Job Shortages
The tables below show the top three occupations that are projected from 2018-2028 of Washington employers based on the level of education they require. There is a state minimum wage of $13.69 in Washington. 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) Waiter & Waitress to Certified Food Manager
Waiter & Waitress Job Description:
- Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment
Entry Level Requirements:
- Food Handler certification is required for all food-related positions in Washington state
- Obtain Food Handler card online here ($7, 2 hours); click here to take exam in Español, 普通话, 한국어, Việt, American Sign Language, Tagalog, Serbo-Croatian
- If serving alcohol, must complete Mandatory Alcohol Server Training (MAST) Course ($20)
Certified Food Manager Job Description:
- Responsible for food safety to protect the public from illness as required by state regulations
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Pass the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) certification exam ($55, 1.5 hours)
- Online training courses are not required, but provide knowledge to prepare for the exam
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:
- Associates degree or higher OR two years of study at a higher education institution OR pass the ParaPro exam ($50) with a minimum score of 461 OR complete an apprenticeship program
- Must be fingerprinted and have a background check run ($43)
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 a state-approved teacher preparation program
- Pass the state exams (WEST-B, NES Elementary Education, and edTPA)
3) Software Developer to Computer & Information Systems Manager
Software Developer Job Description:
- Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs
Entry Level Requirements:
- Obtain Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering or related field
- Earn a certification to stand out
- Significant work experience will often be required
Computer & Information Systems Manager Job Description:
- Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in related field
- 5+ years experience typically required
Immigration in Washington
The following are facts about the immigrant community in Washington:
- Immigrants comprise 15% of the state population and 19% of the Washington labor force
- Top industries of immigrant employment:
- Health Care and Social Assistance, 102,277 workers
- Professional, scientific and Technical Services, 90,712 workers
- Retail Trade, 83,975 workers
- Manufacturing, 74,952 workers
- Accommodation and Food Services, 65,721 workers
- 80,984 immigrant business owners account for 19% of all self-employed Washington residents
- 49% of immigrants in Washington are naturalized and another 23% are undocumented
- Top foreign-born countries of origin:
- Mexico, 23%
- India, 8%
- China, 7%
- The Philippines, 6%
- Vietnam, 6%
- 15% of native-born Washingtonians are children of an immigrant
- Educational attainment of foreign born adults in Washington:
- High School diploma or less – 41%
- More than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree – 21%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher – 38%
- Share of Brain Waste* – 17%
* 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