Winter 2001 Vol. 45, Number 4

Occupational employment

The growth of any occupation is closely tied to the outlook for the industries in which it is found. For example, employment in computer occupations, such as computer systems analyst, is expected to grow along with the demand for increases in computer and data processing services.

Employment growth also depends on changes in an occupation’s share of each industry’s workforce. With increases in the use of technology in almost every area of business, occupations such as computer engineer and computer systems analyst are expected to account for increasing portions of employment in nearly every industry. Moreover, the need for typists, bookkeepers, and switchboard operators will decline in most industries as automation displaces these workers.

The Bureau researches and analyzes these and other factors affecting employment growth for 698 detailed occupations. In order to better explain broad occupational employment trends, these occupations are categorized in two different ways: by the type of work they perform and by the type of education or training most commonly required. Most of the following data are presented in terms of the latter, as this is more helpful in providing career guidance.