Demand Occupations

Tracking occupations that are in demand is never exact: demand can fluctuate greatly between regions and is subject to the ups and downs of the overall economy. Nevertheless, certain occupations show resilience over the long term within the Pikes Peak region and other occupations show high probability of developing into high demand in the near future. Despite the turbulence of the economy and the downturn of the labor market, a possible silver lining may be the emergence of a new generation of jobs and occupations which will lay the foundation for a 21st century economy.

Note that this list is not intended to be exhaustive or detailed. Rather it is hoped that it can serve as a starting point for one’s career exploration.

Subject to periodic updates, occupations currently in demand include:

• Healthcare – primarily highly skilled healthcare including nursing, radiology technology, occupational, respiratory, and physical therapy
• Commercial trucking – primarily over the road, interstate driving
• Computer information technology
• Skilled trades, including electricians, plumbers, pipe fitters, and electrical line constructors
• Law enforcement for city, county, and state
• Homeland security
• K-12 teaching, especially science, math, technology, and special education
• Engineering
• Business and financial operations

Occupations projected to emerge or re-emerge include

• Construction, especially roads, bridges, and energy-efficient buildings
• Weatherization of existing homes and energy efficiency retrofits for residential and commercial buildings
• Renewable energy technology, especially solar panel installation for commercial and residential buildings and construction of solar, wind, and geothermal energy generation
• Construction of new electric line corridors
• Information technology for smart grid applications
• Information technology for health records
• Hospitality
• Retail
• Public health
• Wildfire management, water resource management, and other climate change occupations
• Biomedical engineering
• Early childhood education
• Science and technology in general