Construction, computer, health care jobs growing in Nevada

Growth and development statewide have brought in more industry and more homes, creating a need for the machinists and woodworkers to build parts and buildings, according to the Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation.

But jobs that help businesses take advantage of technological advances remain high in demand as well, from database administrators and computer-support specialists to computer scientists and systems analysts.

The rapid growth of professions in both medicine and computers stems from separate societal trends, said Mike Clarke, economist for the Information Development and Processing Division of the state employment department.

"The aging of the population is creating greater needs for health care," Clarke said. "A lot of retired individuals coming in to Nevada are accelerating it even more."

The steady job growth in computer work is attributed to the ongoing move toward computerization.

"Every area of your life, computers are invading," he said.

At the University of Nevada, Reno, undergraduate computer-science majors have more than doubled since 1995, from fewer than 100 to around 200.

"We certainly have experienced some growth in the past few years," said Yaakov Varol, chairman of the computer science department. "There's certainly more interest."

But Varol also said demand in Nevada continues to exceed supply, especially because many UNR computer science graduates look for work in California's Silicon Valley and elsewhere outside the state.

"We could always use more students," he said. "There's no problem being recruited by companies."

Occupational and respiratory therapists, as well as physical and correctional therapy assistants, also make their presence felt among fast-growing occupations in Nevada.

Clarke said the state estimates growth rates two ways. One way is to compile a list of the annual openings - how many new positions within a specific industry. The second way is to analyze the growth rate of certain occupations, the percentage of new positions within an industry.

The field that offers the most openings isn't necessarily the field that grows the fastest, he said.

"There won't be a fast growth rate of waiters, because there's so many of them now," Clarke said. But in smaller, more specialized fields, such as computer engineering or health care, the addition of a few professionals translates into a large percentage increase.

Clarke said casino positions will offer the most openings in the future for Nevadans seeking work.

"It's the largest right now, and it will probably continue to be the largest," he said. "Most of your jobs are going to be in tourist occupations."

Nevada's fastest-growing jobs from 1996 to 2006 and their annual growth rates:

-Machine setters/operators: 16.1 percent

-Precision woodworkers: 15.5 percent

-Database administrators: 13.7 percent

-Computer support specialists: 12.7 percent

-Occupational therapy assistants: 12.7 percent

-Respiratory therapists: 12.1 percent

-Physical and correctional therapy assistants: 12 percent

-Paralegals: 11.9 percent

-Computer scientists: 11.8 percent

-Occupational therapists: 11.6 percent

-Loan officers/counselors: 11.4 percent

-Cardiology technologists: 11.1 percent

-Systems analysts: 10.9 percent

-Emergency medical technicians: 10.6 percent

-Computer engineers: 10.3 percent

-Physical therapists: 10.1 percent

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