Q3 2015 jackson county short report optimized

QUARTERLY REPORT JACKSON COUNTY Q3 2015

SUMMARY JACKSON Q3 2015 DEMAND OVERVIEW

Both the labor force and employment decreased in Q3 2015 from Q2 highs. This was expected as historically annual peaks occur in June in Jackson County. The labor force decreased by 383 individuals to 72,808 (-0.5%) while employment dropped by 356 workers to 68,883 (-0.5%). Since both the labor force and employment decreased at the same rate, unemployment remained at 5.4%. The state average is also 5.4%.

Through three quarters, employment averaged 68,890 workers in Jackson County. Employment levels last reached near 69,000 in Q4 2008.

Q3 2015 marked the second consecutive quarter of posting growth for Jackson County, albeit, growth is slow—averaging just 1.2% per quarter. Nonetheless, a pattern of stability is a welcome sign considering the volatility of postings witnessed throughout previous business cycles. Furthermore, 2015 is on pace to have the highest posting average for all quarters since data began being collected in 2011.

According to online job postings eight of the ten most in-demand occupations in Jackson County during Q2 2015 remained in the top ten for Q3. New to the top ten were two occupations within the Retail & Hospitality cluster—first-line supervisors of retail sales workers and wholesale/manufacturing sales representatives (non-technical nor scientific products). Meanwhile, secretaries/administrative assistants and managers (general) fell out. Six of the top ten occupations in Jackson County had more postings in Q3 than in Q2 2015. Four of the top ten occupations require a Bachelor’s Degree or higher for entry-level openings. Combined, the top ten occupations accounted for 29.2% of all online postings in Jackson County during Q3. * This report includes top jobs and postings over time highlights for clusters that have made major shifts or

movements in the past quarter. The data is updated each quarter based on the clusters with the most noteworthy changes. For complete top jobs lists, educational attainment, and wage information, please see the regional reports or contact WIN's Research Director Colby Cesaro at colby.cesaro@win-semich.org.

TOP JOBS Q3 2015

ANALYSIS According to online job postings eight of the ten most in-demand occupations in Jackson County during Q2 2015 remained in the top ten for Q3. New to the top ten were two occupations within the Retail & Hospitality cluster—firstline supervisors of retail sales workers and wholesale/manufacturing sales representatives (nontechnical nor scientific products). Combined, the top ten occupations accounted for 29.2% of all online postings in Jackson County during Q3.

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HIGHLIGHTS ENGINEER & DESIGNER OVER TIME

ANALYSIS Online job postings for Engineers & Designers bounced back after dipping below 100 in Q2 2015. The 118 ads in Q3 were a 28.2% increase over Q2 postings.

While postings did increase, they have not surpassed the historic high of 150 set in Q1 2015.

Since there is no discernable pattern in postings for Engineers in Jackson County, it is difficult to predict how employer demand will be reflected in Q4 postings.

IT POSTINGS OVER TIME

ANALYSIS Online postings for Information Technology occupations decreased for a second consecutive quarter following a historic high of 259 online ads in Q1 2015. Postings since then fell to 180 this past quarter (-30.5%).

Nonetheless, postings still remain well above lows seen in previous years.

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LABOR MARKET OVERVIEW EMPLOYMENT & LABOR FORCE

ANALYSIS Both the labor force and employment decreased in Q3 2015 from Q2 highs. This was expected as historically annual peaks occur in June in Jackson County. The labor force decreased by 383 individuals to 72,808 (-0.5%) while employment dropped by 356 workers to 68,883 (-0.5%).

TOTAL POSTINGS OVER TIME

ANALYSIS Q3 2015 marked the second consecutive quarter of posting growth for Jackson County, albeit, growth is slow—averaging just 1.2% per quarter.

Nonetheless, a pattern of stability is a welcome sign considering the volatility of postings witnessed throughout previous business cycles.

Furthermore, 2015 is on pace to have the highest posting average of any quarter since data began being collected in 2011.

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POSTING TRENDS BY CLUSTER

ANALYSIS Online postings increased for three of the six occupational clusters analyzed by WIN in Jackson County during Q3 2015. Online ads increased for the Engineers & Designers, Retail & Hospitality and Agriculture clusters while postings decreased for Skilled Trades and IT. Ads for Health Care occupations stagnated. Retail & Hospitality was the largest drivers of employer demand; the 491 online ads for this cluster accounted for 21.4% of all postings in the region during Q3 2015.

Combined, the six occupation clusters analyzed by WIN in Jackson County accounted for 54.2% of the nearly 2,300 online ads during Q3.

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TOP JOBS BY CLUSTER HEALTH CARE TOP JOBS

ANALYSIS Just half of the top ten Health Care occupations from Q2 remained in the Q3 top ten.

The top four occupations, however, remained the same as previous quarters.

Registered nurses continued as the most in-demand Health Care occupation despite employer demand—according to online postings— decreasing by more than one third between Q2 and Q3 2015.

SKILLED TRADE & TECHNICIAN TOP JOBS

ANALYSIS Eight of the top ten Skilled Trades & Technician occupations from Q2 remained in the Q3 top ten.

New to the top ten were press machine setters (metal and plastic) and electronics engineering technicians while grinding machine tool setters (metal and plastic) and petroleum pump system operators fell out. Postings for mechanical engineering technicians more than tripled from 5 in Q2 to 17 in Q3; the increased demand moved this occupation from eighth in Q2 rankings to the top in Q3.

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TOP JOBS BY CLUSTER RETAIL & HOSPITALITY TOP JOBS

ANALYSIS Eight of the top ten Retail & Hospitality occupations from Q2 remained in the Q3 top ten. New to the top ten were janitors and first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers while stock clerks and food service managers fell out. Seven of the top ten in Q3 experienced an increase over Q2 postings. Online ads for first-line supervisors of retail workers doubled between quarters (33 to 66), indicating the possibility of advancement for experienced workers in the most in-demand R&H occupation—retail salespersons.

IT TOP JOBS

ANALYSIS Eight of the top ten Information Technology occupations from Q2 remained in the Q3 top ten.

New to the top ten were computer and information systems managers and database administrators while computer network architects and computer programmers fell out.

Postings increased for six of the top ten IT occupations during Q3. Online ads for network systems administrators nearly tripled between Q2 (8 ads) and Q3 (22 ads).

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