| Career
exploration is all about gathering information. What are you interested
in doing? Are any of those jobs available?
How much do those occupations pay? Do you
have the education or training needed
for those jobs? This website was designed by the Southwest Minnesota WorkForce
Council to help you answer these career exploration questions. But there
is another important thing to consider: Where
do you want to live? Job availability depends on
where you live.
If you are interested in living and
working in Southwest Minnesota, this website is designed to show you job
availability and wages in this region of
the state. The 100 Hot Jobs
on this list have been selected because they are currently
in high demand in Southwest Minnesota and are projected
to stay that way into the future. Many
of these jobs also offer high pay compared
to other occupations in the region. The information contained in this
site will help you make better career choices as you develop your skills
and plan your education.
While the 100 occupations
shown below are great choices because of their current and future demand
in the region, should you limit your occupational choices to this list?
No! Choosing a career is a very personal
decision and you should still take into consideration all
aspects of a career when you’re making a choice, such as educational
requirements, annual wages, and your
personality style and work values. In fact,
the state of Minnesota tracks more than 770 different occupations, many
of which are available in Southwest Minnesota even though they did not
make this list of hot jobs. For additional information on how to plan
your career and conduct an effective job search,
please contact your local Minnesota WorkForce
Center.
(Occupational
titles are links to ISEEK
career information pages that will open in a new window,
where you can study the career description, work activities, and plan
your education)
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| Five-Star
Occupations in Demand |
| Home
Health Aides |
|
1,560 |
|
42.0% |
793 |
|
| Veterinarians |
|
50 |
|
33.8% |
17 |
|
| Dental
Assistants |
|
120 |
|
30.7% |
151 |
|
| Medical
Assistants |
|
170 |
|
29.6% |
183 |
|
| Pharmacy
Technicians |
|
170 |
|
28.2% |
204 |
|
| Trash
& Recyclable Material Collectors |
|
60 |
|
26.4% |
97 |
|
| Registered
Nurses |
|
1,150 |
|
23.8% |
1,116 |
|
| Computer
Software Engineers |
|
190 |
|
22.8% |
151 |
|
| Physical
Therapists |
|
50 |
|
21.4% |
58 |
|
| Management
& Market
Research Analysts |
|
120 |
|
21.3% |
209 |
|
| Medical
& Clinic Laboratory Technicians |
|
90 |
|
20.7% |
64 |
|
| Occupational
& Physical
Therapist Assts. |
|
50 |
|
19.7% |
35 |
|
| Licensed
Practical Nurses (LPNs) |
|
850 |
|
19.1% |
668 |
|
| Cost
Estimators |
|
90 |
|
19.0% |
95 |
|
| Occupational
Therapists |
|
50 |
|
19.0% |
40 |
|
| Social
& Human Service Assistants |
|
480 |
|
18.7% |
659 |
|
| Emergency
Medical Techs & Paramedics |
|
450 |
|
18.3% |
122 |
|
| Medical
& Health Services Managers |
|
130 |
|
16.6% |
99 |
|
| Accountants
& Auditors |
|
510 |
|
15.3% |
373 |
|
| Fast
Food Prep & Serving Workers |
|
1,670 |
|
14.9% |
1,419 |
|
| Nursing
Aides, Orderlies & Attendants |
|
1,770 |
|
13.8% |
558 |
|
| Truck
Drivers, Heavy & Tractor-Trailer |
|
1,780 |
|
13.2% |
763 |
|
| Industrial
Engineers |
|
130 |
|
11.9% |
102 |
|
| Cabinetmakers
& Bench Carpenters |
|
130 |
|
11.3% |
130 |
|
| Elementary
& High
School Teachers |
|
1,020 |
|
9.6% |
466 |
|
| General
Office Clerks |
|
1,600 |
|
9.3% |
1,402 |
|
| Tellers |
|
340 |
|
9.2% |
561 |
|
| Mobile
Heavy Equipment Mechanics |
|
150 |
|
9.1% |
112 |
|
| Cooks,
Institution & Cafeteria |
|
410 |
|
8.9% |
239 |
|
| Agriculture
& Food Science Technicians |
|
40 |
|
8.6% |
31 |
|
Computer-Controlled
(CNC) Machine
Tool Operators, Metal & Plastic |
|
170 |
|
8.3% |
36 |
|
Industrial
Machinery Mechanics &
Fluid
Power Technicians |
|
330 |
|
8.0% |
259 |
|
| Retail
Salespersons |
|
1,330 |
|
7.1% |
1,939 |
|
| Bookkeeping,
Accounting, & Audit Clerks |
|
1,220 |
|
6.6% |
744 |
|
| Computer
& Info. Systems Managers |
|
110 |
|
6.5% |
45 |
|
| Waiters
& Waitresses |
|
1,020 |
|
6.0% |
1,796 |
|
| First-line
Supervisors of Food Preparation Workers (Fast Food & Restaurant) |
|
540 |
|
5.2% |
100 |
|
| Correctional
Officers & Jailers |
|
130 |
|
4.9% |
150 |
|
| Police
& Sheriff's Patrol Officers |
|
340 |
|
4.6% |
469 |
|
| First-line
Supervisors of Retail Workers |
|
680 |
|
4.5% |
476 |
|
| Teacher
Assistants |
|
1,430 |
|
3.8% |
403 |
|
| Electrical
Powerline Installers & Repairers |
|
210 |
|
3.7% |
97 |
|
| Slaughterers
& Meat Packers |
|
330 |
|
2.8% |
761 |
|
| Sales
Representatives (Wholesale, Manufacturing & Services) |
|
660 |
|
2.6% |
369 |
|
| Janitors,
Maids/Housekeeping
Cleaners |
|
1,100 |
|
2.4% |
900 |
|
| Cashiers
& Counter
& Rental Clerks |
|
2,110 |
|
2.2% |
2,187 |
|
| Laundry
& Dry-Cleaning Workers |
|
160 |
|
1.5% |
84 |
|
| First-line
Supervisors of Mechanics, Installation, & Repair Workers |
|
230 |
|
0.6% |
205 |
|
| Automotive
Service Techs & Mechanics |
|
310 |
|
-1.6% |
244 |
|
| Shipping,
Receiving, & Traffic Clerks |
|
310 |
|
-9.7% |
209 |
|
| |
|
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 |
 |
| Four-Star
Occupations in Demand |
| Wind
Energy Technicians & Mechanics |
|
130 |
|
100.0% |
130 |
Associate
degree |
| Physician
Assistants |
|
50 |
|
43.5% |
20 |
|
| Personal
& Home Care Aides |
|
420 |
|
40.1% |
1,929 |
|
| Dental
Hygienists |
|
70 |
|
31.2% |
102 |
|
| Agricultural
Equipment Operators |
|
30 |
|
29.3% |
108 |
|
| Family
& General Practitioners |
|
70 |
|
27.1% |
61 |
|
| Radiologic
(X-ray) Technicians |
|
110 |
|
26.0% |
81 |
|
| Medical
Recs. & Health Info. Technicians |
|
120 |
|
21.6% |
123 |
|
| Mixing
& Blending Machine Setters |
|
120 |
|
20.3% |
40 |
|
| Civil
Engineers |
|
40 |
|
18.3% |
50 |
|
| Human
Resources, Employment, & Training Specialists |
|
60 |
|
17.2% |
44 |
|
| Substance
Abuse & Behav. Disorder Counselors & Social Workers |
|
40 |
|
16.8% |
115 |
|
| Pharmacists |
|
120 |
|
15.3% |
91 |
|
| Dispatchers
(Trucking, Fire, Police, etc.) |
|
120 |
|
15.2% |
42 |
|
| Ethanol
& Chemical Plant Technicians |
|
60 |
|
14.5% |
109 |
|
| Environmental
Scientists & Specialists |
|
30 |
|
14.3% |
25 |
|
| Farm
Equipment, Truck
Mechanics & Diesel Engine Specialists |
|
150 |
|
14.2% |
112 |
|
| Medical
Secretaries & Transcriptionists |
|
300 |
|
13.3% |
152 |
|
| Network
& Computer Sys. Administrators |
|
140 |
|
12.0% |
110 |
|
| Computer
Systems Analysts |
|
80 |
|
11.5% |
83 |
|
| Purchasing
Agents & Buyers (incl. Farm Products & Wholesale Trade) |
|
160 |
|
10.1% |
85 |
|
| Appraisers
& Assessors of Real Estate / Title
Examiners |
|
60 |
|
9.5% |
42 |
|
| Clinical
& Counseling Psychologists |
|
40 |
|
9.4% |
48 |
|
| Executive
Secretaries & Admin. Assts. |
|
440 |
|
8.9% |
308 |
|
| Sales
& Marketing
Managers |
|
170 |
|
8.6% |
96 |
Bachelor's
deg. + work exp. |
| Bill
& Account Collectors |
|
150 |
|
8.0% |
28 |
|
| Construction
Managers |
|
290 |
|
6.0% |
172 |
|
| Child,
Family & School Social Workers |
|
220 |
|
5.3% |
122 |
|
| Loan
Interviewers & New
Account Clerks |
|
130 |
|
4.0% |
190 |
|
| Education
Administrators |
|
100 |
|
3.3% |
95 |
|
| Mechanical
Eng. & Electrical
Engineers |
|
120 |
|
-0.3% |
51 |
|
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 |
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| Three-Star
Occupations in Demand |
| Hairstylists
& Cosmetologists |
|
100 |
|
27.4% |
123 |
|
| Professors
& Postsecondary Vocational Education Teachers, incl. Nursing |
|
10 |
|
16.8% |
130 |
|
| Paralegals
& Legal Assistants |
|
70 |
|
15.8% |
33 |
|
| Customer
Service Representatives |
|
520 |
|
14.8% |
879 |
|
| Dentists |
|
90 |
|
14.6% |
46 |
|
| Carpenters
& Construction
Laborers |
|
700 |
|
14.0% |
390 |
|
| Plumbers
& Pipefitters |
|
70 |
|
11.9% |
82 |
|
| Boiler
Operators & Stationary Engineers |
|
60 |
|
8.7% |
35 |
|
| Securities,
Commodities & Financial Services Sales Representatives |
|
90 |
|
8.7% |
89 |
|
| Dietitians,
Nutritionists & Health
Educators |
|
40 |
|
8.1% |
56 |
|
| Loan
Officers |
|
290 |
|
7.8% |
152 |
|
| Financial
Managers |
|
200 |
|
6.5% |
88 |
|
| Electricians |
|
160 |
|
5.9% |
289 |
|
| Bus
Drivers, School & Transit |
|
550 |
|
5.5% |
45 |
|
| Route
Salespersons, Drivers |
|
350 |
|
1.9% |
153 |
|
| First-line
Supervisors of Production & Operating Workers (Line Managers) |
|
540 |
|
0.7% |
258 |
|
| Farmworkers
& Laborers (Crop & Animal) |
|
950 |
|
0.0% |
184 |
|
| Laborers
& Freight/Stock Movers, Hand |
|
950 |
|
-2.1% |
790 |
|
| Welders,
Cutters, Solderers & Brazers |
|
490 |
|
-7.9% |
249 |
Postsecondary
voc. award |
Source:
Minnesota
Dept. of Employment & Economic Development
2010 Median Annual Salary Data from the 2010 Minnesota
Salary Survey for Region 6W and Region 8
Current Demand Data from the Occupations
in Demand Tool for Region 6W and Region 8
Projected Employment Data from the 2009-2019 Minnesota
Employment Projections Program |
|