3.5 Million New Healthcare Jobs Expected by 2016

Even with the slowing payroll additions, the hospital and healthcare sectors are still outperforming the overall economy. BLS preliminary data show that nonfarm payroll employment fell by 467,000 as the nation's unemployment rate remained at 9.5%. Since the start of the recession in December 2007, payroll employment has dropped by 6.5 million jobs and the unemployment rate has risen by 4.6%, BLS data show.

Today's report said that well-trained and highly-skilled workers will be best positioned to secure high-wage jobs. Occupations requiring higher educational attainment are projected to grow much faster than those with lower education requirements, with the fastest growth among occupations that require an associate's degree or a post-secondary vocational award.

Employers will value workers who can think critically and solve problems, with many occupations requiring good analytic and interactive skills.

The report noted that the nation's post-high school education and training system provides valuable skills and access for workers hoping to land jobs in high-growth areas, but that those institutions need to respond better to the needs of the marketplace, and encourage students to complete their studies.

The report added that worker flexibility is critical because of the dynamic nature of the U.S. labor market and ongoing technological change. In 2003, the report noted, a quarter of American workers were in jobs that were not even listed among the Census Bureau's Occupation codes in 1967, and technological change has only accelerated since then.

Environmental-related occupations–which are expected to experience tremendous growth over the next decade–did not exist in comparable data prior to 2000.