Workforce development agency publishes 2024 “HotJobs!” list

HealthAgricultureConstructionTechManufacturing

Mar 11

West Michigan Works! today released its 2024 HotJobs! list, highlighting the top 100+ jobs in the region’s high-growth industries. According to the report, nearly half of the top high-demand jobs are new additions for 2024. Information Security Analysts is the only occupation that spans all five high-demand industries. However, 43 positions are present in two or more industries and only 30 percent require a bachelor’s degree.

“The new jobs added to the 2024 list reflect shifts in employer demand, the regional economy, labor force, and technology changes,” said Angie Barksdale, COO, West Michigan Works!.

Occupations on the HotJobs! list must show a growth rate of at least 10 percent, a minimum of 50 annual openings, and wages at or above $14.30 per hour in Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon and Ottawa counties.

The HotJobs! list helps job seekers in West Michigan identify sustainable career opportunities in manufacturing, health sciences, information technology, construction and energy, agribusiness, and professional services. It features a visual classification system that allows job seekers to quickly identify if an occupation meets the criteria for West Michigan Works! training scholarships, if an occupation is represented within multiple industries and the level of demand for each position.

“By highlighting high-demand careers across growing industries, we're showcasing where the jobs are today and where they are heading in the future,” said Angie Barksdale, COO, West Michigan Works!. “Our goal is to empower job seekers with the information they need to pursue fulfilling careers that contribute to the prosperity of West Michigan.”

The annual report is also used by West Michigan Works! and community partners to guide career exploration, identify existing skills that transfer into high-demand occupations and inform decisions regarding funding occupational training. Job seekers ready can access the 2024 list at https://www.westmiworks.org/job-seekers/hot-jobs and can connect with a career coach to get started.

The online Hot Jobs! list provides additional features such as sortable fields, videos and more information about each occupation. The 2024 edition of the HotJobs! list uses a wage range of the 25th-90th percentile for each position. Occupational data was obtained from the analytical program Lightcast and the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.