Monday, March 13, 2006

What Kinds of Jobs is the Pittsburgh Region Creating?

No, the answer isn't "none."

The answer is that some of the fastest growth in the nation in a number of high-skill, high-paying occupations is occurring right here in the Pittsburgh region.

Surprised?


Look at science and engineering occupations. Between 1999 and 2004 (the most recent year available), the number of jobs in science and engineering occupations (computer, mathematical, architectural, engineering, life sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences) increased by almost 13% in the Pittsburgh Region, compared to only 7% in the U.S. as a whole. (These are jobs like computer programmers, computer software engineers, mechanical engineers, and medical scientists.) Job growth in these occupations here in Pittsburgh outpaced the growth in Boston, Charlotte, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Silicon Valley, among others. That's over 6,000 new, high-quality jobs, paying on average 50% more than the overall average wage for the region.


Thanks to the region's hospitals and growing life sciences industry, the Pittsburgh Region also outperformed most other large regions in practitioner and technical jobs in healthcare (medical lab technicians as well as doctors, RNs, and LPNs). These types of jobs grew by over 12% in Pittsburgh between 1999 and 2004, compared to only 7% nationally. Jobs in these occupations grew faster in Pittsburgh than in Boston, Charlotte, Minneapolis, San Diego, and Silicon Valley. That's another 7,300 high-quality jobs, also paying a 50% premium over the average wage in the region.

Combined, that's 13,000 new jobs in science, engineering, and health professions in the Pittsburgh Region over the past 5 years, more than almost any other region in the country.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home