Capital seeing job growth in law, accounting, engineering and other sectors

Despite a national recession, the Capital region is seeing growth in key job sectors such as law and engineers, and the trend is expected to continue.

According to excerpts from the article:

Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith has bucked a trend in the past three years.

While other companies cut jobs and the Lansing area's jobless rate peaked at 12 percent in July 2009 amid a national recession, the Lansing law firm hired 15 law school graduates.

And Michigan State University's Facility for Rare Isotope Beams is currently seeking 11 engineers.

The sector has struggled for several years. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 19,200 jobs in the Lansing area that fell under the business and professional services category in 2009, down 17.6 percent from 2000.

Nonetheless, some professions are poised for double-digit job growth, according to a 2006 study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, including accountants, receptionists, engineers and landscape architects.

CPAs have the most job opportunities, said Lynne Zelenski, director of academic services for MSU's Accounting and Information Systems department. The CPA is a professional designation licensed by the state, and CPAs participate in ongoing education.

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