A majority of jobs require only short or moderate length training or experience. The jobs of the future in Wisconsin in 2008 are essentially the same jobs in existence in 1998. The great majority of jobs in 2008 require short term on the job training or experience or moderate length on the job training, experience or education. The educational level and productivity of workers in the U.S. and Wisconsin is the highest in the world. Cashiers with 3,610 annual openings to 2008 ranks number one.
Annual openings are the sum of openings from newly created jobs and permanent separations.
It may be true that Wisconsin can benefit from having jobs that require a bachelor s degree and more people with this degree. However, current data indicate most occupations, and most of Wisconsin s projected 1998 to 2008 job openings will not require substantial formal education beyond high school. These projections are quantitatively based on questionable recent year trends that may be as inaccurate as projections of the stock market have been in 2001. Straight-line projection techniques that are not valid may have been used to make projections of computer occupations. In addition, a bachelor s degree may not be a valid job minimum qualification for computer occupations, particularly Computer Support Specialist.