According to projections from the California Employment Development Department, health technologists and technician occupations are expected to account for 25 percent of healthcare job openings in Orange County from 2006 through 2016. The EDD has projected that such occupations will offer the county an average of nearly 2,400 job openings per year in the 10-year period, including 1,300 newly created jobs and 1,100 openings due to people leaving the occupations or the Orange County workforce.

Just visiting www.ocregister.com/monsterI found these type positions looking for skilled workers at such respected companies as United Health Group, Abbott Medical Optics, and HealthSouth Corporation.

Looking at the OC Register’s Business Section on Sunday, June 14, I noticed more jobs then I have seen in a long time! The choice to list jobs in print that are posted online is a smart idea to catch a job seeker’s eye as they scan their Sunday section. The instructions direct you to go onto www.ocregister.com/monster and enter an 8-digit web code  which takes you directly to the job of choice. This is a great assistance for job seekers conducting their search and shows the most current job openings posted online. I counted over 1,000 jobs in Orange County listed in the June 14 - this should assist with a search.

Orange County’s high-tech sector continues to stand out among the area’s strongest attributes. According to a report issued by AeA, a nationwide technology advocacy group, Orange County ranks sixth in the nation for high-tech manufacturing jobs, nineteenth for high-tech-service jobs, fourteenth for total high tech jobs and twentieth for payroll. Currently the county has more than 100,000 high-tech jobs at the time.

The American Recover and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes funding for the development of “green” technology. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that the bill provides $16.8 billion for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. This includes more than $467 million for geothermal and solar-energy projects.

In conducting a simple search with a keyword of high-tech on www.ocregister.com/monster, I found the following companies are currently hiring:  Ampronix Inc., T-Mobile, Technability…to name  a few. If you are in the industry, please share if your company is hiring at this time.

Traditionally summer jobs emerge throughout the country. These jobs are ideal for college or older high-school students or teachers on summer break or seniors wanting to work temporarily. In today’s job market, these job opportunities will be less and more competitive with folks actively looking for permanent jobs and settling for a summer temp job. However, Southern California will still be enjoyed by many locals, especially if out of state summer plans are not in the horizon for Summer 2009. Therfore, summer jobs will be available in the following industries: amusement parks (like, www.disneyland.com,  www.knotts.com); restaurants & fast food (like, www.macdonalds.com, www.islandsrestaurants.com) ; hotels (like, www.marriott.com, www.pelicanhill.com);  Parks and Recreation (check your city website for listed available jobs); temp jobs (check with staffing agencies, like, www.appleone.com, www.manpower.com) Here’s to a great So. CA Summer of 2009!

In today’s job market, finding a new career is extremely challenging. Whether you are currently employed or actively looking, constantly learning new skills is the pathway to job success. Going back to school is good for many reasons. One can reinvent themselves and adapt to changing technology by furthering your skills. One can also give your current career an upgrade by expanding your skill set. Adding to your skills base will keep you employed and engaged in cutting technology. Finally computer acumen, time management and organizational skills are vital in today’s workplace. Certain courses in this discipline will refresh your skills and keep you ahead of the competition. Community colleges offer classes at affordable prices and convenient times. Many community colleges are conveniently located throughout Orange County. Some campuses have satellite offices for even more convenience. There are many course offerings at Orange Coast College, Golden West College or Saddleback College, where I visited and discovered many offerings at www.saddleback.edu.

Keep your mind going and sharpen your skills.

Reports show that Orange County is among the most diverse high-tech economies in the country, with strong employment focus in 18 technology sectors in 2007. Internet-access rate of 75 percent in 2007, ranks 10th among the 97 largest metro areas. The future is bright for careers in technology. Continue to educate yourself in this area to assure your job for the future. Check out local colleges, universities and www.phoenix.edu for course offerings.

There are several large job sites that are the main landscape for job searching, Monster and CareerBuilder, and offer the best features, which includes automated searches that can be set up according to preference (geography and industry) and deliver daily, via email.  How are they working in your search for employment? Are the local sites, such as ocregister.com, improving your search for a local job? How many jobs are you applying through these site before you receive an interview? Please share your experience with others……

by Bill Quinnan

For OC Register Special Sections

The ARRA Website, recovery, gov, estimates that the plan will save or create up to 396,000 jobs in California

alone. With Orange County accounting for roughly 9 percent of the state’s labor force, this could mean more than 35,000 jobs for the county.Our purpose here is not to weigh in on whether this particular plan is the quickest or most effective way to put the nation on the road to economic recovery, or even on whether the bill will ultimately lead to a stronger job market that we would have seen under another course of action. Our purpose is only to let job seekers know how various provisions in the plan might prove beneficial as they search for new employment opportunities and cope with the effects of the recession on their careers.
Direct job creation

The funding of an array of new projects funded by the bill should directly generate new jobs as workers are employed for planning and implementation.

According to an analysis by the Associated Press, $46 billion has been budgeted for transportation projects, including $27 for highway and bridge construction and repair, $8.4 billion for mass transit, $8 billion for high-speed railways and $1.3 billion for Amtrak. Clean- and drinking-water projects have been allocated $6.4 billion, and $7 billion is being spent to bring broadband Internet service to underserviced areas.

Energy programs can be expected to generate jobs as well, with $13.9 billion being spent to subsidize renewable energy projects, $11 billion toward a so-called “smart electricity grid, $5 billion to weatherize modest-income homes, among other allocations, totaling about $50 billion.

The National Science Foundation will receive $3 billion, and $1 billion will go to NASA, in addition to $1.6 billion being spent on research related to climate science, biofuels, and high-energy and nuclear physics.

The bill allocates $17 billion to modernize health-information technology systems.

The Interior Department and the Environmental Protection Agency will be receiving a combined $9.2 billion for environmental projects. The Interior Department estimates that its share of the work will generate 100,000 jobs over the next two years, according to the AP.

A total of $3.7 billion will go to local law enforcement agencies to assist with hiring officers and purchasing equipment, and $54 billion is being spent to prevent cuts in state aid to school districts.
Indirect growth

Some provisions of the plan could indirectly boost employment in certain industries. Employment in real estate could be boosted by a provision granting an $8,000 tax credit to first-time homebuyers who purchase their homes before Dec. 1.

The automotive-sales market may be aided by a provision allowing those who buy new cars by the end of the year to write off the sales tax.

Another provision offers homeowners who add energy-efficient windows, furnaces and air conditioners a tax credit to cover 50 percent of the costs, up to $1,500, which could improve business for local contractors and their employees.

Share your thoughts on how the stimulus plan will assist OC job seekers …..

With all the news of a challenging economy and high unemployment, it can be overwhelming for job seekers these days. However, while you are looking for that right opportunity or going to school to further your career, perhaps you should look at employment in retail. According to the California Employment Development Department, the occupation of retail sales in Orange County through 2016 is projected to  create 15,190 newly created positions. Checking out www.ocregister.com/monster I found the following retailers currently hiring: T-Mobile, Omaha Steaks, Fresh Produce Sportswear, Sears Roebuck & Co., & Kmart, just to name a few. Good luck!