The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has completed a series of long term job growth projections from 2000-2010 for 11 Ohio metropolitan areas. The reports, produced by the ODJFS Bureau of Labor Market Information, provide regional projections for the following metropolitan areas: Akron, Canton-Massillon, Cincinnati, Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria, Columbus, Dayton-Springfield, Hamilton-Middletown, Lima, Mansfield, Toledo and Youngstown-Warren. The reports forecast growth by industry and occupation to help Ohio employers, educators and job seekers prepare for the future.

Ohio employment in these metropolitan areas accounts for about four-fifths of all employment in the state. Projected growth rates by metropolitan area are: Columbus (16.4 percent), Hamilton-Middletown (16 percent), Cincinnati (14.3 percent), Akron (10.9 percent), Cleveland -Lorain-Elyria (10.6 percent), Lima (9.6 percent), Canton-Massillon (9.3 percent), Dayton-Springfield (8.6 percent), Toledo (8.4 percent), Mansfield (6.5 percent) and Youngstown-Warren (5.8 percent).

There are several common threads among the metropolitan areas. Manufacturing employment is projected to decline. The largest growth areas will be in business and health services. A large number of new jobs will be in health care occupations. About two-thirds of the jobs openings in Ohio's metropolitan areas will result from the need to replace workers who will leave the labor force, usually due to retirement. The remainder will be due to net employment growth.

The report also lists occupations where there is a high prospect for employment in a good-paying job. Occupations are defined as having high employment prospects if pay averages at least $12 an hour and they are expected to have a relatively large number of annual openings. Examples of occupations that meet these criteria in every metropolitan area include executive secretaries, heavy truck drivers, carpenters, general maintenance workers, licensed practical nurses, automotive service technicians and mechanics, registered nurses and teachers.

Projections are issued every other year to account for changing economic conditions and ensure that projections remain close to actual growth.

These reports may be viewed online at http://lmi.state.oh.us/PROJ/OhioJobOutlook.htm while printed copies of these reports may be obtained by calling the Bureau of Labor Market Information at (614) 752-9494.

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For more information, contact ODJFS Communications, (614) 466-6650.