OJT for the Future – Meeting the Demand of Job Training in America
In my last blog (Meeting the Demand of Job Training in America), I showed how occupations with low hire rates and a high number of openings represent the best opportunity for job seekers and training companies.
Now, I’m going to look deeper into the job expansion trends to see how these conclusions match expectations for OJT for the Future – the year 2024.
I looked at two different measures of job expansion-
-
- the percentage of job growth and
- the magnitude of job growth.
I also look at the On-the-Job Training (OJT) needs for the high percentage and high magnitude growth occupations.\
Table 1 provides the data for the top 30 occupations (out of 800) on the percentage of expected growth. Occupations in the health care and social assistance category have the lion’s share of entries in the top 30. This must be due in large part to demographic shifts (the baby boomer effect). It can also reflect a shift in our general economy to one that is more service-oriented.
Table 2 provides the data for the top 30 occupations (out of 800) on the magnitude of expected growth. The health care and social assistance category is well represented. The personal aide’s occupation and home health aides occupation show up on both lists. A variety of nursing-related occupations show up on both lists.
It’s worth noting that these trends only go through 2024. Job seekers should note that technological disruptions can dramatically affect these trends when one considers a longer event horizon (10-20 years).
For example, driverless vehicles can dramatically impact the commercial driver’s occupation, while advanced software and robotics can have an impact on many of the other listed occupations.
Technology trends can spawn occupation growth
For example, the statistician’s occupation (currently the #8 occupation with the largest percentage increase) is an occupation that is on the rise due to the technology trend towards ‘big data’.
In another example, advancements in renewable energy technologies are reflected by the high percentage growth of two listed occupations (wind turbine service technician and solar photovoltaic installers).
In a future blog, I’ll provide some additional insights into those occupations that can be negatively disrupted by trends in technology and those occupations that can emerge as new growth occupations because of technology.
The occupations listed in the two tables below can be broken down into more specific occupations for which OJT is, or can be, offered.
Here at OJT.com, we’ll be mapping the OJT training needs for specific high performing occupations to the institutions that provide the associated training.
Training providers should note the expanding occupations with expected needs for On-the-Job Training (OJT), for that portends a requirement to expand OJT services as well.
Table 1 – Fastest growing occupations, 2014 and projected 2024 (Numbers in thousands)
| Job Title | New Jobs | Percent Increase |
Average Wage |
Typical on-the-job training |
| Wind turbine service technicians | 4.8 | 108.0 | $52,260 | Long-term on-the-job training |
| Occupational therapy assistants | 14.1 | 42.7 | $59,010 | None |
| Physical therapist assistants | 31.9 | 40.6 | $56,610 | None |
| Physical therapist aides | 19.5 | 39.0 | $25,680 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Home health aides | 348.4 | 38.1 | $22,600 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Commercial Divers | 1.6 | 36.9 | $49,090 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| Nurse practitioners | 44.7 | 35.2 | $100,910 | None |
| Physical therapists | 71.8 | 34.0 | $85,400 | None |
| Statisticians | 10.1 | 33.8 | $80,500 | None |
| Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians | 6.5 | 33.0 | $23,850 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| Occupational therapy aides | 2.7 | 30.6 | $28,330 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Physician assistants | 28.7 | 30.4 | $101,480 | None |
| Operations research analysts | 27.6 | 30.2 | $79,200 | None |
| Personal financial advisors | 73.9 | 29.6 | $90,530 | Long-term on-the-job training |
| Cartographers and photogrammetrists | 3.6 | 29.3 | $62,750 | None |
| Genetic counselors | 0.7 | 28.8 | $74,120 | None |
| Interpreters and translators | 17.5 | 28.7 | $46,120 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Audiologists | 3.8 | 28.6 | $75,980 | None |
| Hearing aid specialists | 1.6 | 27.2 | $50,250 | None |
| Optometrists | 11.0 | 27.0 | $106,140 | None |
| Forensic science technicians | 3.8 | 26.6 | $56,750 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| Web developers | 39.5 | 26.6 | $66,130 | None |
| Occupational therapists | 30.4 | 26.5 | $81,910 | None |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers | 16.0 | 26.4 | $69,650 | None |
| Personal care aides | 458.1 | 25.9 | $21,920 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Phlebotomists | 28.1 | 24.9 | $32,710 | None |
| Ophthalmic medical technicians | 9.1 | 24.7 | $35,530 | None |
| Nurse Midwives | 1.3 | 24.6 | $99,770 | None |
| Solar photovoltaic installers | 1.4 | 24.3 | $39,240 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| Emergency medical technicians and paramedics | 58.5 | 24.2 | $32,670 | None |
| Footnotes: Data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Source: Employment Projections program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | ||||
Table 2 – Occupations with the most job growth, 2014 and projected 2024 (Numbers in thousands)
| Job Title | New Jobs | Percent Increase |
Average Wage |
Typical on-the-job training |
| Personal care aides | 458.1 | 25.9 | $21,920 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Registered nurses | 439.3 | 16.0 | $68,450 | None |
| Home health aides | 348.4 | 38.1 | $22,600 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food | 343.5 | 10.9 | $19,440 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Retail salespersons | 314.2 | 6.8 | $22,680 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Nursing assistants | 262.0 | 17.6 | $26,590 | None |
| Customer service representatives | 252.9 | 9.8 | $32,300 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Cooks, restaurant | 158.9 | 14.3 | $24,140 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| General and operations managers | 151.1 | 7.1 | $99,310 | None |
| Construction laborers | 147.4 | 12.7 | $33,430 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Accountants and auditors | 142.4 | 10.7 | $68,150 | None |
| Medical assistants | 138.9 | 23.5 | $31,540 | None |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners | 136.3 | 5.8 | $24,190 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Software developers, applications | 135.3 | 18.8 | $100,080 | None |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand | 125.1 | 5.1 | $25,980 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers | 121.2 | 8.3 | $54,340 | None |
| Computer systems analysts | 118.6 | 20.9 | $87,220 | None |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses | 117.3 | 16.3 | $44,090 | None |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners | 111.7 | 7.7 | $21,820 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Medical secretaries | 108.2 | 20.5 | $33,730 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| Management Analysts | 103.4 | 13.6 | $81,330 | None |
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | 98.8 | 5.5 | $41,340 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Receptionists and information clerks | 97.8 | 9.5 | $27,920 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Office clerks, general | 95.8 | 3.1 | $30,580 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products | 93.4 | 6.4 | $57,140 | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| Stock clerks and order fillers | 92.9 | 4.9 | $23,840 | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Market research analysts and marketing specialists | 92.3 | 18.6 | $62,560 | None |
| First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers | 88.5 | 9.9 | $31,480 | None |
| Electricians | 85.9 | 13.7 | $52,720 | Apprenticeship |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general | 83.5 | 6.1 | $36,940 | Long-term on-the-job training |
| Footnotes: Data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Source: Employment Projections program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | ||||
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