By Bill Quinnan
For O.C. Register Special Sections

In Orange County, educational careers account for seven of the 50 fastest-growing occupations, and four of the 50 occupations expected to offer the most job openings from 2006 through 2016.

Leading the way for projected job growth is the occupation of high-school teacher, excluding special and vocational education. The occupation is projected to generate 6,9270 job openings from 2006 through 2016, including newly created jobs and openings due to teachers leaving the occupation or the geographic area. The occupation has a projected growth-rate of 22 percent, on par with the faster-than-average growth rate projected for the industry as a whole.

The occupation of elementary school teacher, excluding special education, is projected to generate 5,450 openings over the 10-year period. The occupation ranks as the county’s 16th fastest growing occupation, with a projected growth rate of 31 percent.

For teacher assistants, 4,160 openings are projected, along with a projected growth rate of 20 percent. The occupation of middle-school teacher is projected to generate 2,920 openings. With a projected growth rate of 29 percent, the occupation ranks as the 27th fastest-growing.

Other occupations noted for fast growth include special-education teachers from pre-school through middle school; kindergarten teachers, excluding special education; and instructional coordinators.

Collectively, postsecondary-teaching occupations are expected to generate 5,810 job openings in the county over the 10-year projection period, with a projected growth rate of 25 percent. Among the occupations expected to offer the most opportunities at postsecondary-educational institutions include vocational education; biological science; art, drama and music; computer science; and philosophy and religion. The occupation of postsecondary English-language and literature teacher also made the EDD’s list of the county’s 50 fastest growing occupations.

Bill Quinnan is a freelance writer who lives in Orange County. Readers can send e-mail to him at bquinnan@sbcglobal.net. Bill cannot provide job leads.

By Bill Quinnan
For O.C. Register Special Sections

For some, taking on a seasonal job can be a great way to earn extra income to balance out the extra expenses that that come with the holidays. For those who are currently looking for long-term employment opportunities, a seasonal job can help pay the bills in the mean time until something steady turns up. Students often find seasonal jobs as to be a great way to gain experience in the workforce. In some cases, seasonal jobs can lead to long-term employment.

The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages indicates that there were more than 8,900 retail establishments in Orange County in the fourth quarter of 2008. This includes 1,412 clothing and clothing-accessory stores; 590 sporting-good, hobby, book and music stores; and 338 general-merchandise stores.

That’s a lot of ground to cover. The occupations in which it will be easiest to find temporary employment are those requiring the least training, such as retail salesperson, cashier or stock clerk.

Obviously, a good place to start is by looking in The Register’s Jobs section under “Retail, Sales.” Or, visit OCJobFinder.com and search for “Seasonal.”

Personal references are a great way to get your foot in the door. If you have a friend working somewhere that sounds promising, ask your friend for a recommendation.

Another way to find opportunities is to simply show up at places that seem like good bets and ask if you may speak to a manager about applying for seasonal work. Be sure to dress professionally as you do this – first impressions count. Be prepared to fill out an application on the spot – that means having a résumé, along with names, addresses and phone numbers of past employers and references, on hand. On-the-spot hiring is not uncommon in retail.

Bill Quinnan is a freelance writer who lives in Orange County. Readers can send e-mail to him at bquinnan@sbcglobal.net. Bill cannot provide job leads.

By Bill Quinnan
For O.C. Register Special Sections

It may seem too early in the year to think about the holiday season, but if you’re hoping to take advantage of the boost in jobs that occurs in the retail sector, it’s time to start looking. An estimated 38 percent of consumers plan to begin their holiday shopping in November this year, and 40 percent have already started, according to the National Retail Federation.

Retailers often refer to the holiday-sales season beginning on Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving, which is reportedly the busiest shopping day of the year and the day on which many retailers supposedly go from being “in the red” (in debt) to being “in the black” (making a profit). However, employers start preparing for Black Friday well in advance, finding and training workers to be ready for the holiday rush.

According to the National Retail Federation, the holiday season generates anywhere from 25 to 40 percent of annual retail sales for many retailers. In 2008, holiday sales accounted for 18.5 percent of total retail industry sales, according to the NRF. Jewelry stores were impacted most significantly, generating 25.5 percent of their annual sales in November and December.

Workers in demand
Understandably, this boost in sales creates a need for additional workers. The NRF estimates that retailers increased their employment by 1.5 percent during the holiday season in 2008, adding 231,000 workers.

Last year, average employment at general merchandise stores in Orange County was 4.7 percent higher in November and December than in the remainder of the year, an increase of about 1,170 jobs, according to the California Employment Development Department. General merchandise stores include department stores as well as warehouse clubs and superstores. Also included in the category are “dollar stores” selling a wide array of products.

Employment at clothing and clothing-accessory stores was 1.9 percent higher, about 400 jobs, and employment at sporting-goods, hobby, book and music stores (a category that includes toy stores) was 3.9 percent higher, about 330 jobs.

Bill Quinnan is a freelance writer who lives in Orange County. Readers can send e-mail to him at bquinnan@sbcglobal.net. Bill cannot provide job leads.

The Handling Hard Times blog can help you understand and cope with the economic downturn. The blog offers help for job seekers, answers to readers' questions, and ideas for living through these dark days.

Employment related articles as reported in the Handling Hard Times Blog:

1.4 million California workers make due with part-time
More than 1.4 million Californians were working part-time in September, not out of choice but because their hours had been cut or it was the only job they could find and they needed the money, reports the state Employment Development Department.

Unemployment extension vote may come Wednesday
Action on an extension of up to 20 weeks in unemployment benefits inched forward today when the U.S. Senate voted to end debate on the bill.

Calendar of job events (Nov. 3 and on)
Job events for the month of November

The U.S. Senate is tentatively scheduled to vote Tuesday, Oct, 27, on a parliamentary procedure that will allow up to a 20-week extension of unemployment benefits to be considered by the full Senate, according to RollCall.com.

Under the so-called cloture vote scheduled Tuesday, debate on the measure is limited in the Senate. Once that is approved, then a vote on the bill will be scheduled.

Read more about it here, on the Handling Hard Times blog.

Handling Hard Times blogger Mary Ann Milbourn recently posted a blog. "Tough competition this year for holiday retail jobs"

Competition for this year's holiday jobs may become a contact sport as workers battle it out for the positions that are available, says John A. Challenger, the head of the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Challenger noted there are 15.1 million Americans currently unemployed, including 1.1 million former wholesale and retail trade workers. (In California, there were more than 2.2 million people unemployed in September. Retail lost 110,200 jobs statewide over the last year and wholesalers cut 36,500 positions.)

Visit the Handling Hard Times blog to read Challenger's tips for nabbing a holiday job.

By Nancy Luna, Fast Food Maven

Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour has revealed date of its Orange County comeback. The restaurant and ice cream shop will open Oct. 19 at The Shops at Mission Viejo. The opening will mark the return of an  old-fashioned ice cream shop that die-hard fans have missed for years. Farrell's will be accepting job applications from Sept. 28 through Oct. 3 at The Shops at Mission Viejo. 

See the Fast Food Maven's blog for more information.

By PR Newswire

Kristi Beem was in a bind. After her husband lost his job this summer, the mother from Glen Rose, Texas, worried about the expense of sending her three kids back to school. "Our oldest daughter starts college in New York this fall," she said. "And we promised her a new computer."

They found the solution online. Using their daughter's college registration receipt, they purchased a student-discounted airline ticket for her flight to New York. Another website gave them a $100 deal on the laptop the daughter wanted. "We had to scramble all over the place," said Beem, "but we got her there."

The Beems aren't alone. As household budgets across the U.S. continue to shrink, more and more families are taking advantage of their child's student ID card to make ends meet. Traditionally thought of as "just for school," student discounts are hot for families.

"It's the biggest secret out there. Parents qualify for student discounts too," says Cyrus Shepard, president of GlobeStudentDiscount.com http://globestudentdiscount.com), a new website aimed at helping families connect with student deals. "As long as the parent is purchasing for their children, they save." The Seattle-based website provides all the top student discounts in one place online.

And discounts aren't just for kids. Kelli Hamblin, an elementary school teacher from Marshalltown, Iowa, purchased her new iPhone using an AT&T educational discount. "I look for deals whenever I buy airline tickets or software. I'd be crazy not to."

Corporate America has caught on too. Eager to attract loyalty from young customers, companies like Apple, Adobe and JetBlue all provide discounts for students. JetBlue offers 11% off for youth who purchase a special card, while Adobe slashes the cost of its popular software up to 80%, saving college students hundreds of dollars.

Shepard recommends first comparing discounts from several different companies. Software, travel and computer purchases are the best bets. He urges families to use websites like GlobeStudentDiscount.com to search for offers. "The US has over 70 million students, not including their parents and teachers," he notes. "And every single one of them qualifies for discounts."

The article content was provided as a press release from PR Newswire.