Top career opportunities in Memphis

By Remington College (Posted April 21, 2020)

In recent years, there’s been a lot of talk about millennials, from what they like to what they mean for the economy. But, there’s a new generation in town—Generation Z. Gen Zers were born between 1995 and 2010, meaning they are just starting to enter the workforce.

While these young people share several traits with their millennial predecessors, they also differ in important ways.

First and foremost, Generation Z are true digital natives. 92 percent have some sort of digital footprint. Because of this, they are excellent multitaskers and are used to being globally connected. Gen Z is also competitive and entrepreneurial, starting early to achieve goals. Even so, the generation is said to be motivated by security.

Memphis, Tennessee, is one of those all-American cities everyone thinks they know.  From the city’s strong musical influence and proximity to Elvis’s renowned Graceland to its exciting attractions like the Memphis Zoo, it’s not surprising Memphis has a prominent tourist scene. But did you know there are many other prospering fields in Grind City?

According to Kevin Kane, president and CEO of the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, Memphis is all set to be the new “it” city. In fact, Bloomberg recently reported Memphis was among the top three U.S. metro areas in January for job creation compared to its average 10-year employment rate, after a thorough analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistic data. Right now, the momentum in Memphis is astonishing. The St. Jude Hospital is expanding, new eateries are opening and developers are showing interest in the area.

With exciting things happening, employment opportunities could also be on the rise! Are you prepared? With the proper skills and a career training program at a tech school, you could be a perfect candidate when the time comes.

We’ve put together a list of fields you could pursue in Memphis:[i]

• Tourism

With all the action, attractions and an incredible atmosphere in Memphis, it’s no wonder this city has a healthy amount of tourists—over 11 million each year!.

If you’re interested in showing Memphis’ visitors a great time, you should consider a job in this industry. A few career possibilities you can pursue include lodging manager and retail manager, which both feature a higher employment concentration in Memphis than elsewhere in the country.

• Healthcare

As the population ages, the health field is becoming more prominent in America.  From medical administrative jobs to medical assistant jobs, almost all jobs in the healthcare field are increasing in demand. Memphis is seeing growth in the medical field first hand, as the expansion of the St. Jude Hospital is projected to create 1,800 new jobs within six years.

If you like to take care of people, you should consider a job in this industry. You might consider pursuing a healthcare support occupation, which account for more than 14,000 jobs in Memphis.

• HVAC

Being in the Southeast, the weather in Tennessee can be fickle. A very prominent field in this location is HVAC. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Memphis has 1,650 people employed as heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics, a higher concentration than elsewhere.

If you enjoy problem solving, seeing a problem through to the end and working with your hands, you should consider a job in this industry. A career possibility is HVAC technician.

• Office and administrative support

With all of the growth Memphis businesses are experiencing, someone needs to keep things running smoothly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the city’s highest number of workers at 99,090 people, are in office and administrative support positions.

If you’re organized and focused, you should consider a job in this industry.  A few career possibilities you can pursue include: administrative assistant, general office clerk and bookkeeper.

Sources

• Memphis’ tourist scene
  • http://www.memphistravel.com/media/memphis-fact-sheet
• Memphis is the new “it” city
  • http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/2018/09/01/memphis-today-seems-ripe-fresh-potential/1125297002/
• Bloomberg findings
  • http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-16/memphis-sacramento-vegas-see-accelerating-job-growth-pace
• BLS data on employment
  • http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.tn_memphis_msa.htm
• Momentum in Memphis
  • http://rebusinessonline.com/memphis-retail-has-momentum-with-new-developments-retailers-restaurants/
• 11 million visitors a year
  • http://www.memphistravel.com/media/memphis-fact-sheet
• Lodging manager
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes119081.htm
• Retail manager
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes411011.htm
• Healthcare is growing
  • http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm
• Medical assistants
  • http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm
• Expansion of St. Jude
  • http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2018/09/13/latest-stategrant-for-st-jude-expansion-brings.html
• Healthcare support occupations
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes310000.htm
• 14,000 jobs
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_32820.htm#31-0000
• HVAC statistics
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes499021.htm
• HVAC technician
  • http://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/heating-air-conditioning-and-refrigeration-mechanics-and-installers.htm
• Office and administrative support statistics
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_32820.htm
• Administrative assistant
  • http://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/secretaries-and-administrative-assistants.htm#tab-4
• General office clerk
  • http://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/general-office-clerks.htm
• Bookkeeper
  • http://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/bookkeeping-accounting-and-auditing-clerks.htm

[i] Employment is not guaranteed for students or graduates.