DEL.ICIO.USJob opportunities vary under McCain, Obama
Georgia was No. 2 nationally in job losses in September
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Nine straight months of job losses have cost Americans 760,000 jobs, including thousands in metro Atlanta. Georgia’s job market has shrunk dramatically. In September, the state was No. 2 nationally in job losses, and its 6.5 percent unemployment rate overshadows the national average. Some 317,500 Georgians are looking for work at a time when jobs are going unfilled as companies rein in hiring plans.
On Tuesday, voters go to the polls to decide the next president — Sen. John McCain or Sen. Barack Obama.
ANDREW HARRER/Bloomberg News
John McCain’s plans to develop missile systems and strengthen the military would add jobs in engineering and manufacturing.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Barack Obama’s jobs plan includes efforts to develop alternative energy sources and rebuild the nation’s infrastructure.
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Here is a look at the industries that are likely to benefit under each candidate’s job creation plan, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The Chicago-area outplacement firm has been tracking workplace trends and the job market for about 25 years. In addition to analyzing each candidate’s platform and policies, Challenger “talked to a lot of businesses” to assess where they stand. The company is not aligned with any political party.
POTENTIAL WINNERS UNDER JOHN McCAIN
• AEROSPACE/DEFENSE
Position: Supports the development and deployment of missile defenses, increasing the size of the military and upgrading military technologies. To do this, the government will need more missile defense systems, weaponry and safety equipment.
Potential jobs nationally: Thousands of manufacturing and engineering jobs, as well as a big recruitment boost for the armed forces.
Metro Atlanta’s manufacturing and engineering sector: 166,700 jobs, down 4.7 percent from September a year ago.
• AUTOMOTIVE
Position: Incentives for automakers to develop fuel-efficient and hybrid technologies. Thousands of dollars in tax incentives for fuel-efficient cars, as well as a proposed $300 million for plug-in hybrid and full-electric batteries.
Potential jobs: Substantial opportunities for auto engineers and auto companies.
Metro Atlanta’s transportation-equipment jobs: 14,500, down 8.2 percent from September a year ago.
CONSTRUCTION
Position: Build environmentally friendly buildings for commercial and residential use.
Potential jobs: Thousands, including a portion of the 700,000 jobs needed to build the nuclear plants.
Metro Atlanta’s construction jobs: 128,100, down 8 percent.
• HEALTH INSURANCE
Position: Reform existing tax code to give workers choices to buy insurance outside of what their employers offer. This will likely mean more competition in the insurance industry.
Potential jobs: At least hundreds of jobs for salespeople, claims adjusters, underwriters, examiners, investigators, management analysts and administrators.
Metro Atlanta’s finance and insurance jobs: 111,500, down 3.1 percent.
• NUCLEAR SCIENCE/ENGINEERING
Position: Build 45 nuclear power plants by 2030, providing an alternative source of cheap electricity. The price tag: $315 billion.
Potential jobs: About 700,000, ranging from entry-level workers, plant operators, power distributors and dispatchers to monitor the flow of electricity.
Metro Atlanta’s architectural, engineering and related-services jobs: 30,400, down 2.6 percent.
• OIL/GAS
Position: Explore domestic oil and natural gas supplies in order to end dependence on foreign oil.
Potential jobs: Thousands ranging from petroleum technicians who collect information on oil sites to equipment makers to engineers and laborers.
Metro Atlanta’s natural resources jobs: 2,400, down 4 percent.
POTENTIAL WINNERS UNDER BARACK OBAMA
• ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Position: Invest $150 billion over the next decade in renewable energy. This includes developing and perfecting biofuel technology, creating and commercializing plug-in hybrid and electric cars, investing in low-emission coal plants, transitioning to a digital electricity grid and advancing solar and wind initiatives.
Potential jobs nationally: Thousands of engineers, environmental scientists and equipment manufacturers and operators in the automotive, transportation, chemical and technology fields.
Metro Atlanta’s professional, scientific and technical jobs: 168,400, down 0.4 percent from September a year ago.
• CIVIL ENGINEERING
Position: Money for infrastructure projects will also go toward planning and implementing designs for cities and towns.
Potential jobs: Lots of civil engineers will be needed.
Metro Atlanta’s architectural, engineering and related-services jobs: 30,400, down 2.6 percent from September a year ago.
* CONSTRUCTION
Position: Pledges $60 billion over the next 10 years to build and maintain buildings, bridges and other national infrastructure.
Potential jobs: Could be as high as 2 million direct and indirect jobs a year.
Metro Atlanta’s construction jobs: 128,100, down 8 percent.
• EDUCATION/TEACHERS
Position: Provide higher pay for teachers and intervention strategies that include teaching teams, parent programs and personal academic plans to help middle school students.
Potential jobs: Thousands of opportunities for teachers in early childhood education, as well as academic counselors and mentors.
Metro Atlanta’s full-time and part-time teachers: More than 62,000.
• MANUFACTURING
Position: Give tax breaks to companies that produce American-made products. This would entice U.S. companies to move overseas production back home.
Potential Jobs: Thousands would be created.
Metro Atlanta’s manufacturing jobs: 166,700, down 4.7 percent.
• TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Position: Provide broadband networks to every community in the country. This will mean reworking the nation’s wireless spectrum and creating new applications and next-generation facilities. The plan calls for tax and loan incentives.
Potential Jobs: Thousands of telecommunications and technology workers.
Metro Atlanta’s telecommunications jobs: 37,400, down 0.5 percent.
Sources: Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Georgia and U.S. Labor departments; Georgia Department of Education; candidates’ proposals from their respective Web sites.
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