If your graduating senior is looking for work, the outlook is good
The job market is looking bright for this year’s graduating seniors. In Montana, April’s jobless rate is hovering around 3.8 percent compared to the national rate of 4.4 percent. With Montana’s unemployment rate it can make hiring difficult for employers to find the skilled workers they may need to grow and expand their operations, said Pam Bucy, Labor and Industry Commissioner in a recent news release. “Tight labor markets also have benefits for workers because of rising wages and ample job opportunities.”
The largest employer in the Montana is Yellowstone County where 78,930 people have jobs. Gallatin County comes in second with 60,709 people employed. Missoula County is third with 59,309, followed by Flathead County with 43,055, Cascade with 36,622 and Lewis and Clark County with 34,294. In Mineral County the unemployment rate is 7.4 percent with 1,663 employed and 123 unemployed according to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.
Gallatin County is also the leader for employment growth with 1,512 more people working now compared to this time last year. Currently, registered nurse is the best-paying, high-demand job and this trend will continue for the next eight years according to projections by the labor department. Montana is expected to have 445 openings every year for RNs through 2025 and in 2015 the average annual wage for Montana RNs was $62,650.
Other health care professions are expected to be the fastest-growing industry with a total of 1,100 workers needed every year through 2025. These positions include 54 new physicians annually, 36 new pharmacists and 62 physical therapists. Other $65,000 plus jobs include 177 general and operations managers, 53 health service managers, 58 other managers, 70 lawyers, 58 civil engineers and 50 personal financial advisors.
The leisure industry which includes food service, accommodations, arts, entertainment and recreation, is expected to add 800 jobs per year for the next eight years. The construction industry is also in the top three growth sector with 750 jobs predicted annually through 2025.