Last year ended with favorable hiring metrics for the United States, and the New Year will be rung in with job opportunities. According to the LinkedIn Workforce Report, hiring grew 10.4 percent in 2017. This trend is expected to continue in 2018 with hiring intentions at their strongest in 10 years, according to more than 11,000 employers surveyed by the ManpowerGroup.
The survey revealed the following key insights:
• Employers have the strongest intentions of hiring in the first quarter of 2018.
• The transportation and utilities sectors are forecasting the strongest payroll increases for 2018.
• Employers in construction and durable-goods manufacturing sectors forecast the strongest outlooks in more than a decade.
Hispanics with skills sets, especially those who are bilingual, should find employment in these sectors, as well as in financial services, insurance, oil and energy, leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and wholesale and retail trades. In contrast, the following industries and job sectors are projected to have no job growth or to shrink — government (public sector) and nondurable goods manufacturing.
Positive jobs trends will be found in large metro areas in Cape Coral, Fla.; Ogden, Utah; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Los Angeles; Calif.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Charlotte, N.C.
However, not all cities will feel the effects of this job growth. Cities expected to have zero or negative job growth in 2018 are: Providence, R.I.; Spokane, Wash.; New Haven, Conn.; Albany, N.Y.; Portland, Ore.; and Cleveland, Ohio.
Additionally, the shortage of skilled workers to fill available jobs will continue in Salt Lake City, Utah; San Antonio, Texas; and West Palm Beach, Fla.
As the push for skilled workers puts the pressure on employers across the country, job opportunities for residents of Puerto Rico who have recently resettled in the mainland U.S. can be found through businesses that work with trade schools, universities, boot camps, and apprenticeship programs to fill vacancies.
Cepero is chief human resources officer and chief diversity officer for the YMCA of Greater Rochester.
