Northwest

Top Ten O*NET Skills Needed for Northwest Service Delivery Area's Fastest Growing Occupations Prepared November 2, 1999
*Ranking*	**ONET Skill Needed***	*Description of Skill*
1.	Information Gathering	Knowing how to find information and identifying essential information
2.	Reading Comprehension	Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents
3.	Active Listening	Listening to what other people are saying and asking questions as appropriate
4.	Speaking	Talking to others to effectively convey information
5.	Problem Identification	Identifying the nature of problems
6.	Critical Thinking	Using logic and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
7.	Writing	Communicating effectively with others in writing as indicated by the needs of the audience
8.	Information Organization	Finding ways to structure or classify multiple pieces of information
9.	Judgment and Decision Making	Weighing the relative costs and benefits of a potential action
10.	Active Learning	Working with new material or information to grasp its implications

O*NET Knowledge Areas Needed for Northwest Service Delivery Area's Fastest Growing Occupations Prepared November 2, 1999
*Ranking*	**ONET Knowledge Needed***	*Description of Knowledge*
1.	Computers and Electronics	Knowledge of electric circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming
2.	English Language	Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
3.	Mathematics	Knowledge of numbers, their operations, and interrelationships including arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications
4.	Clerical	Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing systems, filing and records management systems, stenography and transcription, forms design principles, and other office procedures and terminology
5.	Education and Training	Knowledge of instructional methods and training techniques including curriculum design principles, learning theory, group and individual teaching techniques, design of individual development plans, and test design principles
6.	Customer and Personal Service	Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services including needs assessment techniques, quality service standards, alternative delivery systems, and customer satisfaction evaluation techniques
7.	Telecommunications	Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems
8.	Administration and Management	Knowledge of principles and processes involved in business and organizational planning, coordination, and execution. This includes strategic planning, resource allocation, manpower modeling, leadership techniques, and production methods
9.	Public Safety and Security	Knowledge of weaponry, public safety, and security operations, rules, regulations, precautions, prevention, and the protection of people, data, and property
10.	Medicine and Dentistry	Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures

Projections of Northwest Service Delivery Area's Top Ten Occupations Based on Growth Rate Prepared November 2, 1999 Base-year 1998 with projections to 2008
*Occupational Title*	*Est. Employment*		*Growth Rate*	*Total Growth*	*Annual*
*Occupational Title*	1998	2008	*Growth Rate*	*Total Growth*	Growth	Replace- ments	Openings
Computer Scientists, NEC	46	143	0.2109	97	10	0	10
Computer Engineers	155	344	0.1219	189	19	1	20
Systems Analysts	215	414	0.0926	199	20	1	21
Personal/Home Care Aides	517	961	0.0859	444	44	10	54
Medical Assistants	290	522	0.0800	232	24	5	29
Paralegals	77	124	0.0610	47	5	1	6
Computer Support Specialists	85	136	0.0600	51	5	0	5
Medical Records Technicians	153	244	0.0595	91	9	3	12
Emergency Medical Technicians	216	342	0.0583	126	12	4	16
Dental Hygienists	209	325	0.0555	116	12	6	18