Job Shortages
The tables below show the top three occupations that are projected from 2018-2028 of Pennsylvania employers based on the level of education they require. There is a state minimum wage of $7.25 in Pennsylvania. 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) Cashier to Customer Service Representative
Cashier Job Description:
- Receive and disburse money in establishments other than financial institutions
Entry Level Requirements:
- Short-term, on-the-job training
- English language proficiency typically required
Customer Service Representative Job Description:
- Interact with customers to provide basic or scripted information in response to routine inquiries about products and services
Career Advancement Requirements:
- High school diploma or GED typically required
- More information found here
2) Nursing Assistant to Licensed Practical Nurse
Nursing Assistant Job Description:
- Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff
Entry Level Requirements:
- Complete a state-approved nurse training program, free training classes found here
- Pass the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) exam ($102)
Licensed Practical Nurse Job Description:
- Provide more extensive patient care with fewer administrative tasks relative to medical assistant
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Complete state-approved Practical Nursing program
- Pass the National Council Licensure Exam-Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN) exam ($200)
- Apply for and acquire license ($95, renewal every 2 years)
3) Accountant & Auditor to Financial Manager
Accountant & Auditor Job Description:
- Analyze financial information and prepare financial reports on activities in an organization
Entry Level Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree with Accounting concentration (equivalent to 150 semester hours)
- At least 1 year of experience in accounting related field
- Pass the CPA exam (Approx. $900 with $105 application fee)
- No residency requirement for the state of Pennsylvania
Financial Manager Job Description:
- Plan, direct, or coordinate accounting, investing, banking, insurance, securities, and other financial activities of a branch, office, or department of an establishment
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in finance related field, Master’s degree encouraged
- 5+ years of experience in business or finance, more information found here
Immigration in Pennsylvania
The following are facts about the immigrant community in Pennsylvania:
- Immigrants comprise 7% of the state population and 9% of the Pennsylvania labor force
- Top industries of immigrant employment in Pennsylvania:
- Health Care and Social Assistance, 108,652
- Manufacturing, 87,486
- Retail Trade, 63,855
- Accommodation and Food Services, 59,336
- Educational Services, 56,680
- 55,763 immigrant business owners account for 10% of all self-employed Pennsylvania residents
- 54% of immigrants in Pennsylvania are naturalized and another 19% are undocumented
- Top foreign-born countries of origin:
- India, 10%
- Dominican Republic, 9%
- China, 7%
- Mexico, 6%
- Vietnam, 3%
- 9% of native-born Pennsylvanians are children of an immigrant
- Educational attainment of foreign born adults in Pennsylvania:
- High School diploma or less – 42%
- More than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree – 18%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher – 41%
- Share of Brain Waste* – 19%
* 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