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Title: ESSENTIAL WORKERS: MIDDLE-TIER HEALTH CARE JOBS IN NEW YORK CITY

Citation Type: Miscellaneous

Publication Year: 2021

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Abstract: Middle-tier occupations, which require some training or education beyond high school but less than four years of college, are an important source of employment for the 62 percent of New York City adults who lack a bachelor’s degree. A disproportionate share of New York middle-tier jobs are in the health care sector, which is expected to grow rapidly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic as the population ages and requires more medical care. Data from the New York State Department of Labor paint a picture of the health care industry before the pandemic, revealing a wide range of labor market outcomes for middle-tier workers. Some jobs, such as radiologic technologists, pay more than $87,000 per year despite not requiring a bachelor’s degree. Other middle-tier jobs, such as medical assistants, pay less but offer opportunities for career advancement. Though there are important exceptions, most middle-tier health care jobs pay at least a living wage, making them a key source of economic opportunity for New Yorkers without a four-year college degree. Demand for middle-tier workers has remained robust throughout the pandemic. Even as the health care sector struggled overall in 2020, the number of job openings for midlevel workers expanded, according to data from Burning Glass Technologies. Interviews with New York health care employers explain why this was so: middle-tier workers are the backbone of virtually all health care services, whether in a hospital, a nursing home or an ambulatory care center, so their jobs remain resilient even in tough economic times. Although no one knows for certain how the aftermath of the Covid pandemic will affect the health care sector, four other long-term trends are also reshaping the field. The aging population will generate increased demand for medical care. Growing skepticism of nursing homes will mean more seniors seeking care at home. Technological change will create demand for workers adept with new machines and information technology, and shifting business models will intensify employer concern about labor efficiency. All four trends are likely to reinforce demand for midlevel health care workers. Most middletier health care jobs are difficult to automate, and over the coming decade, many are expected to grow significantly faster than the average rate for all US jobs. The question in New York City: are education and training providers, including the City University of New York, equipped to produce the skilled health care workers likely to be needed in years ahead? Governments have a role to play in ensuring that education and training programs can accommodate increased demand. But what’s needed goes beyond public policy. Middle-tier health care workers deserve more respect. They are the cornerstone of the health care sector and all but certain to remain so for years to come.

Url: https://opportunityamericaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/EssentialWorkers-final.pdf

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Authors: Cooper, Preston; Jacoby, Tamar

Publisher: Opportunity America

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Health, Labor Force and Occupational Structure

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