While today’s economic climate is far from steady, several job sectors in the region look ready to weather the storm.
“The good news is, some places are hiring,” says Kate Tykocki, chief communications officer for
Capital Area Michigan Works. “And we have an amazing network of resources for people who need to acquire skills and experience. Mid-Michigan is fortunate that way. We have every resource you could imagine including a top community college, a Big Ten research university and a diversity of training providers.”
Capital Gains set out to dig up those jobs and offer our take on the opportunities that could energize the region in the coming year.
Go GreenBuilders are carving out niches in redevelopment and green certification, manufacturers are retooling to produce parts and components for wind energy and alliances are forming to improve the sustainability of Capital region communities.
“There’s green and construction, green and manufacturing, green and non-profit,” says Tykocki. “We’re seeing lots of overlap.”
E-T-M Enterprises is among the local companies leading the way in green technologies. As a 30-year manufacturer of truck parts, the Grand Ledge company hopes diversification into the production of windmill parts will bring up to 50 new jobs to Mid-Michigan, and strengthen day-to-day business.
“My father started this business back in the 1970s,” says Steven Mohnke with E-T-M. “We understand and appreciate the need for all of us to be more energy conscious.”
Find FilmSince passing a hefty incentive package in April 2008, 32 film productions have been completed in Michigan with nearly $126 million pumped back into the economy. Applications and approvals are in place for 77 more, with almost half a billion dollars in anticipated spending.
“We’re on a fast-track of building a film industry in Michigan, including the Lansing area,” says Mike Shore with the
Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). “That will open doors in almost every field of work, from carpenters to electricians to technical and computer people, to accountants. Anything you need in other businesses, you’ll need in film.”
With an additional $195,000 in state grants, 60 film industry students started receiving 80 hours of free production training in May.
Lansing Community College (LCC) and Michigan State University will collaborate on the courses, taught on the LCC campus.
“In the space of a year, we’ve seen a lot of activity,” says Shore. “Michigan has a lot to offer, and a lot of very talented people.”
Hit HealthIn the last three decades, healthcare employment in the Capital region has more than doubled, and demand for local health care jobs continues growing.
“You’re probably going to see a 10 to 15 percent increase in demand for health care workers in the next several years,” says Denny Morse, interim dean of LCC’s
Human Health and Public Services Careers Division. “How that stretches out depends on the economy, but as our population ages, more and more people will need more and more health care services.”
Morse says that about 75 percent of health care jobs in the Capital region are filled by LCC graduates. Jobs include nursing, surgical technology, radiography, zoography, with salaries ranging from $12 to $15 all the way up to $80,000 to $90,000 a year.
The health care sector will get a further boost as a new rehabilitation center makes Okemos home. Slated for July opening, the newly constructed
Okemos Health and Rehabilitation Center looks to employ about 120 people, with spin off jobs created in services related to landscaping, food, laboratory and transportation.
“We’re one of those bright spots,” says Tom Ellis, director of provider relations for
Extendicare, the owner of the new rehabilitation center. “Job-wise, health care is a fabulous place to be.”
Track Tech
The Information Technology (IT) field boomed between 1998 and 2004. With a growth rate of 20 percent, IT expanded seven times faster than the rate of all jobs in the Lansing area.
Most recent statistics from the
Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth (DELEG) project a growth rate of nearly 15 percent through 2014 for computer systems analysts, about 40 percent for software engineers and 33 percent for network and systems administrators.
“IT has been resilient through the last couple years,” says Clarke Anderson of
A.J. Boggs. “While IT has been affected by the downturn, there remains a shortage of certain skill sets.”
Anderson says data-centered and product-based business has been strong, as well as business focused on web-based social networking and search engines.
“Health-related IT is also blossoming in ways we didn’t anticipate,” says Anderson. “There’s still tremendous potential in the industry, and Lansing is a great community with a lot of resources that can support individuals in their careers.”
Figure on FinanceThe Capital region is full of financial and insurance institutions. Although finance in general has taken a beating with the economic downturn, the field continues to rank in the top 10 of area employers in recent state labor reports.
East Lansing is quickly building a financial corridor on its northern edge, anchored by the
new $22 million headquarters of the
MSU Federal Credit Union. Several other major financial institutions and brokerage offices have headquartered themselves in the college town, including
Summit Community Bank and
Smith Barney.
The insurance industry continues to support 6,000 or more jobs in Mid-Michigan. The
Accident Fund,
Auto Owners Insurance and
Delta Dental have plans to build or renovate facilities, some using innovative green building practices.
Jackson National Life (JNL) recently announced the move of its Denver customer service center to Lansing. That move, says JNL officials, will expand the Lansing-based company’s work force by 11 percent to nearly 1,500 people. Other major insurance companies headquartered in Lansing include
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan,
Michigan Millers and
Citizen’s Insurance.
“This sector can provide opportunity to those with appropriate education and training to get into and grow their careers,” says Tykocki. “There are some major companies here.”
Go NGOMore young professionals or new graduates are coming out of college wanting to give back. And as the epicenter of state government, Lansing is replete with associations and other non-profits that partner with communities for the social good.
More than 200 associations have a base in the Lansing area, and most state labor statistics show that membership organizations and social assistance groups fall in the top 10 of the regional employers.
“It’s been called the Obama effect,” says Tykocki of the gravitation of recent college graduates toward socially conscious jobs. “More people want to give back, and are looking to jobs where they can do that.”
To receive Capital Gains free every week, click here.Source for statistics include: reports by Capital Area Michigan Works (Health Care, IT); Michigan DELEG (Annual Planning Information Report/Capital Area Michigan Works, Planning Year 2008; prepared by Mark Reffitt).
Ann Kammerer is an East Lansing-based freelance writer.
Dave Trumpie is the managing photographer for Capital Gains. He is a freelance photographer and owner of Trumpie Photography.
Photos:
Kate Tykocki
Building Green Jobs
Camera at Ahptic Productions in Lansing
Denny Morse at LCC
Auto Owners Insurance
All Photographs © Dave Trumpie