Unfilled job openings point to lost economic opportunity

High-tech manufacturing companies are having trouble finding employees to run their equipment. Image: Flickr / BlueGreen / CC-BY-SA

The unemployment rate in the United States currently clocks in between 8 and 9 percent. With more than 15 million unemployed individuals, more than 3 million so-called unfillable positions point to economic opportunity that has been lost.

Growing number of unfillable jobs

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of unfilled jobs in the United States is rising each month. In November 2011, there were 3.1 million jobs that employers reported they were incapable of filling. In December 2011, that same statistic clocked in at 3.4 million. In July of 2009, the last time this statistic was at its lowest, employers reported 2.1 million jobs they could not fill. The reasons for the high number of jobs that cannot be filled are varied.

The jobs that cannot be filled

Currently, about 600,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector alone are difficult to fill; 67 percent of manufacturers report “moderate to severe” shortages of qualified workers. Professional and business services, government services and trade positions also report jobs that are unfillable, with a very large proportion of these unfillable jobs in the Southern region of the United States. Many of these employers report that they are having trouble filling these jobs because they are having trouble finding candidates with the appropriate education or experience.

Making use of these numbers

If you are unemployed or looking to make a change in employment, these numbers are especially useful. They point to the industries and positions where job skills are in high demand. Part of the reason these positions are in demand is they require specialized education or training. Research very carefully to find a job that you are interested in and feel like you could do. Then, research what education it takes. The education some of these jobs, including manufacturing jobs, takes can be more than years. Balance, very carefully, the amount of time and money it will take to get the certifications necessary with the income you may make after getting those certifications.

[Short term installment loans should be used to cover educational expenses only when absolutely necessary.]

Finding the side door

Getting the time and money to get full certification or education necessary for some of these jobs can, at times, simply be too long. It is possible to find a “side door” into these positions. Make connections with individuals that work in the industry that you wish to work in and ask for their advice. You can also offer yourself as an unpaid intern to a company that has job openings.

Sources

Washington Business Journal
Daily Comet
Bureau of Labor Statistics

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