U.S. Department
of Labor Bureau Predicts High-needs Occupations
Will Include Teachers at All Levels
The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently published its 2004-2005
Occupational Outlook Quarterly—online which includes career
information projections through 2012. The findings are particularly
significant to those considering a career in teaching.
The BLS predicts
that the employment growth throughout the 2002-2012 decade will
be “concentrated in the service-providing sector
of the economy. Within the service-providing sector, two industry
groups are expected to account for almost half of all wage-and-salary
employment growth in the economy: professional and business services
and education and health services.” Of the 30 fastest growing
occupations, 19 require an associate degree or higher degree, or
work experience, plus a bachelor’s or graduate degree.
In the top large-growth occupations that usually require a bachelor’s
degree, the projected need (223,000) is greatest for elementary
school teachers (except special education). Secondary school teachers
(except special and vocational education teachers) present the
fourth highest occupational need through 2012. Middle schools are
projected to need 52,000 more teachers. The BLS report predicts
that 130,000 special education teachers will be needed to meet
the demand. Teachers and others who have high computer skills are
increasingly expected to be in high demand.
Almost all such occupations have high ($27,500 to $41,780) or
very high ($41,820 and higher) earnings. BLS economists base the
earnings data on 2002 data. An occupation’s median earnings
ranking is included in several charts in the 2004-2005 Occupational
Outlook Quarterly. The BLS cautions that “rankings are a
useful guide, but earnings vary widely within each occupation.” Nevertheless,
all levels of teaching fall within the high or very high earnings
rankings.
The job outlook section of the publication provides a perspective
on the various factors that can affect occupational projections,
such as the aging of baby boomers, the increasing ethnic diversity
of the labor force, the introduction of technological innovations,
changes in the skills that are required in the workplace, and increasing
foreign competition, among others.
The print versions of the 2004-2005 editions of the Occupational
Outlook Handbook (BLS Bulletin 2570) and the Career Guide to Industries
(BLS Bulletin 2571) are expected to be available in Spring 2004.
A graphic presentation of projection highlights appears in the
Winter 2003-2004 Occupational Outlook Quarterly, accessible at
http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/ooqhome.htm.
Graph
depicting large growth occupations
