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New Jersey

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. 

 

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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:  

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

 

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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 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

 

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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

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