Workforce Brief: Arizona

In Arizona, one of the country's fastest growing states, the demand for well-educated employees will only increase over the next several years. In the decade leading up to 2013, healthcare occupations will see growth of 50 percent. Almost 1,800 dentists will need to be hired to fill new posts and to cover retirement, for example. Teachers will be in high demand: nearly 70,000 educators (including librarians) will need to be hired. Managers will see their ranks swell by 21 percent. The growth of these sectors is good news for Arizona's citizens, since wages for jobs in these areas are significantly higher than the average for Arizona in general. But entry into these jobs comes with a price tag: most positions in these fields will require a bachelor's degree or higher. The question for Arizona and other states is how, in a time of tight budgets, to meet the increasing demands on higher education and thereby meet the needs of an increasingly sophisticated economy. (Contains 2 tables.)