While jobs are returning after the recession, most blue collar workers are being left behind. That's according to a recent jobs report out of Georgetown University that found the majority of jobs that returned post-recession went to people with some kind of college education.
ABC Action News is helping break down some of the highest-paid, most in-demand careers in the Tampa Bay area that do not require a four-year degree.
Find In-Demand Jobs in Tampa Bay Area
When Crystal Measner and Stacy Osborne both moved to Tampa, they both found jobs as dental hygienists quickly at South Tampa Dentistry.
"When I moved here, I found a job in less than a month," Measner said.
"I was hired out of temp hygienist here so it worked out perfectly," Osborne said.
Dental hygienist is one of the in-demand careers in the Tampa Bay area not requiring a bachelor's degree in the Tampa Bay area. The average salary is as high as $70,000, according to CareerCast. Dental Hygienists also say you can get trained while you work.
"While I was pre-reqs for dental hygiene school, I was working full-time as a dental assistant," Osborne said.
Registered nurses are also highly in-demand in the Tampa Bay area. Applicants need a two-year associate degree and some certifications, but the salary is more than $60,000, according to CareerCast.
For those who want a job outside the healthcare field, there are still plenty of local job opportunities available.
Electricians are also in demand jobs. Specialty vocational school and community colleges offer programs to train to become an electrician. Electricians are among the more in-demand specialty professionals in the construction industry, with an average salary of $49,800, according to CareerCast.
July 6, 2016
Rogers Electric
4450 Pet Lane, Suite 112, Lutz, FL 33559
There's also a big demand for IT specialists and web developers, as competition is high for companies to hire those positions, according to CareerSource Pinellas. Often, workers just need a high-school diploma and some additional certifications. The average salary for those jobs can be around $60,000 a year, according to CareerCast.
Truck drivers are also in demand, according to CareerSource Pinellas. There are huge manufacturing hubs across the Tampa Bay area that require goods moved back and forth. The salary for those jobs can be between $40,000 and $70,000 a year.
