Job Shortages
The tables below show the top three occupations that are projected from 2018-2028 of Washington D.C. employers based on the level of education they require. There is a minimum wage of $15.00 in Washington D.C. The one highlighted occupation under each of the three education levels has been selected to expand on in terms of potential career advancement.
Potential Career Advancement
1) Janitor & Cleaner to Supervisor of Janitors & Cleaners
Janitor & Cleaner Job Description:
- Keep buildings in clean and orderly condition
Entry Level Requirements:
- Short-term, on-the-job training
- No formal education typically required, more information found here
Supervisor of Janitors & Cleaners Job Description:
- Directly supervise and coordinate work activities of cleaning personnel in hotels, hospitals, offices, and other establishments
Career Advancement Requirements:
- High School diploma or GED typically required, more information found here
2) Paralegal & Legal Assistant to Arbitrator, Mediator & Conciliator
Paralegal & Legal Assistant Job Description:
- Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent
Entry Level Requirements:
- Associate’s degree is typically required
- Become certificated for greater job opportunities, more information found here
Arbitrator, Mediator & Conciliator Job Description:
- Facilitate negotiation and conflict resolution through dialogue
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Obtain Bachelor’s degree in public policy, law, political science or relative field
- Complete training in arbitration, mediation or conciliation
- More information found here
3) Business Operations Specialist to General & Operations Manager
Business Operations Specialist Job Description:
- Design and implement solutions to challenges faced in the operations of a business
Entry Level Requirements:
- No licensing requirements, but employer typically requires a Bachelor’s degree
- Business administration degree programs in Washington D.C. are found here
General & Operations Manager Job Description:
- Manages the operations of an organization including the formulation of policies
Career Advancement Requirements:
- No licensing requirements, but typically requires 5 or more years of work experience
- Employers may prefer a graduate degree like an MBA
Immigration in District of Columbia
The following are facts about the immigrant community in District of Columbia:
- Immigrants comprise 14.1% of the district population and 17% of the D.C. labor force
- Top industries of immigrant employment:
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, 13,114 workers
- Public Administration, 9,811 workers
- Accommodation and Food Services, 9,156 workers
- Health Care and Social Assistance, 8,493 workers
- Other Services (except Public Administration), 7,585 workers
- 5,452 immigrant business owners account for 16% of all self-employed D.C. residents
- 45% of immigrants in D.C. are naturalized and another 28% are undocumented
- Top foreign-born countries of origin:
- El Salvador, 11%
- Ethiopia, 7%
- Mexico, 3%
- Trinidad & Tobago, 3%
- China, 3%
- 11% of native-born D.C. residents are children of an immigrant
- Educational attainment of foreign born adults in D.C.:
- High School diploma or less – 30%
- More than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree – 12%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher – 58%
- Share of Brain Waste* 11%
* Share of immigrant professionals, who are unemployed, employed at poverty-level wages in High School diploma or less jobs, or significantly underemployed in more than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree jobs
Sources
Jobs
Projections Managing Partnership (PMP), Projections Central – State Occupational Projections, “Long Term Occupational Projection (2018-2028)”; http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates; https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, “Education and training assignments by detailed occupation,” 2019; https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm
National Council of State Legislatures, “State Minimum Wages”, December 2020; http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wage-chart.aspx#Table
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economic News Release, “Employees on Nonfarm Payrolls by State, Seasonally adjusted”, November 2020; https://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.t03.htm
Potential Career Advancement
National Conference of State Legislatures, “The National Occupational Licensing Database”, March 2020: https://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/occupational-licensing-statute-database.aspx DisctrictofColumbia
Immigration
American Immigration Council, State by State Fact Sheet, August 2020; https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/topics/state-by-state