Occupational Employment Forecast to 2008
By John Tirinzonie, Director of Job Development

In Connecticut, our economy will create more than 170,000 new jobs by 2008, a 9.7 percent increase from the 1998 level. In addition, another 412,000 openings will develop to replace workers who leave the workforce. What will this mean for career and employment opportunities? Which occupations will be growing and which will be declining? Which occupational group will create the most new jobs? This article will provide the answers to many of these questions. By understanding our economy and the forces that will reshape it, one will have a greater chance for career success in the coming years.

Employment Change

What lies ahead for workers in Connecticut? Rapid changes in Connecticut's industrial base will have a pronounced effect on both the growth of and future needs for various occupations. For example, with research and development and information technology industries growing at a rapid pace, occupations within the professional fields will grow twice as fast as the rate for all occupations. At the same time, the need for semi-skilled and unskilled workers will decline, and in many cases, at a noticeable rate.

Technology advancements will also affect the need for many workers. While systems analysts, computer specialists, and computer engineers will grow six times faster than most occupations, some administrative support occupations will see the reverse situation (see chart on the front page). Typists and word processors, bookkeeping and procurement clerks, and even secretaries will continue to be displaced by our new technologies. Nevertheless, the need to replace existing workers who will retire, change careers, or leave the workforce will be most pronounced in states with an older median age of workers, such as Connecticut. In fact, for every job opening created by growth, two more will become available to refill vacant positions. This will vary markedly from one occupation to another. For example, machinists in Connecticut will lose more than 300 positions, but the need to replace workers in that field will result in nearly 100 job openings annually. Other occupations, such as computer engineers, will see only 35 positions open up annually to replace workers, while a substantial number, 335, will result solely from growth.

Regardless of what one's employment interest may be, there are an abundance of choices that are or will be available in Connecticut.

Managerial Occupations

Since the 1990's, corporate restructuring has had a major impact on jobs in this sector. In some cases, the need to deal with the complexity of running a major corporation has lead to the growth and specialization in management positions. For instance, engineering, information systems, and science managers will grow the fastest 28.4 percent creating more than 2,500 positions, while financial managers, responsible for the planning, organizing, and investment activities of businesses, will grow at a rate of 12.3 percent and create nearly 1,400 jobs.

Professional/Technical Careers

Professional and technical occupations will grow the fastest (17.6 percent) and create the most new jobs, 74,630, during the ten-year projection period. With more than 420,000 jobs in this group, professional/technical workers now account for approximately 25 percent of total employment and 27 percent of total anticipated annual job openings. The chart below shows that engineers can expect an average of 6,200 new jobs created by 2008, with computer engineers growing the fastest (64.5 percent) and creating the most new jobs, 3,349, followed by electrical engineers with 18.4 percent growth, generating more than 1,000 new positions. The computer scientist group, consisting of occupations such as systems analysts, computer specialists, and computer programmers, employs about 30,000 persons currently, but by 2008 will see that level grow to more than 45,800 and account for almost 15,000 new jobs. Health care maintenance and treatment workers, with approximately 45,000 persons currently employed will place second in creating new jobs in this category. All together, 7,600 additional workers will be needed to fill new openings for careers such as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and pharmacists. Other major groups adding a significant number of new jobs include teachers and instructors (7,581), social and recreational workers (6,962) and accountants and financial specialists (2,824).

Marketing & Sales Careers

Despite a slowing of growth in the trade sector, occupations in this category will grow 11.1 percent, slightly above the overall average. In Connecticut, especially the southwestern area of the State, strong growth in the security and commodities industry will overshadow expected losses in the banking industry as financial investment firms continue to move and expand in lower Fairfield County. Securities and commodities agents will benefit from this growth, adding more than 2,300 new workers to their current level, a 41 percent increase. Sales agents for business services will also grow by 21 percent, adding almost 1,000 new jobs by 2008. The increased use of the Internet for sales transactions will have a noticeable effect on the growth of telemarketing jobs, which are expected to increase by 28 percent, creating more than 1,700 jobs during the projection period. Retail salespersons will increase in the workforce by 5,650, to a total of approximately 59,000.

Administrative Support Careers

The fast-paced growth in technology will continue to slow job growth for many occupations in this category, and in some cases cause certain occupations to decline. As a result of this, the proportion of administrative support occupations will slip from its current level of 17.0 percent to 15.8 percent by 2008. While secretaries in general will show an overall decline in numbers, more than 800 openings will be available annually to replace workers who leave the workforce; and in the case of medical and legal secretaries, growth will account for a few new positions annually. Altogether, there will be a need for several hundred new workers and 3,200 replacement workers, annually, in this category.

Service Careers

The need for service workers will increase most noticeably in the protective, health, and personal services groups. Occupations such as police officers, detectives, and correction officers will lead this category with approximately 2,300 new positions over the ten-year period, resulting in more than 460 total annual openings. With the aging of the baby-boomers, employment will grow from 45,230 to 54,690 for health services workers, creating more than 1,650 openings per year. Medical assistants and home health aides will grow the fastest at 49.0 percent and 32.9 percent, respectively, providing 658 new opportunities annually for workers in these fields. The number of nursing aides will grow by 388 annually, and with the 356 workers needed to replace those who leave this field, the total annual job openings will exceed 740.

Precision Production, Craft, Maintenance, & Repair Careers

While the loss of some manufacturing jobs in Connecticut will have a negative effect on the growth of many lower skilled production jobs, this group will grow by 4.3 percent, creating more than 800 new jobs and 3,900 replacement jobs annually. Mechanics, installers, and repairers will grow the fastest, providing an estimated 3,800 new jobs, bringing the number of workers in this area to 61,600. Automobile repairers, data processing equipment repairers, and heating and air-conditioning mechanics are among the occupations with the best potential for future employment. Construction trades workers will add almost 4,000 new workers to their ranks by 2008, and with replacement needs added, more than 1,400 jobs will need to be filled annually in this area.

More detailed information is available through our Web site at www.ctdol.state.ct.us/lmi or call the Office of Research, Job Development Unit at (860) 263-6280.

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2000 Population Increased for 139 Cities and Towns
By Jungmin Charles Joo, Associate Research Analyst, and Dana Placzek, Research Analyst

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released the Census 2000 population data for Connecticut. Here are some brief highlights.

Between 1990 and 2000, Connecticut's total population increased by 118,449, or 3.6 percent, to 3,405,565. During the same period, the U.S. population grew by 13.2 percent to 281.4 million.

Middlesex County's population grew the fastest, 8.3 percent, while Hartford County's growth was the slowest at 0.6 percent.

On a town level, the largest percentage growth occurred in Sherman (+36.2%), followed by Colchester (+32.5%), Sterling (+31.5%), Scotland (+28.1%), East Hampton (+28.0%), and Killingworth (+25.0%). Oppositely, Norfolk experienced the largest percentage decline (-19.4%), followed by Hartford (-13.0%), Groton (-11.6%), and New London (-10.1%). The complete town population data and percent changes are presented on the next page. Overall, as the map below shows, the population rose in 139 out of 169 cities and towns in the State over the decade.

Among the State's five largest cities, Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford, and Waterbury all lost population from 1990 to 2000, but Stamford's increased by 8.4 percent. Nevertheless, Bridgeport continued to be the largest city in Connecticut (139,529). Hartford (121,578) slipped to third in 2000, as New Haven (123,626) moved up to become the second most populous city in the State.

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Industry Clusters
META Leads New Cluster

Newly launched in 2000 is the Metals Manufacturing Cluster overseen by the Metal Manufacturing Education and Training Alliance (META). Its 11 members, based in Bridgeport and Stratford, are working together to: prepare workers for a faster-paced, technology-dependent work environment; upgrade their technological capacity; adopt lean manufacturing processes; and network and collaborate to pursue joint contracts with large companies. 

In September 2000, the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) recognized META, awarding a one-to-one matched grant in the amount of $125,000. In other developments, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded the WorkPlace Inc., serving as a fiduciary for META, a grant totaling $1.7 million to develop training. A program manager was hired and a consultant sought for lean manufacturing training. The Connecticut State Technology Extension Program (CONN/STEP) helped implement a waste reduction program toward reducing costs. 

META companies collectively employ more than 1,600 people, have annual sales over $232 million, and occupy more than 800,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Member companies have core competencies in engineering design, lathing, grinding, milling, welding, machining, process development and assembly. 

According to META, metal manufacturing is one of the largest industries in Bridgeport. The cluster consists of such industries as fabricated metals, electronic components, machine tools, plating and polishing. 

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Housing Update
March 2001 Housing Permit Activity

Commissioner James F. Abromaitis of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development announced that Connecticut communities authorized 561 new housing units in March 2001, a 34.7 percent decrease compared to March of 2000 when 859 units were authorized.

The Department further indicated that the 561 units permitted in March 2001 represent a decrease of 20.5 percent from the 706 units permitted in February 2001. The year-to-date permits are down by 2.5 percent, from 2,170 through March 2000, to 2,166 through March 2001.

Hartford Labor Market Area documented the largest number of new authorized units in March with 223. New Haven Labor Market Area followed with 71 units. All labor market areas showed decreases in new housing authorizations compared to a year ago. Danbury led all Connecticut communities with 32 units, followed by Hartford with 23 and Milford with 19.

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