Arizona Career Guide: Top Growing Career Opportunities in Arizona (AZ)
Looking for a job in Arizona? Arizona has a lot to offer its residents - lovely weather, spectacular scenery, and, for the job-seeker, a number or rapidly-expanding career fields. Here are some of the hottest career fields for the prospective AZ employment seeker.
Careers in the Health Field
For many years, Arizona has been a very popular retirement destination, both for full-year and part-year residents ('snowbirds' who reside up north in the summer but choose to winter in sunny Arizona). Of course an aging population means an increased need for health care, so it may come as no surprise to learn that most of Arizona's top in-demand jobs are in the health care field.
These fast-growing careers include emergency medical technician (EMT) or paramedic, medical assistant, physician assistant, medical records and health information technician, dental hygienist, respiratory therapist (Arizona has long been a mecca for those who suffer from respiratory difficulties), home health aide, physical therapist, radiation therapist, surgical technologist, epidemiologist, registered nurse (RN), cardiovascular technologist, occupational therapist, medical equipment preparer, and nuclear medicine technologist. Each one of these careers ranks in the top 25 for projected growth through the year 2012, according to America's Career InfoNet (www.ACINET.org).
Careers in the Construction and Building Trades
The housing boom of the last few years has not passed Arizona by - as a result, all of the new construction and expansion has led to increased demand for skilled trades workers. Some of the occupations in greatest demand include cement mason and concrete finisher, drywall and ceiling tile installer, stonemason, tile and marble setter, taper (this is the worker who seals the joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or papering), roofer, HVAC mechanic, structural iron and steel worker, and brick and block mason.
Careers in Social Services and Mental Health
Other rapidly expanding careers are those which involve professionals trained in social services or in the mental health field. In-demand jobs in these fields include social and human service assistant, medical and public health social worker, mental health counselor, mental health and substance abuse social worker, marriage and family therapist, and substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselor.
