Highlights:

"Jobs in Connecticut" highlights occupations for which a total of at least 10 job openings were received during the report period at the local offices of the Connecticut Department of Labor. This report is published by the Connecticut Department of Labor's Office of Research on a quarterly basis, reflecting data for the last month of each quarter. Shown are summary grand totals, as well as data for individual occupations, with an indication of the number of openings in each of the 14 local office administrative areas in Connecticut. Also shown are data on the total range and average value of starting wage rates offered in each area and in the State as a whole.

The information in this report has been compiled to give job seekers, employment and training planners, guidance counselors, and others a broad indication of the types of jobs available through Connecticut Department of Labor offices. Competition for some of these jobs may be keen, while other jobs may remain open because of low wages or working conditions that may be considered by some workers as undesirable. The information may be useful to individual job seekers in setting up job search plans. Such individuals are encouraged to visit their nearest Connecticut Department of Labor office (locations are listed on the following page) to inquire about job referral possibilities. It should be noted that job postings entered by employers directly onto the Connecticut Department of Labor's Job Bank's Web site are not included in this report.

• December’s total of 1,956 job openings listed with CT Works offices was down 616, or 24 percent, from the 2,572 received a year ago. One in four of these openings were listed with the New London and Norwich offices. Please note that direct entry of job orders by employers, via Connecticut’s Job Bank Web site, is not captured in this report.
• Clerical and sales job openings comprised over one-third of the job listings. Their number was up slightly from 654 last December to 665 in December 2002. Among the most numerous openings during the current month were those for cashiers, cashier-checkers, sales clerks, and customer service representatives.
• Service jobs declined by nearly 30 percent from 757 a year earlier to 536 in December. The service category still comprised 27 percent of the total jobs listed, and included high demand for security guards, fast-foods workers, nurse assistants, and mental retardation aides.
• Among the 353 professional, technical and managerial openings received during December were listings for general duty nurses, nuclear engineers, fast food managers, and caseworkers. Down ten percent from last December, openings in this category represented 18 percent of the total.
• The 92 machine trades openings received in December included demand for automobile mechanics.
• Bench work listings increased slightly from a year ago to 69 in December, and included openings for small products assemblers as well as production assemblers.
• Openings for material handlers, drivers, and stores laborers were among the 112 received in the miscellaneous category.
• Structural work listings declined from 175 a year ago to 102 in December, and included openings for electricians, construction workers, plumbers, and carpenters.

Connecticut Department of Labor Offices

Job seekers and employers can access Connecticut's Job Bank at www.ctdol.state.ct.us.
Employers can list job openings on-line, by phone (860) 344-2044, or by fax (860) 344-2057.