Explore Careers In West Michigan’s High-Demand Industries

If you’re in the market for a new job, this is the list for you.

The following career guides highlight jobs that regularly land on the annual West Michigan Works! HotJobs! list.

Grouped by industry, the guides provide insights into:

  • Who might enjoy this kind of work.
  • Qualifications and valuable skills needed.
  • Growth potential.
  • Responsibilities of the job.
  • Other related occupations and job titles.

The guides do not include all of the jobs within a job family – they include only those that meet the criteria for the HotJobs! list.

A starting point for job seekers

These career guides are meant as a starting point for job seekers and students to explore careers within an industry. Additionally, you can explore jobs and career pathways not highlighted in the guides with a West Michigan Works! career coach.

Construction/Energy
Health Sciences
Information Technology
Manufacturing
Professional/Administrative Services

Explore Career Guides in Construction

The following career guides highlight construction jobs from the 2022 West Michigan Hot Jobs List.

A career guide for first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers and repairers; security and fire alarm systems installers; electrical power line installers and repairers; maintenance and repair workers.

View Installation & Repair Career Guide


A career guide for construction managers, first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers, brickmasons and blockmasons, electricians, millwright

View Construction Trades Career Guide


A career guide for first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers; bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists; heating, air-conditioning, refrigeration mechanics and installers; industrial machinery mechanics.

View Mechanics Career Guide


A career guide for construction managers, first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers, cement masons and concrete finishers, construction laborers, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, roofers, cabinetmakers and bench carpenters.

View Construction Labor Career Guide

Explore Careers in Health Sciences

The following career guides highlight health care jobs from the 2022 West Michigan Hot Jobs List.

A guide for emergency medical technicians, paramedics.

View Emergency Care Career Guide


A guide for nursing assistants, dental assistants, medical assistants, phlebotomists.

View Health Care Support Career Guide


A guide for occupational therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapist assistants, and physical therapist assistants.

View Health Care Therapy Career Guide


A guide for pharmacy technicians, radiologic technologists, surgical technologists, and medical and clinical laboratory technologists.

View Health Care Technologist Career Guide


A guide for registered nurses, dental hygienists, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses.

View Patient Caregiving Career Guide/a>


A guide for physician assistants, nurse practitioners.

View Health Care Provider Career Guide


A guide for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors; mental health counselors; child, family, and school social workers; healthcare social workers; mental health and substance abuse social workers; community health workers.

View Social Work Career Guide

Explore Careers in Information Technology

The following career guides highlight IT jobs from the 2022 West Michigan Hot Jobs List.

A guide for computer and information systems managers, computer network support specialists, computer user support specialists, database administrators.

View IT Administration Career Guide


A guide for commercial and industrial designers, graphic designers.

View IT Design Career Guide


A guide for software developers, web developers.

View Web & Software Development Career Guide


A guide for information security analysts, network and computer systems administrators.

View IT Security Career Guide

Explore Careers in Manufacturing

The following career guides highlight manufacturing jobs from the 2022 West Michigan Hot Jobs List.

A guide for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic; separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders; mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders; cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders.

View Manufacturing Production-1 Career Guide



A guide for architectural and engineering managers, civil engineers, electrical engineers, industrial engineers, mechanical engineers.

View Engineering Career Guide


A guide for food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders; food batchmakers; food cooking machine operators and tenders; packaging and filling machine operators and tenders; cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders.

View Agribusiness Production Career Guide


A guide for production, planning, and expediting clerks; first-line supervisors of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand; heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers; laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand.

View Transportation and Logistics Career Guide

Explore Careers in Professional/Administrative Services

The following career guides highlight professional and administrative services jobs from the 2022 West Michigan Hot Jobs List.

A guide for sales managers, cost estimators, loan officers, insurance sales agents, insurance claims and policy processing clerks.

View Insurance, Loans, and Sales Career Guide


A guide for financial managers, accountants and auditors, personal financial advisors, billing and posting clerks.

View Finance and Accounting Career Guide


A guide for education administrators, postsecondary; elementary school teachers, except special education.

View Education Career Guide


A guide for general and operations managers, administrative services managers, human resources specialists, management analysts, market research analysts, and marketing specialists.

View Business Operations Career Guide