Job Shortages
The tables below show the top three occupations that are projected from 2018-2028 of Texas employers based on the level of education they require. There is a state minimum wage of $7.25 in Texas. 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) 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:
- Short-term 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) 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 CNA course found online here
- Pass the state exam ($104)
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 Nursing program
- Pass the National Council Licensure Exam-Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN) exam ($200)
- Apply for license ($186, 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) and at least 1 year experience in accounting
- Pass the CPA exam (Approx. $900)
- Pass a Board-approved ethics course
- Apply for certification
- State residency and citizenship not required, but social security is required
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 Texas
The following are facts about the immigrant community in Texas:
- Immigrants comprise 17% of the state population and 22% of the Texas labor force
- Top industries of immigrant employment:
- Construction, 517,957 workers
- Manufacturing, 361,818 workers
- Health Care and Social Assistance, 353,961 workers
- Accommodation and Food Services, 336,864 workers
- Retail Trade, 332,182 workers
- 429,414 immigrant business owners account for 29% of all self-employed Texas residents
- 38% of immigrants in Texas are naturalized and another 33% are undocumented
- Top foreign-born countries of origin:
- Mexico, 51%
- India, 6%
- El Salvador, 5%
- Vietnam, 4%
- Honduras, 3%
- 16% of native-born Texans are children of an immigrant
- Educational attainment of foreign born adults in Texas:
- High School diploma or less – 57%
- More than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree – 16%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher – 26%
- 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