One sector’s steady job growth in SW MN

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Minnesota regional map with Southwest MN area highlighted and words Southwest Minnesota Regional Labor Market Information Blog

Despite economic fluctuations in the region across other industries, health care and social assistance providers in Southwest Minnesota have continually added jobs over the past two decades. Health care and social assistance accounted for 13.6%  of total jobs in the region in the third quarter of 2000, but after gaining 8,195 net new jobs from 2000 to 2019, the industry now comprises 18.1%of total employment. While the number of jobs across the total of all industries expanded just 1.2% from 2000 to 2019, the health care and social assistance industry jumped 35%. In fact, the region would have lost jobs over the past 19 years if it weren’t for the job gains experienced in health care and social assistance (see Figure 1).

Graph showing SW Industry Employment Trends 2000-2019, for more information contact Luke Greiner at 320-308-5378 or Mark Schultz at 507-205-6068

The steady increase in health care and social assistance employment since 2000 has led to a growing number of job vacancies across the Southwest Minnesota region as well, with the exception of a brief decline in hiring activity during the Great Recession from 2006 to 2009. In fact, the 2,465 job vacancies reported by health care and social assistance employers in the second quarter of 2019 was the highest number ever posted in the region, and represented a 463% increase in job postings compared to the low point set in 2009 (see Figure 2).

Graph showing SW Minnesota Healthcare and Social Assistance Vacancies 2001-2019, for more information, contact Luke Greiner at 320-308-5378 or Mark Schultz at 507-205-6068

These vacancies covered a lot of different opportunities, with the largest number posted for personal care and service occupations, which tend to offer low wages and part-time hours. The second largest number of health care and social assistance vacancies were for healthcare practitioners and technical occupations, such as registered nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and family and general practitioners. These positions had the highest education requirements, with over 95% requiring postsecondary education or a certificate or license, but also the highest wage offers, at $24.02. The region also had high demand for lower-skilled and lower wage healthcare support occupations, such as nursing assistants and home health aides. Median wage offers hovered around $13 an hour for these jobs, and almost 60% were part-time, while less than 30% required postsecondary education or training (see Table 3).

 

Table 3. Southwest Minnesota Health Care Occupations, Job Vacancy Survey, 2nd Quarter 2019

SOC Occupational Title

Number

of Job Vacancies

Median Wage Offer

Percent   Part-time

Percent Requiring Postsecondary Education

Percent Requiring 1+ Years Work Experience

Percent Requiring

Certificate or License

Total, All Occupations

12,355

$12.49

27%

18%

54%

30%

Healthcare Practitioners & Technical Occs.

557

$24.02

35%

95%

51%

95%

  Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners

333

$30.80

27%

100%

69%

99%

  Health Technologists & Technicians

216

$17.58

48%

89%

20%

92%

  Other Healthcare Practitioners

8

$16.60

0%

40%

100%

0%

Healthcare Support Occupations

309

$13.36

58%

28%

8%

75%

  Nursing, Psych. & Home Health Aides

282

$13.34

59%

22%

4%

78%

  Other Healthcare Support Occupations

23

$12.87

61%

87%

39%

30%

Personal Care & Service Occupations

688

$11.74

75%

12%

12%

59%

  Other Personal Care & Services Workers

639

$11.81

76%

7%

13%

59%

Community & Social Service Occupations

79

$19.48

18%

71%

77%

79%

  Counselors, Social Workers, & Other

75

$19.25

18%

70%

77%

82%

Source: DEED Job Vacancy Survey

 

For More Information

Contact Luke Greiner at 320-308-5378 or Mark Schultz at 507-205-6068.