Health care careers are still the rising stars of the employment outlook!
Here are some brief facts about future opportunities:
- According to the Department of Labor, more new wage and salary jobs — about 19 percent, or 3.6 million — created between 2004 and 2014 will be in health care than in any other industry.1
- Eight out of 20 occupations expected to grow the fastest are in health care.1
- As the largest industry in 2004, health care provided 13.5 million jobs.1 This represented nearly 10 percent of the national total workforce — a significant portion of the overall labor market activity with tremendous economic power.
- In 2004, health care was the second largest employing industry in Oklahoma, providing 198,636 jobs, or 14 percent of the state’s total employment.2
- By 2012, Oklahoma will employ nearly 43,000 RNs and LPNs, a 22 percent increase from 2004.2
- Nearly 1,500 open nursing positions are expected each year until 2012.
- Registered nursing jobs alone are projected to increase by 15 percent over the next six years, and radiologic technology jobs are projected to increase by 26 percent during the same time. Within the allied health professions, a 24 percent job growth is expected between 2004 and 2012.2
- Statewide surveys of hospitals conducted by the Oklahoma Hospital Association from 2001-2005 indicate Oklahoma hospitals’ greatest needs are for the following clinical workers: nurses, respiratory therapists, imaging technologists, pharmacists, medical and laboratory technologists, physical and occupational therapists and scrub/surgical technicians.
1 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics, Career Guide to Industries, published 2006.
2 Oklahoma’s Health Care Industry
Workforce 2006 Report, Governor’s Council on Workforce and Economic
Development.
As Oklahoma's population and its health care needs increase, hospitals and other health care providers will be seeking additional health care professionals and support staff who are ready to meet the rising demand for personnel in nursing and allied health care.
According to the Workforce Oklahoma Employment Outlook 2010, the following health care professions in Oklahoma are projected to increase, from 2000-2010, as follows:
Outside Links:
For more information on job outlooks, visit these Web sites:
http://www.oesc.state.ok.us (Click on ES, LMI, and OWN. These will give you Oklahoma job information, wages, even in your town!)
http://www.nawb.org/asp/wibdir2.asp?state=OK – National Association of Workforce Boards, with links to Oklahoma Workforce Boards.
|
Oklahoma Health Professionals Growth Year 2000-2010 |
% of Growth |
Numeric Change |
|
Registered Nurses |
24 |
4,890 |
|
Nursing Aides, Orderlies & Attendants |
24 |
5,320 |
|
Home Health Aides |
46.5 |
2,780 |
|
Licensed Practical Nurses |
19 |
2,310 |
|
Medical Assistants |
51 |
1,830 |
|
Medical & Health Services Managers |
40.8 |
1,400 |
|
Social Workers |
47.0 |
1,000 |
|
Human Resources Managers |
29.5 |
710 |
|
Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics |
32 |
790 |
|
Medical Records/Health Information Technicians |
47 |
900 |
|
Respiratory Therapy Technicians |
42 |
390 |
|
Radiologic Technologists & Technicians |
16 |
270 |
|
Surgical Technologists |
36 |
380 |
|
Pharmacists |
27 |
750 |
|
Cardiovascular Technologists |
32 |
130 |
|
Nuclear Medicine Technologists |
16 |
30 |
