A report released Wednesday by Christine Chmura, president and chief economist of Chmura Economics & Analytics in Richmond shows Hampton Roads jobs and pay are growing faster here then in the rest of the US.
The study, released by Opportunity Inc., said Hampton Roads isn’t producing enough engineers and architects. And it said a surge in shipbuilding demand has created an "acute need" for welders and technicians.
ABOVE-AVERAGE SALARIES
Employment in the region will grow an average of 1.3 percent annually over the next decade, or by a total of about 94,000 jobs. Of 274 occupations that will grow the fastest in the region, a majority – 148 – offer average annual salaries above the regional average of $41,500. They include registered nurses, civil engineers and software developers.
Post-high-school education is "reasonably well aligned" with industry needs, the report said. In particular, the region is producing more than enough graduates in health care, the field expected to grow most rapidly in the next decade.
TOP GROWTH FIELDS
The region is only producing two-thirds of the graduates needed for architecture and engineering occupations according to the study.
Local employer Newport News Shipbuilding, said at the meeting that it expects to hire 8,000 employees over the next five years.
THE REPORT -"Driving Hampton Roads Competitiveness: Meeting the Demand for a Skilled Workforce," is available at www.opp-inc.org
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