Vacancy Data from Massachusetts, 4th Quarter, 2008
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Statewide Critical Vacancies
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Regional Vacancy Data of Massachusetts
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Commonwealth Corporation has developed a list of critical vacancies based on the 4th Quarter, 2008 job vacancy survey (JVS) conducted by the Massachusetts' Department of Workforce Development's Division of Career Services (DCS). The purpose is to identify occupations for which there is critical and persistent demand, to help inform the state's workforce development system.
All of the occupations listed in this file are critical occupations organized by occupational category. A critical occupation is an occupation that meets the following characteristics in the most recent job vacancy survey:
- Median Annual salary >/= $25,000; and
- Occupational Employment >/= 1,000; and
- Excludes Occupations with "all other " in occupational names (ex. Engineers, All other); and
- Number of Vacancies >/= 200 in the latest survey; or
- Vacancy rate>= 5% in the latest survey; or
- Average No. of Vacancies since Q4, 2004 >/= 300.
A persistent occupation is an occupation that is critical in the previous three (3) job vacancy surveys, including the most recent, or year and a half (1.5 years).
Critical Occupations in Massachusetts, 4th Quarter, 2008
In the 4th quarter of 2008, there were 23,471 critical vacancies, 43% of the 54,606 total vacancies in Massachusetts. The number of critical vacancies declined from 32,724 critical vacancies in the 2nd quarter of 2008, itself a decline from 45,035 critical vacancies in the 4th quarter of 2007.
The number of critical occupations has seen similar declines. In the 4th quarter of 2008, there were 63 critical occupations, lower than the 80 in the 2nd quarter of 2008, and lower than the 92 in the 4th quarter of 2007.
As part of a broader effort to understand and explain the “Skills Gap” in Massachusetts, Commonwealth Corporation uses the twice-a-year Job Vacancy Survey (JVS) to help workforce development practitioners and policy makers gain a better understanding of the specific occupations that are in demand. Commonwealth Corporation identifies critical occupations that have a large number of vacancies, or a vacancy rate of at least 5% and have an annual median wage of at least $25,000. In addition, persistent vacancies are those that are considered critical for three consecutive surveys.
Where are the critical occupations and vacancies?
Sixty-three (63) occupations meet the criteria for critical vacancies and account for 23,471 critical vacancies, 43% of the 54,606 total vacancies in Massachusetts. The categories with the largest number of critical vacancies are office and administrative support and healthcare technical and practitioner occupations. Office and administrative support accounted for 4,778 vacancies, down from 5,271 in the same quarter in the previous year. Healthcare technical and practitioner occupational category has 3,883 critical vacancies down from 6,978 in the previous year. This is due to the reduction in the number of critical occupations in these categories, down 1 and 7, respectively.
The smallest occupational category was building and ground maintenance and arts, design, entertainment, and sports media with 175 and 97 vacancies, respectively, each with one occupation, Janitors and Interpreters, respectively.
Registered Nurses (2,537) and Nurses aides and Assistants (1,264) continue to be the critical occupations with the highest number of vacancies. The occupations with the highest vacancy rates are Tax Preparers (28.3%) and Couriers and Messengers (12.1%).
Eleven of the 63 critical occupations with 3,182 (14%) of the 23,471 critical vacancies are in the three occupational categories that make up STEM occupations (computer and mathematical, life, physical, and social science, and architecture and engineering).
What are the educational requirements of the critical occupations?
Twenty-seven of the 63 critical occupations required with the highest rates require at least a bachelor’s degree, 25 required either a high school diploma or a vocational degree, and 3 required an associate’s degree.
Persistent Occupations
Forty-six (46) occupations met the criteria for persistent occupations, i.e., they have been critical for three job vacancy surveys, which indicates they are not seasonal in nature, and represent shortage that are not just a one-time occurrence. These occupations represent 19,165 vacancies, 82% of the total number of critical vacancies. The largest number of persistent occupations is, like critical occupations, in the office and administrative support (8), management occupations are the second highest (6). A number of STEM occupations are also included among these: four computer related occupations, two from Life, Physical and Social Sciences, and one from engineering occupations.
Conclusion
Critical occupations reflect a broad range of educational requirements and skills. They represent 19 of the 22 major occupational categories and while the largest proportion of critical occupations requires at least a Bachelor’s degree, nearly one-third do not require any post-secondary credential. Please click here on notes on Sources and Methods.
