With almost a full decade of economic gains behind us, newly released occupational projections reflect the boom years of the 1990s. As productivity (output per worker), production, and profits have grown at exceptional rates, firms have invested heavily to keep up with new technology and meet the needs of today’s discriminating consumers.

As a result of the 90s expansion, the first decade or so of the New Millenium will see especially fast growth in demand for professional specialty occupations. These occupations, which were also the fastest growing during the decade of the 1990s, are projected to experience an overall increase in employment of 27 percent, from 1998 to 2008. In addition, professional specialty occupations are forecast to account for the largest number of new jobs, 5.3 million, pushing their employment to 15.6 percent of the all-occupation total.

Most of this new employment will be in jobs for computer occupations, teachers, and those who assess patient health and provide treatment for various illnesses. A large gain is forecast for engineers, as a result of expected increases in defense expenditures (see November Employment Opportunity News Service, "Defense: Opportunity & Risk"). Industries that will hire the great majority of these workers include business and management services; public and private education; health services, including State and local government hospitals; engineering services; and social services.

Brief profiles of some of the professional specialty occupations projected to grow the fastest or contribute the most new jobs provide some of the details:

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