Skilled trades open up in Oakland County

More than 11,000 jobs in high demand vocations are expected to open up annually for the next five years in Oakland County and the region. These jobs including dozens that pay at least $50,000 annually are predicted to have long-term growth and require less than a four-year college degree. These jobs are in manufacturing, health care, information technology, energy and agriculture. They were identified recently by Oakland County Michigan Works! and the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives. "The baby boomers are starting to age out of the workforce," Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said. "There are plenty of challenging and rewarding careers starting to open up. Our goal is to connect talented Oakland County residents with these jobs." For job seekers wanting to remain in the area, the list of job openings in the skilled trades helps narrow down career choices to those that offer the best job prospects. These occupations can be explored in more depth using the web portal MITradeSchool.org launched last year by Oakland County's Department of Economic Development & Community Affairs. Skilled trades are often overlooked when making a career choice even though there are many opportunities to consider. Most require some level of training beyond a high school diploma but in some cases the job seeker may get paid or supported in other ways while learning on the job. Registered nursing is projected to have nearly 1,400 annual job openings and tops the list with an average salary around $68,000 a year. Plumbers will make on average more than $63,000 and 268 new plumbers are needed each year. Electricians can expect 375 openings a year and are paid on average more than $63,000. Other high-demand, well-paying careers include electricians, dental hygienists and first-line supervisors. Oakland County Michigan Works! can provide help such as determining eligibility for tuition assistance or training funds to learn new skills or upgrade existing skills. Additional information about Oakland County Michigan Works! is available at www.OaklandCountyMiWorks.com. Published: Fri, Oct 10, 2014