See which Sacramento industries grew fastest – and slowest – in the last five years

Looking for a job? You may want to consider entering the personal care and service industry or the construction industry – the fastest growing industries in the Sacramento region and the state between May 2011 and May 2016, according to data from the California Employment Development Department.

In the region, the personal care and service industry grew from 19,710 employees to 33,040 – a 68 percent change. The industry is composed of a wide range of careers, including manicurists, recreation workers and fitness trainers. Statewide, the industry experienced a growth of 47 percent, from 337,720 jobs to 496,500. The fastest growing occupation with over 500 employees within this industry in Sacramento region and California was personal care aides, which grew 245 percent and 227 percent, respectively.

Construction and extraction occupations came in second with 36 percent growth in the Sacramento region, from 29,420 jobs to 39,970. In California, the industry grew 31 percent, from 458,240 jobs to 601,680. The fastest growing job within this industry in the Sacramento region was drywall and ceiling tile installers with a 118 percent increase in jobs, while in California, carpenters topped the list with a 63 percent increase.

The next three fastest growing sectors in the Sacramento region were business and financial operations, production, and transportation and material moving. In California, they were the computer and mathematical occupations, business and financial operations occupations, and food preparation and serving-related occupations.

On the other end of the spectrum, three industries in the Sacramento region shrank between 2011 and 2016. Farming, fishing and forestry occupations contracted by 7 percent, and no jobs within the industry with more than 500 employees grew. But while life, physical and social science occupations shrank by 4 percent, the number of clinical, counseling and school psychologists increased by 70 percent. Similarly, office and administrative support occupations decreased by 3 percent, but the number of court, municipal and license clerks increased by 210 percent.

Additionally, two industries in the Sacramento region experienced virtually zero growth. Legal occupations and health care support occupations both grew by just 0.4 percent.

Just one industry shrank statewide in past five years. Health care support occupations contracted by 5 percent, though the number of massage therapists increased by 67 percent, from 9,660 employees to 16,090. Otherwise, the slowest growing industries were protective service occupations; office and administrative support occupations; life, physical and social science occupations; and architecture and engineering occupations.

This story was originally published July 13, 2017 at 3:44 PM with the headline "See which Sacramento industries grew fastest – and slowest – in the last five years."