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Want a job? Learn to type: Valley economy drives need for office staff to support growth(Modesto Bee, The (CA) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 24--Memorize the home row of your keyboard and brush up on your word-processing skills. That's the quickest path to a job in Stanislaus County, according to a recent analysis of employment prospects in the county through 2007. Administrative assistants and office clerks topped the list as the occupation in highest demand in the county. Manufacturing jobs, truck drivers, warehouse workers and maintenance mechanics also made the top five "high demand" occupations on the list. "It is very reflective of the reality of our local labor market," said Jeff Rowe, director of the county's Alliance WorkNet, a work force development agency. The analysis was compiled using employment projections in the county by the state Employment Development Department and a survey of local employers by the Alliance WorkNet, he said. Demand for office staff is extremely high in the area, said Brenda Arnold, branch manager for the Modesto office of Robert Half International, a staffing firm. "We are recruiting for them every day," she said. "It is being fueled by the economy. There are a couple of fields here that have been very strong -- medical, construction, real estate -- and as those companies are expanding, they need more administrative support to sustain that growth." There are plenty of candidates who want to fill office positions, she said. But many applicants don't possess the skills to land the jobs because basic expectations have changed in the past five years. "Several years ago, people were marketing their Microsoft Word and Excel skills," she said. "But that has become the norm. It is expected that you come to the table with those skills." Employers now expect most office assistants to be proficient in several computer programs, she said, including Microsoft Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher and Access. Wages for clerical jobs in California typically range from $9.41 an hour to $16.01, according to the EDD. Nancy Rasmussen, owner of Availability Personnel Services in Modesto, has observed a growing local demand for employees in the accounting field, which ranked No. 11 on the list. Those jobs often pay more than clerical positions, and require more education or training. The wages for bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks range from $13.34 an hour to $20.20, according to the EDD. The presence of some manufacturing-related occupations on the list is an accurate reflection of trends in the industry, said Jan Ennenga, executive director of the Manufacturers Council of the Central Valley. "There is a continuing demand for ... maintenance mechanics, truck drivers, logistics, production and processing workers," Ennenga said. Findingqualifiedemployeesfor thosepositions is a struggle for local manufacturers, she said. "I expect that to continue, partly due to the tremendous need that currently exists and the retirements scheduled over the next few years," she said. Pay for entry-level production workers in California ranges from $7.95 to $10.75 an hour, according to the EDD. Manufacturing positions that require high skill levels and vocational training -- such as maintenance mechanics or electricians -- pay about $20 an hour or more. Demand for retail sales clerks, food service workers and cashiers is in line with strong growth in the trade and construction sectors, as more strip malls and big-box retailers move into the region. The retail-trade industry in Stanislaus County added 400 jobs from August 2005 to August 2006, according to the most recent EDD unemployment reports. The construction industry added 400 jobs during the same period. The Alliance WorkNet compiled the list to determine the best way to allocate funds for training programs through the Workforce Investment Act, Rowe said. Through the act, eligible individuals are able to select an occupation and receive funding for the required training. The training programs are available to low-income people or individuals who have been laid off. Bee staff writer Christina Salerno can be reached at 238-4574 or [email protected]. Copyright (c) 2006, The Modesto Bee, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |