Oregon

Job Shortages

The tables below show the top three occupations that are projected from 2018-2028 of Oregon employers based on the level of education they require.  There is a state minimum wage of $12.00 in Oregon. 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) Retail Salesperson to Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers

Retail Salesperson Job Description: 

• Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers

Entry Level Requirements:  

• On-the-job training
• English language proficiency 

Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers Job Description: 

• Supervise and coordinate activities of retail sales workers in a department 

Career Advancement Requirements:  

• High School diploma or GED typically required

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:  

• Associate’s degree OR HS diploma and 2 years of full-time college credit OR pass a state exam
• Obtain current certification in first aid and pediatric CPR within 90 days of employment

Elementary School Teacher Job Description: 

• Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level 

Career Advancement Requirements:  

• Obtain Bachelor’s degree
• Complete state-approved teacher program from an accredited school
• Pass a series of state exams
• Complete background check

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 may prefer a bachelor’s degree 
• Business degree programs in Oregon 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

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Immigration in Oregon

The following are facts about the immigrant community in Oregon:

• Immigrants comprise 10% of the state population and 13% of the Oregon labor force 
• Top industries of immigrant employment in Oregon:
  • Manufacturing, 55,584 
  • Health Care and Social Assistance, 37,248 
  • Accommodation and Food Services, 34,383 
  • Retail Trade, 26,504 
  • Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, 22,844 

• 29,857 immigrant business owners account for 11% of all self-employed Oregon residents
  
• 45% of immigrants in Oregon are naturalized and another 26% are undocumented
• Top foreign-born countries of origin:
  • Mexico, 36% 
  • Vietnam, 6% 
  • China, 5% 
  • India, 5% 
  • The Philippines, 4% 

• 11% of native-born Oregonians are children of an immigrant 
• Educational attainment of foreign born adults in Oregon:
  • High School diploma or less – 50% 
  • More than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree – 21% 
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher – 29% 
    • 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

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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