Department of Workforce Development

Tuesday, March 20, 2001 Governor Scott McCallum Secretary Jennifer Reinert

News Media Contact Christopher Marschman 608/261-6705 e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784

Actuality Access: 1-866-556-7623

MADISON – Wisconsin could add nearly 400,000 new jobs between 1998 and 2008 according to a recently released report by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

The report, titled Wisconsin Projections, 1998-2008: Labor Force, Industries, and Occupations, examines anticipated trends in Wisconsin’s population, labor force, industry employment, and occupational employment between 1998 and 2008. This edition also includes information about education and training requirements for each occupation. In addition, the publication outlines the dimensions and complexities of the worker shortage problem.

"Wisconsin Projections is a dependable guide to what Wisconsin’s occupational outlook will look like years from now," said DWD Secretary Jennifer Reinert. "This is a great resource for students, job seekers, counselors, employers, educators and anyone else interested in studying the future of labor and industry in Wisconsin," she said.

Educational institutions may use occupational projections to evaluate proposed course offerings. Researchers may use the data in analyses of Wisconsin’s labor market. Employers may use the data as indicators of statewide demand for various occupations.

Among the key points of the publication are:

• The labor force is expected to grow by approximately 139,000 workers between 1998 and 2008 to a total of 3.1 million. The number of nonfarm wage and salary jobs (including self-employment) is expected to grow by 388,000 jobs to a total of 3.3 million.

• During the 1998 to 2008 period, Wisconsin is expected to have approximately 1.1 million job openings due to new job creation and people permanently leaving occupations. About 388,000 of these openings will be newly created jobs.

• The five industries projected to add the most new jobs are business services, health services, educational services, social services, and miscellaneous retail stores. These five industries are expected to account for about 165,000 or 42% of all newly created jobs.

• Manufacturing is expected to remain an important source of Wisconsin jobs. Despite ongoing mergers, consolidations, and substitution of machines for people, manufacturing is projected to add about 26,000 net new jobs to grow to a total of 642,000 jobs by 2008. Wisconsin’s manufacturing growth is in contrast to a projected decline for the nation as a whole, which is expected to lose about 89,000 net jobs during the 1998 to 2008 period.

• The fastest growing occupation is expected to be desktop publishing specialists, with a 90% growth rate. Other occupations in the top five fastest growing are computer support specialists; systems analysts; paralegals and legal assistants; and geologists, geophysicists and oceanographers. These five occupations are projected to add about 21,000 new positions.

• The five occupations projected to have the most job openings (openings resulting from new jobs plus people permanently leaving occupations) are cashiers; retail salespersons; waitpersons; general office clerks; and general managers and top executives. These occupations are expected to have 151,000 job openings between 1998 and 2008.

• Each year between 1998 and 2008 there will be approximately 108,000 jobs open due to new job creation or people permanently leaving occupations. About 60% of these jobs will require short-, moderate-, or long-term on-the-job training; 28% will require two or more years of college; 6% will require post-secondary vocational training; and 6% will require work experience gained from related positions.

"The new Wisconsin Projections underscores what we’ve been saying about Wisconsin’s growing labor shortage and our need to address this issue," Secretary Reinert said.

For the first time, this publication will be available in its entirety on the Department of Workforce Development website at: http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/dwelmi/projections.htm.

Also, a limited number of printed copies are available. If you would like a printed copy, contact Karin Wells at (608) 264-7841.

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