is projected to increase by nearly 20 percent adding 36,000 new jobs during the next six years, according to a recently released employment outlook survey from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. |ret||ret||tab|

The Ozarks Region Employment Survey, released in November 2000, predicts an increase in jobs in both goods-producing industries, including mining, construction and manufacturing, and service-producing industries, such as transportation, communications, wholesale and retail trade, finance, insurance, real estate, services and government. |ret||ret||tab|

Growth in the service-producing industries will account for nearly 93 percent of the total employment growth. |ret||ret||tab|

Service occupations are expected to add the second-largest number of new jobs, increasing by more than 8,900 by 2006.|ret||ret||tab|

The largest increase in jobs among the major occupation groups is expected to be in professional and technical occupations, which are projected to add about 9,500 new jobs by 2006. Marketing and sales occupations are expected to add more than 5,000 new jobs. Operator, fabricator and laborer jobs are expected have the fewest openings in the next six years, the survey indicated. |ret||ret||tab|

Penmac Vice President Paula Stringer said clerical jobs will be in the greatest demand at Penmac in 2001 a trend that could continue in coming years.|bold_on||bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

"I would say the clerical area is probably going to be a very growing area this year," Stringer said. "By clerical, I mean office work computer and data entry skills."|ret||ret||tab|

Stringer said light industrial work remains a staple of Penmac's offerings, but the need for that type of employment is somewhat seasonal. |ret||ret||tab|

"We still do the light industrial side, and that's still a big part of our business. Normally this time of year is a little slower for us in that area, but it picks up in the spring," she said. |ret||ret||tab|

Stringer said recent layoffs and closings in the area, including the Lowe Aluminum Boats closing in Lebanon and the impending Montgomery Ward closing, have brought many seeking work to Penmac. |ret||ret||tab|

"(There are) lots of people looking for work, tons of people. We've been really busy over the last few weeks even before Christmas with applicants. I think a lot of (manufacturing) employers are laying off, so their employees are coming here to get started doing something else." |ret||ret||tab|

Stringer said Penmac's Lebanon office helped several Lowe employees find other employment after the closing.|ret||ret||tab|

Manpower Regional Marketing Manager Sharon Walker said she projects growth in most of the occupational areas that Manpower serves, which include clerical, light industrial, technical, marketing and sales. |ret||ret||tab|

"I think, truly, all areas are going to be strong for us this year," Walker said.|ret||ret||tab|

Because the Springfield area's unemployment rate continues to hover at 2 percent, she said, many companies are increasingly retaining the services of Manpower and other staffing services, as well as providing incentives to attract quality candidates. |ret||ret||tab|

"I think employers are having to be much more creative in terms of what they're doing to attract employees," Walker said. "Wages have increased, employers are paying employees holiday pay and better benefit packages. They're also having to negotiate salaries in order to compete for employees." |ret||ret||tab|

The DED's employment outlook survey also indicated that the jobs requiring bachelor's or associate's degrees will increase the fastest in coming years among positions requiring education or training. |ret||ret||tab|

Lynne Haggerman of Haggerman & Associates, which provides staffing for entry-level to top-level positions in all industries, said employees with computer skills are already on employers' wish lists this year. |ret||ret||tab|

"The number one demand that we're seeing has been and will continue to be in the computer industry. There are all types of jobs there. Probably the employees who have a PC environment and networking background, as well as programmers, are the most in demand, but truly everybody with computer experience is needed," Haggerman said. She said employees don't necessarily have to have formal education or training to get computer-related jobs just experience.|ret||ret||tab|

"Companies are so desperate to fill these jobs right now that what they really want is someone with experience. For example, there are so many people playing on their PCs at home who get this kind of experience and then help their friends and people they know with troubleshooting and that kind of thing. Experience is experience it doesn't have to be traditional," she said. |ret||ret||tab|

Haggerman said companies in the area are turning to employment firms to attract not only entry-level employees, but management-level employees and professionals such as CPAs and health care workers.|ret||ret||tab|

"Companies are having a hard time just finding managers at all levels. They're just having a hard time attracting qualified people," Haggerman said. "Unemployment is so low right now that every qualified person who wants to work is already working, so when employers have a job opening, they try the usual recruiting techniques and they don't work. Finding a CPA or a radiologist right now is like trying to find a needle in a haystack." |ret||ret||tab|

Haggerman said those wanting to make a career change or just change jobs should realize that the ball is in their court during such a period of low unemployment.|ret||ret||tab|

"I don't think most individuals have a grasp of just how great this job market is for them ... since the new year, a ton of people have been coming to us who have been in jobs for years and are now wanting out. If people aren't happy in their jobs, for any reason, this is a great environment to find themselves a much better one," she said. |ret||ret||tab|

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