For the people who have sought out Vermont employment opportunities, there comes a time when they fall in love with the Green Mountain State. Rural and close to the earth, Vermont is New England’s greenest economy, and its most sparsely populated state. Still, with breathtaking mountains and crystal clear streams, Vermont is one of the region’s major tourist locations. Its employment market has avoided much of the worst in the recent downturn as well. For those who love the great outdoors and the slower pace of times gone by, Vermont employment might be right for you.
Vermont unemployment
Vermont unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) increased from October 2008 to October 2009 by 1.6% to a rate of 6.5%
[Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics]
Vermont Employment Opportunities
Vermont’s economy is tied to the land and to agriculture. Farms and ranches contribute more than $2 billion a year to Vermont’s economy. Farm employment extends to a disproportionate slice of the population, and in Vermont employment opportunities are tied to the fate of agriculture. Dairy is the main industry Vermont is famous for: its cheeses and milk are famous the world over. For those with dairy farm work experience, there is plenty of production end employment available in Vermont.
But the rural character of the state doesn’t mean that only farmhands should seek jobs here. Vermont employment economics are impacted in other ways as well. For one, with farms come real estate jobs. Land is big business in the Green Mountain State, and the real estate sector is one of the state’s largest sources of jobs. Financial industry and banking positions come along with this. Even in the current housing bust and economic crisis, Vermont has one of the nation’s lowest delinquency rates for mortgages. The country values of the state have meant that people sill pay their bills on time. Vermont employment isn’t necessarily thrilling or hot, but it is steady and expected to be available in the future. Indeed, the state’s unemployment rate is at 7%, a full two points lower than the national average.
Vermont’s population is older than in many parts of the country. The result is that one of the fastest growing fields in Vermont employment is health care: a single health industry firm—Fletcher Allen Health Care—is one of the state’s largest employers. One of the causes for this is Vermont’s excellent research hospitals and institutions of higher learning. Burlington—the state’s largest city—is home to the University of Vermont, or UVM, and its teaching hospital. With so many farms, Vermont is also one of the nation’s best places for employment in the veterinary field.
Animal and nature lovers don’t have to stay in a doctor’s office, however. Vermont employment also revolves in large part around conservation and tourism. Perhaps the nation’s greenest state, environmental management is taken seriously and paid well here. Even if you haven’t gone to one of the state’s universities (famous for their environmental science and law programs), the ski resorts, parks, camping grounds and related service outlets hire a number of people in the state. Vermont employment is both green and entertaining.
Vermont Employment Resources
The Vermont Department of Labor is the Vermont employment resource extraordinaire. The agency not only doles out the state’s unemployment insurance checks, they also keep up to date statistics available for the public to get an idea about what work is hot in the state. One job the Department of Labor has taken up in recent months has been the application of federal stimulus dollars appropriated by Congress. The agency is investing the money in on-the-job training for low income workers so far with new jobs expected to come soon. The agency lives online at http://labor.vermont.gov/ and maintains a comprehensive statistics round up at http://www.vtlmi.info/.
One other service offered by the Vermont Department of Labor is VermontJobLink.com, a terrific Vermont employment resource. The government is the state’s largest employer, paying more than $3 billion a year to Vermont residents. The DOL has first posting of all of these jobs at VermontJobLink.com, along with announcements from the state’s largest and best paying employers. The site also benefits Vermont employment seekers by helping you build a resume which you can keep up at the site for potential employers to see even before you see them. With this site, getting a Green Mountain job is a snap.
Vermont Living Conditions
Vermont is a beautiful state with terrifically friendly people; Vermont employment means making new friends and loving the land. Vermont’s largest city—Burlington—is the smallest of any state’s largest city, and its capital—Montpelier—is the smallest state capital. The sparse population keeps housing affordable. Unions are somewhat powerful here, but they still only represent 13% of the workforce. The state does have high taxes—higher than the national average—but the lower cost of living may wash this out, and its strong public sector has made it consistently the healthiest state in the country.
The upside to the long, cold and snowy winters that come with Vermont employment is the nation’s oldest and most select ski resorts. The summers are pleasant and perfect for exploring Vermont’s natural wonders—the Green Mountains, the Connecticut River and Lake Champlain are just three popular recreational areas. Vermont has deer, bear and other game, and hunting and fishing are both popular and bountiful here.
Burlington is one of New England’s coolest cities, with its historic Church Street redone as a broad pedestrian pavilion lined with cafes, clubs, coffee shops and small retail outlets. The city is also home to UVM, giving it a hip, youthful feel to go with its café and arts culture. Vermont employment benefits from having such an educated and enticing city full of innovation
Vermont Employment
Whether you want to work on a farm, or selling property, making people well or serving the public interest, Vermont employment offers people the chance to get closer to the things that really matter: earth, family, land and beauty. One of the safest, cleanest and healthiest places to live, no wonder Vermont employment strength outpaces much of the rest of our country. Check out the Green Mountain State for unique jobs and get inspired by Vermont employment opportunities today!
