Fastest Growing Occupations Occupations with the

Most Annual Openings

Georgia
Hot
Home Health Aides

Physical Therapist Assistants 7.2%

8.3%

Retail Salespersons 2,370

Area Workforce Trends
Hot Physician Assistants 7.1% Cashiers 1,600

Cementing & Gluing Machine Operators & Tenders 7.1%

Comb Food Prep & Serving Workers, Incl Fast
1,280
Projections to 2014
Food
Laborers & Freight, Stock, & Material Movers,
Medical Assistants 7.1% 1,230
Hand

Hot Computer Softw are Engineers, Applications 6.9% Waiters & Waitresses 1,210
WIA Area #7 – Atlanta Regional
Hot Netw ork Systems & Data Comm Analysts 6.8% Customer Service Representatives 980

Emergency Management Specialists 6.8%

Hot General & Operations Managers 930
Hot Sales Reps, Whlsl & Mfg, Exc Tech & Scientific
750
Mental Health & Substance Abuse Social Workers 6.7% Products

Truck Drivers, Heavy & Tractor-Trailer 720

Physical Therapist Aides 6.4%
Office Clerks, General 710
Postmasters & Mail Superintendents 6.3%
Janitors & Cleaners, Exc Maids & Housekeeping
680
Cleaners
Hot Employment, Recruitment, & Placement Specialists 6.3%
Stock Clerks & Order Fillers 670
Postal Service Mail Carriers 6.3%
Hot Registered Nurses 540
Postal Serv Mail Sorters, Processors, & Processing
6.3%
Machine Operators Supvrs of Retail Sales Workers 540
Postal Service Clerks 6.3%
Food Preparation Workers 500

These fast-growing occupations will have better employ-
ment prospects than occupations with slow or declining
employment. Also, conditions will be more favorable for
mobility and advancement.
Four of the five fastest growing occupations are found in the
health services industry.
Four of these jobs are with the U.S. Postal Service.
Five have received the “HOT” label on a statewide basis for
the projections period.
Most of the job openings in this list will result from the
need to replace workers who change jobs rather than from
new job creation.
This area consists of the seven counties covered by the Atlanta Regional
Commission not in separate WIA areas and includes the following
Nine require short-term on-the-job training of one month or counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Douglas, Fayette, Gwinnett, Henry and
less. Rockdale.
Three have been designated “HOT” for this period on a
statewide basis.
Workforce Information & Analysis Division
Although these occupations have many projected annual open- Georgia Department of Labor
ings, more than half of them pay less than average wages. Michael L. Thurmond
Commissioner
 Total Industry Growth Industry Rate of Growth Occupations with the
Total employment in WIA Area #7 is expected to grow from The area’s economy is currently the fastest growing in Georgia,
Most Job Growth
more than 654,000 jobs in 2004 to more than 955,000 by the with expected job growth of 3.9 percent per year over the next
year 2014, which equates to almost 30,100 new jobs added each ten years, as compared to 1.7 percent for the state. Retail Salespersons 14,890
year. This area is home to the world’s busiest airport, the head-
Customer Service Representatives 7,830
quarters for a major airline, a major retail distribution center, The ten fastest growing industries in this area are listed below.
several regional medical centers, and a state university. Key Cashiers 7,540

industries are air transportation, health services, education ser- Laborers & Freight, Stock, & Material Movers, Hand 7,470
Nursing & Residential Care Facilities 7.7%
vices, insurance services, truck transportation, computer and Comb Food Prep & Serv Workers, Incl Fast Food 7,160
electronic product manufacturing, and telecommunications. Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, &
Related
7.5% Hot General & Operations Managers 6,780

The top ten industries in this area with the most job growth are Securs, Comm Contracts, & Other Finan
Waiters & Waitresses 6,130
7.5%
listed below. Investments
Truck Drivers, Heavy & Tractor-Trailer 5,530

Janitors & Cleaners, Exc Maids & Housekeeping

Administrative & Support Services 6.4% 5,110
Administrative & Support Services 43,000 Cleaners

Hot Sales Reps, Whlsl & Mfg, Exc Tech & Scientific Products 4,970

Food Services & Drinking Places 28,150 Postal Service 6.3%

Office Clerks, General 4,600

Hot Registered Nurses 4,140

Educational Services 19,930 Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores 6.2%
Supvrs of Retail Sales Workers 3,650

Professional, Scientific, & Tech Srvs 17,340 Ambulatory Health Care Services 6.0% Truck Drivers, Light or Delivery Services 3,400

Food Preparation Workers 3,250

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods 14,900 Couriers & Messengers 5.9%

Ambulatory Health Care Services 13,930 Publishing Industries 5.9%

Specialty Trade Contractors
General Merchandise Stores
Food and Beverage Stores
Self-Employed & Unpd Family Wrkrs
These 15 occupations – out of more than 700 - are projected
12,560
add to nearly 92,500 jobs over the next 10 years, about 31
Transit & Ground Passenger Transport 5.8%
percent of all projected job growth in this area.
9,150 Nine occupations require short-term on-the-job training of
For copies of the Georgia Career Planner, one month or less and two require a college degree.
8,510 Georgia Workforce Trends or this publication,
call 404/232-3875 or contact your local Three have made the list of Georgia’s “HOT” Careers to
8,270
Department of Labor office. 2014 as a result of their fast job growth, high wages, and
plentiful job openings over this projections decade.