An important part of choosing an occupation is to determine what jobs are needed in your local area and the related wages. There is a lot of labor market information available to help you guide your career choices and assist you in making this decision. The NYS Department of Labor has a variety of data available on their website (http://labor.ny.gov/stats/index.shtm).
In addition, the local Workforce Investment Board has determined that there are certain occupations that they have deemed “in demand” in the local workforce. This “Demand Occupation” list is different from what the NYS data may state and is different for each local workforce investment area as it is determined by the Board of Directors for their own specific area. If you choose to pursue a “Demand Occupation” from the local list and need additional skills/training, you may be eligible for funding to help pay tuition and expenses.