If you want to get an understanding of the career opportunities across West Michigan, the 2024 HotJobs! List is a good place to start.
The report highlights the top 100-plus jobs in the region’s high-growth industries. According to the report, nearly half of the top high-demand jobs are new additions for 2024. Information security analyst is the only occupation that spans five high-demand industries. However, 43 positions are present in two or more industries, and only 30% require a bachelor’s degree.
“The new jobs added to the 2024 list reflect shifts in employer demand, the regional economy, labor force, and technology changes,” says Angie Barksdale, chief operating officer of West Michigan Works!.
Occupations on the HotJobs! list must show a growth rate of at least 10%, a minimum of 50 annual openings, and wages at or above $14.30 per hour in Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon and Ottawa counties.
“We have found over time that if we really look at the data for our seven counties, it does look a little different than what the state report shows,” Barksdale says. “We can really drill down into what the employers are looking for in our seven-county region.”
Four-year degrees usually not required
The report points to the occupations believed to be most in demand now and in the future. Less than a third of the hot jobs require a bachelor's degree, but the others require some training, such as an apprenticeship, short-term credentials, and certificates.
“The majority of this training is provided by our local community colleges, so it's a lot cheaper than going to a four-year college,” Barksdale says.
Some of this training might be free, especially in occupations that focus on apprenticeships, where people are paid as they go through training.
“Our local community colleges use this job report quite extensively when they're looking at aligning their programming with our employer industry councils,” Barksdale says. “We're trying to be on the same page. We're hearing what employers want. We are promoting those, and our community colleges are at the table with the training that aligns with all of that.”
The annual report is also used by West Michigan Works! and community partners to guide career exploration, identify existing skills that transfer into high-demand occupations, and inform decisions regarding funding occupational training.
Job categories
The HotJobs! list helps job seekers in West Michigan identify sustainable career opportunities in manufacturing, health sciences, information technology, construction and energy, agribusiness, and professional services. It features a visual classification system that allows job seekers to quickly identify if an occupation meets the criteria for West Michigan Works! training scholarships, if an occupation is represented within multiple industries, and the level of demand for each position.
The 2024 edition of the HotJobs! list uses a wage range of the 25th-90th percentile for each position.
“By highlighting high-demand careers across growing industries, we’re showcasing where the jobs are today and where they are heading in the future,” says Barksdale. “Our goal is to empower job seekers with the information they need to pursue fulfilling careers that contribute to the prosperity of West Michigan.”
For example, Barksdale's advice for those interested in health care is to go to theHotJobs! health care section to explore the occupations in your region. The list is searchable and sortable, and it has links to further information.
“If you're not quite sure exactly what occupations you're interested in, but you're thinking about health care, it's a place to start that research,” Barksdale says.
Job seekers can access the 2024 list at
https://www.westmiworks.org/job-seekers/hot-jobs and can connect with a career coach to get started.
Occupational data was obtained from the analytical program Lightcast and the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.
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