With Unemployment at Record Lows, These Four US Industries Want Job Seekers to Know They’re Hiring

Trade Industries Band Together to Promote In-Demand Career Opportunities, as Latest Jobs Report Underscores Challenges of Finding Workers

On the heels of the latest jobs report, four US trade industries, including the professional landscape industry, healthcare technology management industry, foodservice distribution industry and grocery industry are joining forces to encourage job seekers to explore the many career opportunities currently available in their respective fields. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported the unemployment rate at 3.7 percent, just above a 50-year low. With such a low unemployment rate, these industries are challenged with finding enough workers to fill an increasing number of open positions.

“The very low national unemployment rate – combined with a decades-long societal push to encourage students to pursue college instead of trades – has left many industries in need of workers now more than ever before,” says Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs, National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), an organization leading inter-industry collaboration on workforce development efforts. “These industries offer excellent career options for young professionals or job changers, including the opportunity to jump into the workforce immediately and earn a competitive salary – with or without a college degree.”

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The following four industries have immediate job openings:

1. Professional Landscape Industry (National Association of Landscape Professionals)

• Number of industry job openings: 150,000
• Average starting salary: $35,000 for technicians and $81,000 for managers
• Why apply?: The booming $99 billion professional landscape industry offers the opportunity to work outdoors, use cutting-edge technology, help the environment, and interact with a team in positions ranging from entry-level employees to business executives and CEOs.

2. Healthcare Technology Management Industry (Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation)

• Number of industry job openings: 6,000
• Average starting salary: $46,000 – $92,000 for technicians and $120,000+ for executives
• Why apply?: Healthcare technology management (HTM) is a terrific field for anyone with a passion for technology, IT or healthcare. HTM professionals are engineers and technicians who generally work in hospitals, where they help purchase, repair and maintain medical technology. This is a fantastic career path for someone who is committed to helping others, doesn’t want a desk job, and thrives in an environment where no two days are the same. HTM professionals represent a crucial part of the clinical care team, where they work with cutting-edge technology, including robotics, virtual reality, minimally invasive surgical technologies and IT systems. The growing field enjoys good compensation, high job satisfaction and a positive outlook.

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3. Foodservice Distribution Industry (International Foodservice Distributors Association)

• Size of the industry: $280 billion industry that employs 350,000
• Why apply?: Pursuing a job in foodservice distribution is an excellent career choice. It’s not an exaggeration to say that foodservice distributors have a footprint in every community in America, so opportunities are right around the corner. In addition to opportunities for upward mobility and career growth, foodservice distributors offer generous pay and benefits to attract and retain the best and brightest.

4. Independent Grocery Industry (National Grocers Association)

• Size of the industry: The independent grocery sector is accountable for close to one percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating $131 billion in sales, 944,000 jobs and $30 billion in wages.
• Why apply?: Independent grocers are an integral foundation in their communities and require a great team to serve their customers. With a wide variety of roles and opportunities in a dynamic and rapidly evolving industry, independent grocery is an excellent place to start and grow your career!