Jobs in Demand List
YOUR GUIDE TO LOCAL HIGH DEMAND CAREERS
Position
To learn more about these jobs, click on the titles below.
The list can also be found at our website at www.michiganworkska.org.
Median
Hourly
Earnings
2015
2013 Annual
Openings
Estimate
2012-18
Projected
Growth
Minimum Education or Training Requirements
HEALTHCARE
Personal and Home Care Aides 
$9.97
140
28%
Short-term (Short Demo or up to 1 Month) OJT
Home Health Aides 
$9.42
175
28%
Short-term (Short Demo or up to 1 Month) OJT
Registered Nurse  !
$28.38
483
24%
Associate’s Degree
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses 
$19.35
141
17%
Post-Secondary vocational training
Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants 
$11.42
214
17%
Post-Secondary vocational training
Medical Assistants 
$14.11
100
16%
Post-Secondary vocational training
Physician Assistants 
$41.14
26
22%
Bachelor’s degree
Medical Records And Health Information Technicians 
$16.28
26
25%
Post-Secondary vocational training
Medical And Health Services Managers 
$36.90
59
19%
Bachelor’s degree
Physicians And Surgeons, All Other 
$100.57
41
22%
Doctoral degree
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & MEDIA
Computer Systems Analysts 
$36.36
29
11%
Associate’s degree
Computer Software Engineers, Applications (Software Developers. Applications)  !
$38.49
25
11%
Bachelor’s or higher degree, plus work experience
Computer Programmers !
$31.73
22
6%
Bachelor’s degree
Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software 
$41.15
22
11%
Bachelor’s degree
Database Administrators 
$31.66
9
18%
Associate‘s degree
Network and Computer Systems Administrators 
$32.62
34
13%
Associate’s degree
Computer Support Specialists
$21.93
47
8%
Associate’s degree
MANUFACTURING
Construction Laborers  !
$16.21
31
17%
Moderate-term (1 to 12 Months) OJT
Construction Trades Workers 
$16.21
31
17%
Moderate-term (1 to 12 Months) OJT
Production Workers, All Other 
$15.25
42
12%
Moderate-term (1 to 12 Months) OJT
Packers and Packagers, Hand
$10.34
83
9%
Short-term (Short Demo or up to 1 Month) OJT
Helpers-Production Workers
$10.10
66
8%
Short-term (Short Demo or up to 1 Month) OJT
Assemblers and Fabricators, All Other
$15.54
59
6%
Moderate-term (1 to 12 Months) OJT
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
$12.19
42
6%
Short-term (Short Demo or up to 1 Month) OJT
Industrial Machinery Mechanics !
$23.17
39
6%
Work experience in a related occupation
Machinists !
$14.15
50
5%
Work experience in a related occupation
Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other
$20.12
8
5%
Associate’s degree
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
$28.04
35
5%
Work experience in a related occupation
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic !
$14.40
31
4%
Post-Secondary vocational training
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 
$12.73
294
11%
Short-term (Short Demo or up to 1 Month) OJT
General and Operations Managers
$44.07
100
2%
Associate’s Degree
ENERGY
Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer !
$18.29
155
5%
Work experience in a related occupation
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
$18.92
40
6%
Post-Secondary vocational training
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
$17.08
70
6%
Work experience in a related occupation
Electricians  !
$22.45
89
11%
Post-Secondary vocational training
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 
$21.19
52
15%
Post-Secondary vocational training
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers 
$33.22
32
22%
Long-term (> 12 Months) OJT
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 
$21.13
33
24%
Post-Secondary vocational training
SERVICES
Accountants and Auditors 
$29.31
81
15%
Bachelor’s degree
Insurance Underwriters 
$25.56
24
11%
Bachelor’s degree
Employment, Recruitment, and Placement Specialists 
$24.34
56
27%
Bachelor’s degree
Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Specialists, All Other 
$24.34
56
27%
Bachelor’s degree
Market Research Analysts 
$23.96
63
20%
Bachelor’s degree
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers
$22.62
100
9%
Work experience in a related occupation
Sales Representatives, Services, All Other 
$22.19
59
11%
Work experience in a related occupation
Graphic Designers 
$21.02
34
14%
Bachelor’s degree
Insurance Sales Agents 
$21.00
92
11%
Post-Secondary vocational training
Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 
$20.79
32
12%
Work experience in a related occupation
Public Relations Specialists 
$20.13
22
20%
Bachelor’s degree
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$19.83
47
9%
Bachelor’s degree
AGRIBUSINESS
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
$15.69
48
6%
Short-term (Short Demo or up to 1 Month) OJT
Slaughterers and Meat Packers 
$14.22
18
11%
Moderate-term (1 to 12 Months) OJT
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers 
$12.90
36
14%
Short-term (Short Demo or up to 1 Month) OJT
 High Growth Jobs: These are jobs with a projected increase of 10% or higher from 2012 to 2018.
!
Hard to Fill Positions: These are positions that Kent/Allegan County employers have identified to the Michigan Works! Business Services Team as “difficult to find talent.”
OJT On-the-Job Training
The Kent/Allegan/Barry Jobs in Demand List is compiled using a variety of data sources. Burning Glass Online Job Ads and data from Economic Modeling Specialists Inc. (EMSI), coupled with knowledge of local
employer hiring needs, were used to determine High Demand Careers. Median Hourly Earnings and Growth Projections were identified using labor market information from the Michigan Department of Technology,
Management and Budget (DTMB), Bureau of Labor Market Information & Strategic Initiatives. Minimum Education/Training Requirements were pulled from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Online.
Michigan Works! Kent, Allegan & Barry Counties is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Relay Service: 1-800-649-3777.
Supported by the State of Michigan