Job Shortages
The tables below show the top three occupations that are projected from 2018-2028 of New Jersey employers based on the level of education they require. There is a state minimum wage of $12.00 in New Jersey. 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) Laborers, Freight, Stock & Material Movers to Forklift Operators
Laborers, Freight, Stock & Material Movers Job Description:
- Manually move freight, stock or other materials
Entry Level Requirements:
- High school diploma is preferred; must be able perform physical tasks (lift, carry, bend)
- Employers typically provide training on equipment usage and best safety practices
Forklift Operator Job Description:
- Responsible for operating and managing industrial trucks to load and unload materials
Career Advancement Requirements:
- OSHA requires all forklift operators be trained and evaluated every 3 years
- Forklift training must include formal classroom training AND practical hands-on training
- List of Forklift training schools offering certification in New Jersey are listed here
2) Teacher Assistant to Elementary School Teacher
Teacher Assistant Job Description:
- Assist in the teaching of academic and social skills to students at any and all school levels
Entry Level Requirements:
- Obtain an Associate’s degree or higher OR complete two years of study at an institution of higher education OR pass a formal assessment that tests knowledge & ability to assist in math, reading and writing
- New Jersey Department of Education addresses frequently asked questions regarding teacher assistant role
Elementary School Teacher Job Description:
- Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Obtain Bachelor’s degree with minimum of 60 liberal arts credits; minimum GPA is 3.0
- Pass Praxis exams – Core Academic Skills for Educators along with specific subject exams
- Complete teacher preparation program for Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS), which provides better job opportunities; approved NJ programs listed here
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 New Jersey
The following are facts about the immigrant community in New Jersey:
- Immigrants comprise 23% of the state population and 29% of the New Jersey labor force
- Top industries of immigrant employment:
- Health Care and Social Assistance, 212,892 workers
- Manufacturing, 154,555 workers
- Retail Trade, 148,613 workers
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, 141,012 workers
- Construction, 108,195 workers
- 136,186 immigrant business owners account for 33% of all self-employed New Jersey residents
- 59% of immigrants in New Jersey are naturalized and another 22% are undocumented
- Top foreign-born countries of origin:
- India, 13%
- Dominican Republic, 10%
- Mexico, 5%
- Ecuador, 4%
- Philippines, 4%
- 18% of native-born New Jerseyans are children of an immigrant
- Educational attainment of foreign born adults in New Jersey:
- High School diploma or less – 42 %
- More than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree – 18%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher – 40%
- Share of Brain Waste* – 21%
* 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