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Bill Catlin

Need a job? Vacancies continue to outnumber job hunters

A store sign in California
State economic officials report the number of job openings in the fourth quarter of last year rose 20 percent over the same period the year before.
Kevork Djansezian | Getty Images 2013

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Minnesota's worker shortage continues to grow more severe. State economic officials report the number of job openings in the fourth quarter of last year rose 20 percent over the same period the year before. The semi-annual tally found 137,000 job vacancies.

Greater Minnesota saw a 34 percent increase in openings over the year. The jump was 11 percent in the Twin Cities.

Statewide, for every 10 job openings in the state, there are only six people looking for work.

"Minnesota continues to experience strong hiring demand statewide," said Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove. "This tight labor market highlights the importance of investing in DEED's training programs and lowering barriers to employment so that all Minnesotans can find work."

The median wage offer for all vacancies was $15.01 per hour, up about 5 percent over the year.

Statewide, the health care and social assistance industry had the biggest share of job vacancies (18 percent) followed by retail trade (13 percent), accommodation and food service (12 percent), and manufacturing (8 percent).

Firms with 10 to 49 employees were the most hungry for workers with 7.1 openings per 100 jobs. Firms with a staff of 250 or more had the lowest vacancy rate.

Nearly four in 10 vacancies are for part-time work. And the majority of positions require no education beyond high school.