Job Market Emphasizing Increased Skills

Mirroring a national employment trend that places increased value on educated workers, Ventura County job seekers will need to be better skilled in specialized trades and computer operations if they hope to land stable, well-paying jobs, according to a report released Thursday.

“What this is telling us is that workers are going to need to have more education in general and more skills if they want a job,” said Philip Bohan, planning manager for the county’s Workforce Development Division. “Employers are demanding that, and the jobs that are going to have the most growth are those that require specialized training.”

According to the Occupational Outlook for 1999, jobs that will experience the highest percentage growth through 2002 will be machinists, computer engineers, systems analysts and medical assistants.

Compiled by the division and the state’s Employment Development Department, the annual report analyzed 75 occupations in regard to growth, required training, wages and benefits.

Job growth has been rising steadily for much of the past decade, and the county ended 1998 with the creation of more than 8,400 jobs--the highest number since 1990--for a total work force of about 272,000.

Most of those new jobs were created in the service industry, with most growth occurring in the business, health, education and high-technology fields.

Manufacturing, which suffered through the statewide recession earlier in the decade, rebounded in 1998 with the addition of 2,700 jobs.

Other growing sectors included financial services, insurance and real-estate sales.

Although it is common knowledge that more education and training translate into better-paying positions, the report painted a somewhat surprising picture of just how much skill levels have changed.

“There’s no question that educational requirements for businesses aren’t the same as they were 10 years ago,” said Pat Sweeney, vice president of the Greater Oxnard Economic Development Corp. “The belief that you can just go in with a basic high school education and get a job just isn’t true anymore. . . . Nowadays you have to have some sort of special training just to land an entry-level position.”

That’s also true outside Ventura County.

According to a report recently compiled by the Colorado-based Growth Strategies Organization, 78% of business owners nationwide reported that their greatest barrier to achieving increased economic success was finding workers with the right skills.

“It’s a problem all over,” Sweeney said. “Which is why these kinds of reports are so important.”

The state-county report predicted that the number of jobs for machinists will increase by more than 56% between 1995 and 2002 with the addition of about 440 positions.

Almost all machinist firms, 93%, either require or prefer three years of experience, and 53% of those employers require computer training to operate complex software programs.

Over the next three years, the report said, employers will need machinists who are proficient in computer-aided design, statistical processing controls and a number of other sophisticated computer applications.

“That’s not just for machinists either,” said Maria Padilla, director of the Center for Employment Training in Oxnard. “Overall, employers are looking for workers with more and better computer skills.”

Similarly, the skill level required by firms adding computer engineers is expected to increase.

About 86% of the firms polled expect fluency in Internet applications, fiber-optic networking and special software programs.

Even cooks, order clerks and security guards are going to need greater computer and technical skills.

“It’s a different world, and it’s changing every day,” Sweeney said. “The right skills aren’t just important in finding a job, it’s important because that’s what’s going to keep our economy growing.”

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Occupations With the Fastest Projected Growth in County, 1995-2002

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Annual average Annual average Occupation 1995 2002 Change 1. Machinists 780 1,220 440 2. Computer engineers 540 810 270 3. Systems analysts-data processing 920 1,340 420 4. Medical assistants 620 890 270 5. Adjustment clerks 860 1,230 370 6. Bakers 330 460 130 7. Dental assistants 580 800 220 8. Dental hygienists 370 510 140 9. Teachers, special education 720 970 250 10. Data processing equipment repairers 340 440 100 11. Waiters, waitresses 3,410 4,410 1,000 12. Bill/account collectors 430 550 120 13. Counter/retail clerks 680 860 180 14. Sales/scientific product services 1,040 1,310 270 15. Physicians, surgeons 620 780 160 16. Writers, editors 350 440 90 17. Packers, packagers 2,150 2,700 550 18. Telemarketers, door-to- door sales 550 690 140 19. Construction managers 480 600 120 20. Cooks 1,360 1,690 330 21. Teachers, preschool 920 1,140 220 22. Restaurant hosts 460 570 110 23. Marketing, advertising/ public relations managers 1,100 1,360 260 24. Receptionists, clerks 2,610 3,220 610 25. Sheriff’s deputies 730 900 170

Percent change 1. 56.4% 2. 50.0% 3. 45.7% 4. 43.6% 5. 43.0% 6. 39.4% 7. 37.9% 8. 37.8% 9. 34.7% 10. 29.4% 11. 29.3% 12. 27.9% 13. 26.5% 14. 26.0% 15. 25.9% 16. 25.7% 17. 25.6% 18. 25.5% 19. 25.0% 20. 24.3% 21. 23.9% 22. 24.0% 23. 23.6% 24. 23.4% 25. 23.3%

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Source: California Cooperative Occupational Information System