Job Shortages
The tables below show the top three occupations that are projected from 2018-2028 of Mississippi employers based on the level of education they require. There is no state minimum wage in Mississippi so residents are subject to the federal minimum wage of $7.25. 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) Waiter & Waitress to Certified Food Manager
Waiter & Waitress Job Description:
- Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in a restaurant
Entry Level Requirements:
- Food Handler Certification – not required by Mississippi state law, but employers may prefer it
- Obtain Food Handlers Card online here ($7, 2 hours); click here to take exam in Español, 普通话, 한국어, Việt, American Sign Language, Tagalog, Serbo-Croatian
Certified Food Manager Job Description:
- Responsible for food safety to protect the public from illness as required by state regulations
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Pass the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) certification exam ($55, 1.5 hours)
- Online training courses are not required, but provide knowledge to prepare for the exam
2) Nursing Assistant to Licensed Practical Nurse
Nursing Assistant Job Description:
- Provide or assist licensed nursing staff with basic care such as bathing and dressing patients
Entry Level Requirements:
- Complete a state-approved nursing aide training program
- Pass the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) exam ($98)
Licensed Practical Nurse Job Description:
- Provide more extensive patient care with fewer administrative tasks relative to medical assistant
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Complete a state-approved Practical Nurse program
- Pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-PN) exam ($200)
3) Registered Nurse to Nurse Practitioner
Registered Nurse Job Description:
- Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and administer nursing care
Entry Level Requirements:
- Complete a state-approved nursing program
- Pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) exam ($200)
Nurse Practitioner Job Description:
- Diagnose and treat patients independently or as part of a healthcare team
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Earn a graduate degree in a chosen nursing specialization
- Become nationally certified by an accredited agency
- Apply for license
Immigration in Mississippi
The following are facts about the immigrant community in Mississippi:
- Immigrants comprise 2% of the state population and 3% of the Mississippi labor force
- Top industries of immigrant employment:
- Accommodation and Food Services, 8,549 workers
- Manufacturing, 6,039 workers
- Health Care and Social Assistance, 4,952 workers
- Educational Services, 4,528 workers
- Construction, 4,227 workers
- 6,125 immigrant business owners account for 5% of all self-employed Mississippi residents
- 38% of immigrants in Mississippi are naturalized and another 35% are undocumented
- Top foreign-born countries of origin:
- Mexico, 23%
- Guatemala, 10%
- India, 8%
- Philippines, 4%
- Vietnam, 4%
- 2% of native-born Mississippians are children of an immigrant
- Educational attainment of foreign-born adults in Mississippi:
- High School diploma or less – 51%
- More than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree – 19%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher – 30%
- Share of Brain Waste* – 30%
* 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
Immigration
American Immigration Council, State by State Fact Sheet, August 2020; https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/topics/state-by-state