VERMONT — In his inaugural speech, Gov. Phil Scott said he wants to focus on getting Vermonters the education they need after high school to access good-paying jobs. Now there is an online tool that shows people how to become qualified for the most promising jobs in the state.
The website Pathways to Promising Careers, which launched in December, asks questions that direct users to lists of professions including average salaries and descriptions of the jobs. Another click reveals the type of education or credentials needed to qualify and the Vermont schools that offer them. More clicking provides further details.
Go to the website online a http://mcclurevt.org/pathways.
The list of high-paying occupations is based on the latest Department of Labor analysis of the fastest-growing professions in Vermont over the next decade.
“We wanted to get rid of the myths around Vermont’s workforce, available jobs and our economy,” said Caroline Weir, an adviser for the McClure Foundation. McClure and the Middlebury-based Vermont Community Foundation teamed up with the Department of Labor to produce the tool as well as 55,000 paper brochures featuring high-pay, high-demand jobs. The brochures are being sent to high schools, colleges, state agencies, counseling organizations and nonprofits throughout the state.
Weir said they want this information to reach legislators as well. “We are also hoping the information may influence the Legislature as they look at workforce development bills in the upcoming session.”
The idea behind the website was to make sure students and job seekers would be able to easily identify education pathways that would lead them to a job they are interested in and that pays a livable wage.
The site lists 54 jobs, their median wages and the number of projected job openings, and only two do not require additional training or education beyond high school. A two-year associate degree is needed to qualify for most of the jobs that pay at least $20 an hour and will have at least 100 openings in Vermont over the next 10 years.
“There are no surprises in this promising jobs list,” said Weir. The list is dominated by health care, advanced manufacturing and the education industry. “These are jobs Vermonters are seeing posted quite regularly,” she said.
The tool is aimed at adults as well as younger students. “Adults may want to boost their credentials or switch careers,” Weir said.
Mathew Barewicz, head of economic and labor market information at the Labor Department, said this is a pivotal time in the state’s economy. Employers need skilled workers, and the goal is to promote the most needed skills in Vermont, he said.