Many job openings are in small and growing companies. In fact, over half of the jobs available in the Milwaukee area are in businesses with less than 50 employees. Many job openings are in service firms , such as hospitals and nursing homes, business offices, and social service agencies. Health care fields are expanding in part because of the growing number of elderly people and increased use of new medical technology to diagnose and treat health problems. Demand for child care workers has increased as more single parents enter the labor force.
Restaurants make up almost half of retail job openings.
Much of the demand in this field is due to high turnover of workers and a shortage of new labor force entrants. Also, families are eating out more, especially at fast food restaurants. Manufacturing companies show a high demand for full-time workers for both skilled and unskilled workers. During the 1980's many factory jobs were lost in Milwaukee County due to worker layoffs and plant closings. These job losses were caused in part by national economic recessions, the increased automation of work, movement of plants to other U.S. and overseas locations, and changing consumer demand for products.